I would like to introduce you to Dave Carlgren. I had the opportunity to meet Dave when he competed in the 2024 WNBF Calgary show as an athlete with a category that we sponsor, named - The New YOU. Dave is very personable and it was a privilege & eye opening moment to hear about his story up close. This was the first time that I have met someone who had actually lived in Wuhan, China during the Covid pandemic. Dave's story is amazing, but it let's you know about the importance of including fitness into your world, the mental & physical aspect of fitness is so very important - even for survival mode. Enjoy!
My journey was not the typical one that many take when considering lifestyle change and fitness. I have been active throughout my life and have always valued health and wellness. However, during the COVID pandemic things changed and these values became distorted.
In 2019, my family and I decided to move to Wuhan, China as an adventure. We did not know how massive that adventure would be, for obvious reasons. Our struggles were very real and quite tangible; wondering what we would eat and whether we would have enough money to do so daily; where would we live as we were not in China, couldn't return because of lockdowns, couldn't return to Canada, and were trying not to have a feeling of panic overtake us; and would we have enough money as our employer waffled about paying employees who were not actively teaching.
To ensure my family always had enough, I opted to reduce what I was eating. As a way to numb some of the hunger (and other) pains, I opted for engaging in exercise, specifically calisthenics, as no equipment was available. My body began to change and I made psychological choices to continue to push those changes, ultimately altering my self-conception and becoming severely anorexic. I lost 23kg in less than 2 years, and was at a low weight of just under 63kg, which for a man who is 6'3" left me skeletal. A major problem with anorexia is the concept of self-perception because it becomes skewed and self-reinforcing. Many of my relatives and friends were concerned but I could not see what they did.
Eventually, after a return to Canada and the establishment of personal, professional, financial, and residential security, my view of self began to align more with those of the people who care about me. However, one's perspective does not change overnight and I elected to fall back on exercise, trying to build muscle, create a caloric surplus to do so, and to condition myself for versatility and strength.
I started weight lifting, researching diets for weight gain without excessive fat gain (there is a tendril of the anorexia perspective that still weaves its way into daily life), and to get well. After about 2 years in Canada, I have gained back 10-13kg of the weight, but made it quality - muscle and functional fat primarily, and surrounded myself with positive people who support my progress toward improvement. Changing your body is hard but is made easier when surrounded with love and support, people who authentically want the best for you, and a plan to improve.
Thinking of one's body as a process (ever-changing and made by the choices we make) rather than an entity (something we possess and that serves us) has been invaluable.