Life In Paradise
Anthony Bayer grew up in Queensland, Australia, in a place that many would call paradise. He was born to a middle-class family who owned a cozy little home near the Gold Coast, just a few feet away from one of the world's most sandy, movie-like beaches.
Living in such a dreamy site, one would think that he led a happy childhood, but you should never judge a book by its cover. It happens to be that Anthony had quite a tough life from the start, and here's why.
Emotional Trauma
Unfortunately, Anthony was raised by a very troubled family and he was sent to a foster care by the time he turned 13. It wasn't long before his emotional trauma started taking a toll on his health.
Just as Anthony struggled growing used to his new life at the state foster care, he started suffering from anxiety and developing unhealthy eating habits. It was only a matter of time before his body began to change...
Food Addiction
By the time Anthony turned 14, he had already developed a serious addiction to food. Fast food, in particular, was his greatest weakness.
Such was his addiction, that he would regularly have a two-foot-long meatball sub with a large-sized coke bottle each morning. And that's just what he had for breakfast!
Unhealthy Eating Habits
For lunch, Anthony would typically wolf down a large cheeseburger with no less than two ice cream cones, which he would typically buy from KFC.
For dinner, he would typically devour two large Domino's pizzas with another large coke bottle. All in all, he would consume nearly 10,000 calories per day, which was nearly five times the average for a boy his age!
A Vicious Cycle
As a consequence of his food addiction, Anthony soon became overweight. And just like many students his age, he eventually started being bullied by his high school classmates.
Anthony would always be subject to cruel jokes and pranks during recesses, which only enhanced his eating disorders. Before he knew it, he was caught in a vicious cycle: the more he was bullied, the more he ate and the more weight he put on, and so on. However, his weight wasn't the only issue...
Insecurities
As the bullying got worse, it really began to undermine his self-esteem. "High school was really hard for me being that size. Kids are always cruel to anyone who looks different, so I had it rough", he recalls.
Apart from all the cruel jokes, he also remembers being systematically rejected by girls, which made him feel even more insecure with his body. By the time he turned 15, Anthony already weighed 24st, 10lbs (157 kg). However, he really hit rock bottom when the whole class teamed up to pull an evil prank on him...
No Risk, No Gain
Anthony was pretty much used to being ignored by all of his female classmates. Therefore, he was really taken by surprise when one of the most popular girls in class approached him in the hallway.
He pretty much expected the girl to pull another prank on him, but all she wanted was to check on him. As they struck up a conversation, Anthony gained courage and did something he never thought he'd dare: he asked her out on a date. But what did she say?
He Couldn't Believe It
Anthony still vividly remembers what happened that day. "I thought she was really pretty, and I must have been crazy, but I decided I’d ask her to the school dance. It was my final year of school, and I just thought ‘why not?’", he told Caters News.
"I was anticipating for her to reject me straight away and just laugh in my face. But amazingly, she said yes, I couldn’t believe it", he added. Not only would this be his first official date, but he would get to go out with the prettiest girl out there!
Anthony's Hollywood Date
Anthony was so excited that he bought himself a brand new suit, got a haircut, and even hired a limo for this special day. He wanted his date to be perfect and he was willing to go to great lengths in order not to spoil it.
When the day finally came, Anthony, for once, was feeling confident. He was hoping she would be impressed by the limo, but when he drove to her house and rang the doorbell, this happened...
His Bubble Burst
Anthony's bliss was short-lived. As her dream date opened the door, she glared at him smugly and condescendingly said: "sorry, you’re too fat to fit through the door".
Anthony couldn't believe that it had all been a prank from the very start. The only reason the girl had agreed to go on the date was so that she could ditch him on the last second. However, this wasn't even the worst part...
Public Humiliation
Anthony was devastated by such humiliation. "I was heartbroken. I went back to the limo and cried my eyes out. But then I gathered myself, and thought well, you have a suit on so you might as well go to the dance", he recalls.
