My journey Jack Tatirosian

I was tired of being that "fat kid.” I’ve struggled with my weight since…. well, the name calling started to sting. My weight, and its effect on my attitude, prevented me from feeling comfortable socially. It became more worse when I changed schools after 8th grade. In my new school, everyone seemed perfect – both the girls and the guys. They were well dressed and thin; the boys seemed to possess that “strong chin” and “flow.” They had hair that, when worn long, fell just so, perfectly to one side, like the guys on a J. Crew ad. My wavy hair just “expanded.” Ugh.

My parents would suggest a run, snacking less and losing “a few pounds” but I knew it would take more to be happy with myself. I wanted to be included and asked to hang out. Being a day student at a boarding school was tough enough; being a “fat” day student was worse.

Motivation was the missing key in my quest to handle my weight. It came during my sophomore lacrosse season. My teammate’s insults continued to hit me hard. I came to realize finally I held the power to change their comments. It was time to prove to everyone and to myself that I deserved to be in this school, on this field and in that rink. Their insults became my motivation and when I failed to make...