Have you ever just looked at someone and wondered "wow, they are perfect. There's no way they have any insecurities about how they look."
Ok, well, maybe it's just me, but there is one guy whom the ladies seem to go head over heels for, but he is just as humble as he is handsome. Kevin B. Ademu-John is a fitness enthusiast on Instagram that one of our users shared with us and at first glance, you can easily tell he's tall, dark and handsome. But, that's not the end of his story. As a matter of fact, it took him to overcome some things--mentally and physically--to get to where he is now.
"I thank God for waking up another day, because six months ago my health was in jeopardy because I weighed 485lbs," confesses Kevin in an Instagram post. "I experienced irregular breathing and my blood pressure constantly fluctuated, which caused poor sleeping habits."
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"My weight traumatized my thinking and I suffered from body dysmorphic disorder, which means, I perceived flaws in my appearance. Constantly receiving negative energy and comments about my weight, I decided to pray more and give it to God. And one day I woke up and decided to exercise for ME, not caring about the world's opinion about my appearance. I grew to have a healthier relationship with working out, realizing it’s ok to take it week by week, instead of pressuring myself to do it every day.
According to Mayo Clinic, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health disorder in which you can't stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance — a flaw that appears minor or can't be seen by others. But you may feel so embarrassed, ashamed and anxious that you may avoid many social situations.
BDD is a chronic (long-term) disorder that affects men and women equally. It usually begins during the teen years or early adulthood.
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The most common areas of concern for people with BDD include:
- Skin imperfections: These include wrinkles, scars, acne, and blemishes.
- Hair: This might include head or body hair or absence of hair.
- Facial features: Very often this involves the nose, but it also might involve the shape and size of any feature.
- Body weight: Sufferers may obsess about their weight or muscle tone.
Because of its similarities to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), BDD is often considered to be on the obsessive-compulsive spectrum. With obsessive-compulsive disorder, you may suffer from recurrent thoughts, fears, or images that you cannot control. Any anxiety you feel leads to the performance of rituals or routines (known as compulsions) that help release the tension. When you have BDD, your obsession with perceived flaws can lead to negative effects on your social, professional, and family relationships as well.
"I’ve worked my way out of a dark place and now I want to use my journey to encourage people to make their own live changes," confessed Kevin. "Your goals are valid!"
"It was a lot of work and transformations don’t come overnight, it’s day by day. Learning yourself, having the perseverance to never quit and building yourself towards what you truly want to become. Some days will be hard...but worth it. And I’m still working and building myself day by day but the goal is to never quit on yourself. Success in life comes when you simply refuse to give up. Never give up on anything you do. Just get better and stay consistent."
"Eating Right! Working Out! Loving Yourself! Those were my accountability factors that aided in my transformation. I will be launching a fitness program in these coming days...You can do it; we can do it—Let’s go!"
Kevin, we salute you, brother!
For more on Kevin, click here.
