3XL to S Jersey Size: Fit Fat Fit Progress

3XL to S Jersey Size: Fit Fat Fit Progress

As some of you are aware, I’ve been in a health-improvement journey during the last couple of years in parallel with my geek-programming-learning-and-development stuff. Last week, however, I had a moment of awareness that I will remember for the rest of my life. Here’s what happened.

In December 2022 hit a “local maximum” (in AI-speak) in my weight, at 102.7 kgs (~227 pounds) which is when I decided to sign up for my first ever bike race, the Costa Rica GFAA.

Part of signing up involves going to a local bike shop and measure your bike jersey size, to specify it in the sign up form… so that’s what I did. What happened was a pivot point in my life.

I walked into Rugatti Pinares, look at the guy and said “hey… can you give me an XL to confirm it fits for the GFAA race?”.

The guy looked at me and in a very polite way say “mmm… I am not sure”.

Then it dawned on me. Have you seen how cyclists are built?

So I said “XXL”.

Nope… again!

So I tried a XXXL… 3XL… and it BARELY fit.

THREE EXTRA LARGE!!!!!!! And barely.

So I did the natural thing. Signed up for the race in 2XL. I was determined to wear one size smaller and I was prepared to race with a cape instead of a jersey, in case I couldn’t lose the belly fat and the jersey was not strong enough to hold all of me.

Fast forward a few years, now I am around 70kgs (~154 pounds), and I joined a new cycling group where they ride harder than what I am used to.

The time came to buy the uniform, so I naturally tell my coach “yeah I wear usually L, but M would do”.

Yuran, my coach said “you are not that person anymore. You are size Small, that’s the one you are getting”. This is something that I really like about him.

So I go back to the store, two years and one month later and the picture in this post is me wearing a SMALL cycling jersey.

Bonus: It was the same guy, the one with “mmm… Nope”.

This is what happens when you set your sights and efforts on achieving something, be it related to your health and work.

So remember, keep working towards those things that you want. Go and get them. You can do it.

Health is the best hack, believe me.

Note: If you liked this post, you might wahnt to subscribe to the mailing list where I send an occassional email about health or my once a month health newsletter. Here’s where you can go to subscribe. I promise it will be every once in a while and you will like it: https://xaviermorera.com/fitfatfit/