A blow by blow account of a battle to beat the bulge
Sporting a neatly trimmed beard and a trendy haircut, he walks with a confident swagger and a general demeanour that screams contentment.
This is 24-year-old Obakeng Seisa today.
Five years ago, life looked very different.
Certainly, back then the young man would not have had the confidence to stroll into The Voice office.
He was a battered soul, an outcast who had watched life pass him by.
Weighing an unhealthy 130kg, Seisa had to make a drastic change to his lifestyle. It is a successful turn-around he beautifully captures in his book ‘Nothing would fit’.
The 104-page autobiography is a glimpse into Seisa’s life from a young age through to his adolescent years.
Overweight as a child, the author was the butt of cruel ‘fat boy’ jokes from as young as six years.
The bullying starts from home, with family members who never miss an opportunity to remind him of his bulky body size. Although it was meant as light-hearted humour, the jibes hit home hard.
“I know some people who make their children incredibly aware that they are overweight, constantly talking to them about it, counting calories and hiding snacks,” writes Seisa in his book.
The author states that the very first time he became aware there was something wrong with him when his mother took him for medical check-ups as a six-year-old.
After getting off the scale, his mum encouraged him to lose weight by offering money as incentives.
“I remember there being some predetermined amount of sit-ups I were to do to receive the monetary reward. I’m sure you know how this ends, because I wouldn’t be writing this book had it worked,” he states.
Seisa takes you through his journey as the fattest boy in school, and how he braved the sly and hurtful remarks from both parents, teachers and students alike.
The school environment was the most toxic, narrates the author, who vividly depicts the struggles he went through just to perform regular chores.
“In primary school, I’d always race to be the first one on the bus after school so I didn’t bump into anyone as I shimmied my way through the tiny school bus aisle.”
Seisa touches on his experiences, including relationships with his male friends and girls, his love for basketball and the heart-breaking comments from parents on the courtside.
The author holds a mirror to the world which reflects the amount of damage society inflicts on many through body shaming.
In April 2016, Seisa took it upon himself to turn his life around. He followed a strict diet and started training regularly.
The results were incredible: in eight months, Seisa shed a staggering 55kg.
“Today I weigh 75kg and my confidence, self love, self worth, patience and energy have gone way up. The best version of me is yet to come,” he said.
Visit the book page ‘Nothing would fit’ on Facebook and get a copy for more inspiration. The book sells for P150.
