The First Tragedy in a Lifetime of Weightloss

I am approaching 70 years of age very quickly and I have been dieting since I was thirteen years old.

To look at me now you would not think that I have been a professional boxer or a marathon runner.

My younger brother and I were often mistaken for twins when we were ten years old. He grew up to be tall and lanky at 6 feet. I grew partly up to be short and chunky at 5 feet 5 inches.

Now younger brother is very thin and I am not. It has been said that my brother looks as though there was a famine in the land ... and I look as if I caused the famine.

I was not obese when I was thirteen years old but I was an accomplished boxer. I trained hard 7 days a week 52 weeks a year. I was fit and thin but...I was a growing boy and was always trying to "make weight" for a lower division. Not my choice but the decision of my elders who in those days did not know the damage they were doing.

I had won the schoolboys championship and the intermediate championship and could not get opponents in my weight division or age group. The opponents I did get were adults. I was a young boy of thirteen and I was fighting men whose wives and children were in the audience. I felt great about this but it was not doing me any good.

At that time you had to be 18 years old to fight professionally. So at thirteen we lied about my age and I turned professional. Within two years I became rated as the third in Australia in the flyweight division (under 98 lbs.)

When the Australian Champion retired there was to be a fight-off between the top three contenders. I was supposed to be a certainty. However, I was still a growing boy and I was going to have difficulty making the weight. I weighed 4 lbs. over the limit with a week until the weigh-in. It did not matter if I won or not if I weighed more than 98 lbs I was out of the championship.

I was then given to help me to lose weight the most dangerous instructions that could be given to a fifteen old boy.

I was to "dry out". In effect, I was to cease drinking fluids for the whole week. No water, no tea, no softdrink. I was to chew gum which would produce saliva which I was to spit out continuously. (Yuck!).

And I had a turkish bath each night. Fluids were my enemy and when I got really thirsty I was allowed to suck the juice from an orange with a hole punctured in it...and boy was I thirsty!

While this was going on I trained hard and ate little.

The weigh-in was 2 hours before the fight and I stripped naked to be weighed. I could not risk leaving my underpants on! Although the official was sympathetic no matter how he jiggled the beam he could get less than 98.5 lbs! I was given an hour to lose 8 ounces.

In normal time that would have been easy! But I had nothing to give. My bladder was empty; my bowels were empty; my body was mostly muscle and bone.

I was given an old army coat and told to run round the block ten times in an attempt to raise a sweat and then immediately put under a hot shower to keep it going..as if.

Then one of the older trainers (even people I did not know seemed to help me) spent the time remaining trying to massage some of the fat of me. The only place I seemed to have any fat was on my backside.

It seems funny now but I can still remember the embarrassment of lying in the nuddie with all sorts of people watching Johnnie Shields slap my backside for twenty minutes.

Did I make the weight? I sure did! 97 lbs. 14 ounces.

I'd give anything to say that it was all worthwhile and I won the fight and went on to become Australian Flyweight Champion. I did not!

Up until then I had never been knocked down in all my fights. A reputation I had been proud of. In Australia in those days the referee never stopped a fight just because a boxer was hurt. The only way to stop a fight before the time limit was for the corner to throw in the towel. My trainer threw in the towel towards the end of the eighth round. I had not been knocked out but I had been knocked down eight times, five of them in the eighth round, and I kept on getting up.

And here comes the tragedy. Although I felt like a mongrel dog who had let everybody down, my trainer was supportive. I was a good boxer there would be other opportunities he told me. I'd done my best and worked hard for a long time. "Take a week's holiday", he said," don't come near the gym for a week. Have a milkshake or two. Relax and enjoy yourself". And I did!

When I arrived at the gym a week later everyone mentioned how well I looked and I felt good too. I jumped on the scales and to my horror I weighed 115 lbs. a gain of 17 lbs. Everybody I tell this too says it cannot be true. But it is true. Despite my loss I was still rated in the bantam weight division but I would have to lose 10 lbs to make the weight. Even to make the feather weight division I would have to lose 2lbs.

I soldiered on for a time but my heart wasn't in it and other interests took the place of boxing.

But I am certain that the early insane attempt at weightloss set me up for a life time of diet tragedies.

Ask me sometime.

About the author

Kelvyn Peters is known for his small business consulting. He is a master at rejuvenating ailing businesses.

But he is a jack-of-all-trades having been a boxer, house painter, packer, cane cutter and town mayor.

