When it comes to health, it can be a challenge for many of us. With the world offering easy access to greasy pizza and french fries, saying no isn't your first answer. They say, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me." But, when it comes to bullying, name-calling leaves life-long scars on us.
Anthony Baker was an over-weight boy being teased and bullied on a daily basis but decided one day to change his life and shame his former bullies by rising above them. You what they say, karma's a b***h. Here's the story of Anthony's courage journey of clapping back to his haters and changing his life for the better.
1. His weight was always a struggle
His weight gain didn't appear out of anywhere. When it comes to weight gain, unless there's a medical condition involved, it usually appears after a traumatic experience. Anthony, who's from the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, lives in paradise. The sandy beaches, warm weather, and crystal clear water should keep anyone happy, right? Well, that's not the case, especially for Anthony. See, even in paradise, your life can be full of trauma and heartache.
2. He had a rocky start in life
Emotional and addictive eating doesn't just pop up out of thin air. Many people who suffer emotional trauma find comfort in eating as a way to cope with their feelings. Anthony didn't have the easiest start in life before finding food.
At the age of thirteen, Anthony was placed into foster care due to family issues, which was when his unhealthy eating habits started to develop. From then on, Anthony became addicted to food. But what does it mean to be addicted to food?
3. Anthony was a food addict
A food addict isn't someone who eats once a day. A food addict is someone who's constantly eating, and usually, they're eating a lot of food. Anthony was doing just that. He was specifically addicted to fast food, consuming two-foot-long meatball sub sandwiches with a large two-liter bottle of coke for breakfast.
That's just for breakfast! For lunch, he would mow down a large KFC burger meal with four Magnum ice cream cones. And for dinner, he would finish his day off with two large pepperoni pizzas from Dominos. This unhealthy cycle would happen day after day, creating a vicious cycle of weight gain and depression.
4. He was a target at school
It's clear Anthony didn't have an easy beginning as a young teenager. And in those years, they're extremely impressionable, shaping the way you see the world and yourself. After developing a food addiction, Anthony began to become overweight.
Because he was overweight, he became an easy target for bullies at school. This is when Anthony started to get routinely picked on by people who saw him as an easy target. All the bullying destroyed Anthony's self-confidence and self-esteem, making him eat even more.
5. His self-confidence was at an all-time low
His addiction to fast food made Anthony gain a lot of weight. Anthony said, "high school was really hard for me being that size. Kids are always cruel to anyone who looks different, so I had it rough." Because Anthony was larger than most kids, he stood out as a target. The constant bullying propelled his emotional eating, and he eventually weighed 157kg.
But his bullying didn't stop at name-calling, it evolved into horrible pranks against the vulnerable teenager. There was one prank which sent him over the edge...
6. He was pranked right before his high school prom
The only people who get pranked before the prom, are the ones we see in chick flicks - it's not supposed to happen in real life. Well, sadly for Anthony, he lived through a horrible prank that would scar him for years. Anthony decided to ask the hottest and most popular girl in his grade to join him at the prom.
It was his final year and he thought, why not ask her? Naturally, he expected to be rejected, but instead, she said yes. Anthony was so excited, he bought a new suit, had a fresh haircut and even hired a limo to take them to the formal. But, things didn't end up as how he imagined. You'll never believe what she did...
7. What did she do when he showed up at her door?
Anthony arrived at her house in the limo, and up to her front door, and rang the bell. He was a bundle of emotion, both nervous and excited to impress his date. However, the moment she opened up the door, everything changed.
After she answered the door, she said "sorry, you're too fat to fit through the door," and slammed it in his face. Not what Anthony expected to happen. Sadly, this cruel prank pushed him to spiral into a depression.
Anthony was heartbroken after the cruel formal prank happened to him, Anthony was heartbroken. Right after his date slammed the door in his face, he went back into the limo and broken down crying. After mustering up the courage to ask her out, he didn't expect her to behave so horribly. But, he decided not to end the night on a bad note. Instead, he made the decision to go to the dance, which wasn't the best idea. When he arrived, everyone was laughing at him, bullying him once they found out the news. Needless to say, it was a horrible prom for Anthony.
8. His doctor gave him a chilling warning
Anthony found comfort in eating fast food before and through his depression. He would eat KFC, drink liters of coca-cola per day, without realizing what it was doing to his body. Then, he went to the doctors where they gave him some unsettling news.
In 2014, his doctor told him he was on the verge of developing type two diabetes unless he changed his lifestyle. It was then he decided to make the change and he joined the gym shortly after the doctor's visit.
9. Then he made the decision to change his life
After everything Anthony went to, it was the doctor's visit that brought him to the point where he wanted to change his life. It wasn't an easy decision to make, but he knew if he continued down the road he was on, he wouldn't be living a fulfilling life.
The moment he decided to make the change, his unhealthy habits were apart of his past. Now, he was looking towards a new and healthy future. But it wouldn't be an easy ride.
10. He never thought about his health
Before seeing the doctor, his health wasn't on his mind. Of course, he noticed the weight gain, but the consequences of being overweight didn't haunt him. Anthony said, "he never thought about my health until my doctor said I was about to get diabetes.
I broke down in tears and realized I needed to change my life." Anthony was so consumed in his depression, he didn't even see what he was doing to his body, mind, and soul. But luckily, after that visit, he decided to change his life for the better.
14. Then, he transformed...
Anthony took his transformation very seriously right from the beginning. After he left the doctor's office, he decided to completely change the way he lived. For him, his life was on the line, and having diabetes wasn't an option.
