John M. Bottorff, D.C., C.C.S.T., is a 1981 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic and a second generation chiropractor. He is certified in Chiropractic Spinal Trauma. He is a triathlete and an avid cyclist, runner and swimmer. He can be contacted at Bottorff Advanced Chiropractic at 362-8833 or online at www.Cvillepainrelief.com.
Trent Hutson, 17, has transformed his health and fitness with diet and exercise.
As a young man of 17, this week’s Health Hero talks about journeys and experiences like a person several years his senior. Experience has helped Trent Hutson, a self-professed science nerd, became a better young man while losing weight and gaining fitness.
Trent is the son of Daryl and Lee Ann Hutson and is a junior at Southmont High School. He knew he was overweight when he was in seventh grade. It was non-issue to him. He weighed 280 pounds on a 5’4” frame. Activity wasn’t on his list of things to do and he was “barely involved” in physical education at the time. Kids being what they are I ventured into the advent of the name calling.
“They started in sixth grade,” came a quick response from Jacob Shillings, a friend Trent brought along to the interview. A quick glance revealed a concerned look from Jacob who seemed as if he could see the exact moment when it occurred. “Kids had names for him,” Jacob continued.
I wouldn’t ask what they were.
Trent learned to ignore the comments and names. He didn’t tell his parents because he believed they couldn’t do anything about it.
“I don’t care what other people think,” he said.
But with the innocence and vulnerability of youth, he knows it damaged his self-esteem.
“It made me less confident and constantly self-conscious,” Trent said. “Usually other people help that through positive reassurance.”
The changing point came about a year and a half ago when his mom got involved in a weight loss contest.
“Mom says it’s the day we all got off the couch,” Trent joked. “She dragged us into her program.”
For the first month the working out and diet lacked the intended results. Trent was doing the ever common starvation diet, denying his body of food. He found it interesting that after the days he would eat more he actually lost weight. The “science nerd” started researching and realized that starving the body sent it into a survival mode. Believing it was under siege the body would hoard food or energy as an emergency procedure. So, part of Trent’s learning curve was that he needed to eat to lose weight.
About this time there was another influence. A cousin he was visiting was a vegetarian. Trent wasn’t ready to go vegan, but he did realize that he liked different foods, including vegetables. Previously, his diet had narrowed down to the big three — cheese pizza, Burger King and Taco Bell. From his research Trent now explicitly understands the devastation of fast food.
“The best place to find information is from multiple sources,” he said
He also realizes his plan may not work for other people. He will cheat on occasion with a sausage or pepperoni pizza, and loves jalapeños. Peppers were a pleasant part of his healthy eating discovery.
Trent continued to work out and monitor his weight loss after the weight loss challenge was over. He weighed himself twice a day, more out of curiosity than anything. He always weighed more in the afternoon for whatever reason.
“Other people saw the change in me before I did,” Trent said.
To date, his weight loss has totaled 90 pounds. He now stands at 6’1” and has a much more favorable body mass index.
And the bullies?
“They went away,” Trent said.
They really went away. Unwittingly, they all had moved out of the school system. Trent realized that like anything in life, bullies weren’t forever.
As Teddy Roosevelt might say, “Bully for him.”
See you on the run.
