“Hated the Body I Had”: Man Who Almost Ended His Life at 18 Loses 200 Pounds to Become a Competitive Bodybuilder

Tired of his “funny fat kid” persona morbidly obese, David Roden decided to take matters into his own hands. Ditching his 10000-calorie unhealthy diet, the Michigan youth overhauled his lifestyle. Losing nearly 200 pounds, here’s the inspiring story of Roden, who became a social media sensation in bodybuilding with his insane transformation.

From hating his body to becoming a competing bodybuilder, Roden talks about how he fought childhood obesity by shedding down unwanted body fat.

From fat to fit: The gripping tale of David Roden

Despite growing up in an ideal household and having access to all the resources, like an indoor basketball court and gym, Roden did not have the most active childhood. While his dad, who happens to be a cardiologist, stayed 80 to 90 hours working, his mother pampered him with all she could. Giving him unlimited pocket money, the parents never enquire Roden about the expenditure.

This paved the way for him to enjoy unlimited junk food and video games. Popular at school for his active participation, Roden recalled his biggest bully was he himself. At age 18, weighed around 480 pounds, feeling “trapped,” he knew something needs to be done. Talking with the Epoch Times, he said, “My parents never knew, family and friends never knew, but I really did consider ending my life at 18 years old because I just hated the body I had.”

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After getting a science degree from Central Michigan University at 22, Roden sat back to reassess his life choices. Planning to go to med school, he questioned himself- “what I wanted to do in life?” With questions bugging him, he soon came across the book The Compound Effect. Reading the book transformed his life goals altogether. As his mindset changed, he tried to achieve his weight loss goal on a daily basis.

The measures that Roden took

By setting up smaller goals, Roden decided to take it slow. He hit the first milestone when he shredded approximately 100 pounds by playing pickup basketball, walking outdoors, and walking on a treadmill. Roden soon ditched junk food and began experimenting with a low-carb, high-protein diet. He focused on having 3000 calories per day. Gradually, in three years course, he dropped from 410 to 220 pounds.

Soon Roden found his true calling in strength training and bodybuilding. At age 27, he then participated in his first bodybuilding show. In the most recent bodybuilding competition that he participated in, he weighed around 208 pounds and had just 10% of body fat. He now remains active on social media and guides others to adopt a healthy lifestyle. He has also published the book Drop the Baggage: From Suicide Obesity to a Life of Health and Happiness.

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