Whatever interests him really interests him and he becomes very knowledgable about the subject.

cheap limo service Lombard .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Recent reports show many common passwords can be cracked in literally seconds. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how to strengthen your passwords.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Iron, a robot that stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 154 pounds, combines advanced artificial intelligence with human-like movement and exceptional vision.
Hertz, the rental car giant, recently confirmed that customer information was exposed through a cyberattack on one of its software vendors.
There are a number of features with AirPods you may or may not know about to take your listening experience to the next level. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.
These 35 Chrome extensions have privacy and security concerns. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says to delete them now.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 329,000 mph fusion rocket promises to be fast, disruptive and enable deep-space missions.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a new autonomous AI is a game changer that also raises privacy risks. Is your data safe?
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says robots and drones are revolutionizing fruit farming with faster picking and smarter handling.
Landmark Admin revises May 2024 cyberattack scope to show twice as many people were affected. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives tips to help stay safe from an insurance data breach.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Yamaha’s hydrogen outboard motor could revolutionize boating with zero emissions.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to memorialize or remove a deceased loved one’s Facebook account and protect their digital legacy from misuse or scams.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says an Apple Watch saved psychiatrist Amanda Faulkner by detecting deadly leukemia early.
Scammers and fraudsters are increasingly targeting the most vulnerable, especially nursing homes and the personal data of their residents. Kurt the CyberGuy has safety tips.
Infected USB flash drives can spread malware among multiple organizations in ways that can easily bypass traditional security systems.
With a fully automated warehouse system and AI-powered robots, Ocado's Hive picks, packs and delivers grocery store orders in just a few minutes.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Recycling robots are using artificial intelligence to learn how to sort recyclables by recognizing patterns in colors, textures, shapes and logos.
The Reachy 2 robot is designed to be friendly and approachable, inviting natural interaction and is perfect for research, education and experimenting with embodied AI.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares several easy ways to keep your credit cards safe from digital thieves while you're traveling this summer.
Arcturus sets up cameras around the edges of baseball stadiums to capture real-time action and generate a 3D digital clone of the game.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The CyberGuy explains why healthcare organizations are vulnerable to hackers after there have been a half dozen data breaches this year.
Developed at two California universities, the innovative technology combines brain-computer interfaces with advanced AI to decode neural activity into audible speech.

Give up the Diet

If you're thinking of going on a diet to lose... Read More

7 Little Known Facts About Cellulite

Cellulite is a condition for which cures are commonly sought.... Read More

Coris Creations - Salmon Burger Atop Veggies

There's nothing more fun then being creative with food and... Read More

Ephedra Is Back - But Is It Safe?

It's been called the world's oldest medicine, the miracle fat... Read More

Using The Glycemic Index To Lose Weight After Pregnancy

The vast majority of postpartum women will not return to... Read More

The Most Under-Rated Aspect of Weightloss

If I were asked, "what is the most difficult thing... Read More

Hoodia Diet Pills - Tremendous Product and Excellent Fraud!

When it comes to the matter of weight loss, peoples... Read More

Trans Fat: Whats That!?

Learning the jargon is part of the weight loss journey.... Read More

Read Food Labels To Lose Weight

I was at the grocery store the other day, doing... Read More

How Does Phentermine Work? Learn How To Stop Neurotransmitter Depletion

Why has Phentermine stopped helping me lose weight?Many people are... Read More

20 Dieting Tips You Can Use Immediately To Start Losing Weight

Dieting is not easy. If it were, we would probably... Read More

Diets May Have Long Term Side Effects...Do You Know What They Are?

To see the "low carb" diets on the way out... Read More

Lose Fat by Choosing The Best Weight Loss Plan For You

Are you sick of the hype? Wondering what diet products... Read More

Weight Loss Information -- Setting Effective Goals

Weight loss information is often confusing and misleading. The more... Read More

Weight Loss Online -- The Fastest & Easiest Weight Loss Plan

My first article provided steps for fast healthy weight loss.... Read More

Spot Reducing is For The Laundry

? Can you give me an exercise that will get... Read More

Weight Loss NOW or Else!

If you knew when you were going to die, would... Read More

Sensible Approach To Weight Loss

Losing weight is a tough and demanding task for most... Read More

Tracking the Elusive Calorie - Weight Loss Tips

Why Making Small Changes in Your Eating Habits Adds up... Read More

Surviving September: The Dietary New Year

With summer completed and school back in session, it'll be... Read More

Does It Matter If You Are Overweight?

Everywhere we look in the western world we are inundated... Read More

Weight Loss Advice ? What Makes a GREAT Personal Trainer?

If you are trying to lose weight you may find... Read More

Weight Control: One Day At A Time

Most of us are aware of the AA axiom of... Read More

Weight Loss: Keeping Your Results Over the Summer

Having just returned from a week of basking on a... Read More

Weight Loss Strategies

If you want any weight loss program to work you... Read More

limo O'Hare Glen Ellyn ..