However, his idea of going to the dance anyways definitely backfired. As soon as he arrived, the whole crowd burst into laughter as they pointed at him. That's when it dawned on him that the whole school had played their part in the prank.
Hitting Rock Bottom
Anthony will never forget how embarrassed he felt at being laughed at right there in the dance floor. "It was horrible. I sank into a major depression after that, which lasted years after high school ended", he said.
That particular moment really left an emotional scar and undermined his self-esteem for years to come. "I never thought anyone could love me and that I’d be alone forever", he painfully confessed. However, it was only a matter of time before he gained strengths to turn his life around...
Wake-Up Call
In 2014, weighing nearly 160 kg, the doctors told Anthony that he was likely to develop type-2 diabetes if he kept on with his detrimental eating habits. That was the wake-up call he needed to start fighting for change.
"I didn’t know how to eat properly and didn’t care. I was addicted to fast food. ‘I never thought about my health until my doctor said I was about to get diabetes. I broke down in tears and realised I needed to change my life", he admitted. But how did he pursue that goal, exactly?
Radical Lifestyle Changes
During his senior year in high school, Anthony decided it was time for him to make some radical lifestyle changes. Not only did he commit to a new healthier diet, but he also started going to the gym.
"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", he recalled. Having diabetes was not an option for him and he really went all out to commit to his goal.
New Diet
Anthony understood that not only did he have to eat less, but also better. As for breakfast, he replaced his classic meatball sub and coke with bananas and green tea.
He also started having red meet, green veggies, and brown rice for lunch and grilled chicken with mixed vegetables for dinner. Only occasionally would he treat himself to a mint ice cream cone. However, his body wasn't the only thing that changed...
Womanizer
Having lost so much weight, Anthony started being hit on by girls all the time, something he definitely wasn't used to! "I was always rejected and would get laughed at when I approached girls. But now women are asking me on dates all the time", he said.
"I went from having three matches on Tinder when I was fat, to now having over 1,000 matches with girls. It’s crazy", he added. But wait a minute... how much weight did he lose, exactly?
Extreme Weight Loss
After sticking to his new diet and fitness routine for nearly a year, Anthony managed to lose 9st 6lbs (60 kg), dropping five clothing sizes. Beat that!
His radical body transformation definitely boosted his confidence levels, too, as he would no longer hesitate when it came to asking a woman out. Some time later, however, the unbelievable happened...
An Unexpected Proposal
One day, Anthony signed in to his Instagram account and realized that a gorgeous girl had sent him a message asking him out on a date. When he read her name, he was left in awe. He couldn't believe who it was!
As bizarre as it sounded, the girl who was asking him out was the same one who had ditched him for being overweight back in high school. "That same girl who was so cruel to me before our school formal, somehow got my number through my Instagram page and sent me a text and asked if we could go on a date", Anthony narrated.
His Bully Asked Him Out
"Hey Anthony, it's xxxxx. We went to school together 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", the message read. But this was not all!
"I think that you are absolutely hot, and I would love the chance to make it up to you", the woman added. What do you think he replied? Slide on and find out!
A Taste Of Her Own Medicine
At first, Anthony was left speechless. "I couldn’t believe it and didn’t even reply. I’ll forgive, but I would never forget", he said. Shorty after, he realized what had to be done.
While many of us would love to have the chance of dating our high school crush, Anthony knew that he couldn't just overlook the fact that this woman had made him feel miserable. Unwilling to relent his pride, he decided to give her former bully a taste of her own medicine by declining her proposal. Bravo!
A Role Model
Anthony's story is truly inspirational. Currently, he's putting effort into helping others on their journey towards improving their health. With this aim in mind, he's recently launched his own fitness business, Transform Your Future.
"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. If I can do it, anyone can do it", he asserted. Hopefully, his story will inspire many to overcome their insecurities and live a healthier life!