Before his transformation, he was consuming around 10,000 calories a day from fast food, but fast forward, Anthony dropped 60kg and five clothing sizes. How did he do it? Well, it didn't happen overnight; in fact, it took years to get to where he is now.
15. He completely changed his meal plan
Firstly, Anthony joined the gym. He said, "I stopped eating fast food and began cooking for myself. I also stepped foot into a gym for the first time back in 2014 and haven't looked back." But he did more than just workout.
Anthony completely changed the way he ate. Instead of high-calorie fast food meals, he began to eat homecooked meals. For him, the transition was a challenge, "I didn't know how to eat properly and didn't care. I was addicted to fast food." But, needless to say, overcoming these obstacles was the best thing that ever happened to him.
16. And hasn't looked back since
Once Anthony started to workout and eat healthily, he never looked back. From the very moment, he decided to change his life, it took him five years to get to where he is now. And through all the obstacles, he continued to push forward until he achieved his goals.
Now, Anthony has become quite successful in both his career and personal life. It took him years to get to the point where he wanted to make a change. So, what was holding him back from changing his life sooner?
17. What was his problem?
For Anthony, the problem was very simple. He said, "when I was fat, I hated myself and never thought anyone could love me." At the end of the day, Anthony didn't believe he was worthy of love, and that's what kept him from making a change.
But now, his mindset is completely different, and he had a very specific goal in his head during his transformation. What was motivating Anthony to keep going? Was it a special girl he had in mind? Or something else?
18. But now he has a different mindset
During his transformation, Anthony experienced various obstacles, which may have had him quit if it wasn't for the goals he set in his mind. So, what was keeping him motivated to change? Anthony said, "All I wanted was to have a partner and family, so that really motivated me to lose weight."
His need for love and affection helped Anthony continue forward through the tough times, and he eventually reached his goal. But he didn't only reach his goal, he surpassed his goal in more ways than one.
19. The girl who pranked him at the prom contacted him...
They say the best revenge to your enemies is doing better than them, and that's what Anthony did. He spent years focusing on himself and trying to become a better, more whole person by working out and eating healthy. And he did so well, the girl who pranked him ended up contacting him one day.
Was it to insult him? To pull another cruel prank? Well, you're going to be surprised as to what she actually wrote to him... better yet, you'll be even more surprised with how he replied...
20. You'll never believe what she said...
The girl who pranked Anthony before the formal got his number through Instagram and ended up texting him an apology. She said, "Hey Anthony, It's ****. We went to school together at **** **** and I don't know if you remember me. I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry for bullying you for being overweight, and I want to know if you'll give me a chance to take you out for dinner. I think that you are absolutely hot, and I would love the chance to make it up to you. XX."
If Anthony wasn't in the place he was, he may have said yes. But he's a different person now. The best part was that he was in the spot to finally revenge his bully. So, what did he say?
21. What did he say back to his bully?
Did he say yes? Did he end up going on a date with his former bully, the one who broke his heart? Of course, he didn't. He said, "I couldn't believe it and didn't even reply. I'll forgive, but I would never forget."
Most of us would love the chance for our elementary or high school bullies to apologize to us for what they did. Luckily for Anthony, he had the chance to give his bully a taste of her own medicine without being cruel. But aside from his former-bully asking him out, how's Anthony's dating life since his transformation?
22. Has he been on any dates since his transformation?
All of Anthony's hard work has certainly paid off in more ways than one. Of course, his self-esteem and confidence have skyrocketed, and he's no longer endangering himself through his previously poor diet. But there's something else that's changed, and it's his dating life.
Anthony said, " I was always rejected and would get laughed at when I approached girls. But now women are asking me on dates all the time. I went from having three matches on Tinder when I was fat, to now having over 1,000 matches with girls. It's crazy." It sounds like he's living on cloud nine.
23. And has been contacted by other people who bullied him
When Anthony was being bullied, his bullies didn't care about him or how he was feeling. They were selfish and wanted to make themselves feel good by making him feel small. Now, people change, and when they become older, they recognize how their past actions have hurt others.
Anthony's high school bullies have come forward and apologized to him for their past actions. Though hearing an apology is great closure, Anthony wasn't waiting for them to come around. Instead, he put his life into his own hands and decided to make a change. How has his life changed since high school?
24. How has his life changed since high school?
Going to the gym and eating healthy does more than give you a flat stomach and clear skin. By working on yourself, you grow as a person, and challenge limitations you set for yourself in the past. What really changes is the way you see yourself.
Needless to say, Anthony's life has changed greatly since he began his transformation. His bullies have asked for his forgiveness, he's increased his self-confidence, and is working towards changing other people's lives. "I feel so much happier about life and I'm looking forward to the future," he said. That was something Anthony wouldn't have said before his transformation. So, what is Anthony doing now?
25. He even opened up his own personal training business
Some people, after making an extreme life change, aren't comfortable with sharing the news with other people. But, Anthony isn't keeping his life transformation to himself. Instead, he's decided to make it his life's mission to spread his message. Anthony said, "I've gone through a lot, but my experiences have made me the man I am today. My message is to just never give up, even when everything seems hopeless."
So, what does Anthony do now? Well, he's actually opened up his own personal training business called Transform Your Future. "My goal now is to help others who have been through the same things I have. If I can do it, anyone can do it," he said. Not only does Anthony's future look bright, but he's also working towards brightening other people's futures as well.
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