Used 2 B Large: Dying to Live

By Jimmy Bradley

There are countless outlets for weight loss advice, but not many come from someone who has weighed in at 400 pounds and been at war with eating addiction. Used 2 B Large tells the story of Jimmy Bradley, a physical trainer, who began taking his health into his own hands as a child and grew up to physically and mentally motivate others who have dealt with out-of-control eating habits.

Bradley narrates how he tried the yo-yo diets and made the risky mistakes, only to learn to train for the reason that matters: loving yourself and becoming healthier for yourself. Used 2 B Large shares his journey from the shame of being the chubby kid in grade school, to the risky behavior that comes with trying to please people for superficial reasons, to getting his head on straight, and breaking the cycle with the next generation.

Sharing real-life stories and messages of motivation, this memoir offers advice and tips on how to avoid wasting years of your life seeking false happiness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Aug 10, 2017
• ISBN: 9781483463643

Book preview

USED

2 B

LARGE

Dying to Live

JIMMY BRADLEY

Copyright © 2016, 2017 Jimmy Bradley & Jalisa Smith.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-6365-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-6363-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-6364-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016921510

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 7/24/2017

Contents

Disclaimer: With Diet And Exercise … And Tough Love …

The Challenge

I Was A Fat Michael Jackson

Committing To The War

Relapse Hard, And Fight Again

As Long As You’re Fighting It, That’s Okay

Sacrifice

My Kids Should Have A Better Life

You Can’t Do Whatever You Want

Now, I’m In The Game

DISCLAIMER:

With diet and exercise … and tough love …

I t’s midnight. A full meal is in your lap, and on your television is an infomercial of the latest sensational workout video series. You take in images of people who have beat the odds in their health journeys and worked out for a few weeks to become the finest Average Joes in the neighborhood. Then, you log onto social media and see the posts of people— bodies all toned and ideal to photograph—who never seem satisfied with their looks. Maybe they’ve forgotten where they started during their obsession over chasing ideals. That’s an understanding way to view superficiality without wanting to cram chocolate cake into those people’s mouths out of spite. The reality, that is difficult for people like me to swallow, is that many of those people—the new mom, the middle-aged dad, the 30-something who just began a raw diet—from the infomercials have never known what it’s like to really struggle with being overweight. They’re accustomed to the struggle of being perfect; a struggle all the same, however this book will resonate with people who know what it is like to be completely out of control with their weight and dieting. For those of you who find yourself in a pure struggle of ideals: Take a break from your concept of perfect beauty and gain a learning experience vicariously through (one version of) the story of my life. Allow me to share my unique journey with you.

My name is Jimmy Bradley, and I am a native of Orangeburg, South Carolina where I was educated in Orangeburg Consolidated School District #5, and attended Claflin University. To look at me it would be no surprise to know that throughout my life I have continuously struggled with both weight loss and weight gain. Unfortunately, being raised in the south where a large percentage of the population is overweight knowledge of healthy living and eating was scarce. Overweight and self-conscious, I began to research health related questions that dealt with extreme weight loss. My passion for knowledge began as a pre-teen as I searched to unlock the harsh health conditions that obesity places on the human body. In my research, I discovered a lot of interesting aspects about the human body and how health, fitness, and nutrition impact it. I found that all these factors and others affect one’s metabolism. So combining my knowledge of the human body along with my passion to become fit, I began the journey to wholeness in 1996.

I became interested in physiology and how this impacts one’s overall health. With both acquired and applied knowledge, I began to implement a plan for myself to regain health and self-confidence. My goal was to become as fit and beautiful as the people showcased on television. As my lifetime journey began, and I continued to work on my physical and mental health in time people witnessed my transformation and began to inquire about the process so I also started sharing my knowledge with others and in the process of time, I have helped over 100 people.

Whereas I initially began my research and process for my own satisfaction, my dream and desire evolved into working with people who also struggle with obesity however as with most dreams I did not purposely set on this path. As a child I was set on one day becoming a prominent actor. When I was in 5th grade, I agreed to play LaBoe, a character in my cousin’s screenplay. We were kids growing up in the 70s, so his work was inspired by the TV show Different Strokes. He had written NBC or CBS networks back then about his project and they were looking for an agent, which we didn’t have. Naturally one of the most frequent critiques I received about career goal was that my looks did not fit the part. In short, I was being told that I was too fat to be an actor. Honestly it hurt, but it was a criticism I’d had in the back of my mind all along. I don’t act anymore, but if someone was to call me to reenact my story tomorrow, I’d be more than happy to