My name is Zhi, and I used to be a very overweight child. I remember feeling disappointed with myself and seeing disappointment in my parents’ eyes when my BMI reached the 98th percentile. I put myself through excruciating diets for years in hopes of shedding the weight and not being the chubby kid in class that everyone laughed at. But the most frustrating part was that I never seemed to get the results I wanted. I wanted a six-pack, but instead, I ended up being skinny fat.

It wasn’t until I was 17 that I discovered weightlifting and calorie counting. Finally, I saw results instantly. I got a six-pack for the first time in my life, but I thought that I had to be extremely strict with my diet. I never ate with my family, and I never went to hang out with my friends because I was scared that it would ruin all my progress.

Now, 8 years into my fitness journey, I’ve learned that losing weight and being in shape isn’t as hard or as intense as it’s made out to be. I want to spread my message of flexible dieting and fitness to the world, and make it as easy as possible for everyone else to lose weight. If chubby Zhi can do it, so can you!