Being overweight is nothing new for many teens in America. Obesity is an issue that is growing at an alarmingly fast rate.
According to WebMD, the amount of teens that are overweight has more than tripled since 1980, and in 2004 almost one in every five teens was considered overweight.
While this may sound troubling to concerned parents and those who are overweight themselves, things are not as dire as they seem. There is hope for those overweight individuals to get their problem under control through proper exercise, dieting and hard work. A perfect example of this is the story of Seton Hall's Louis Angelici.
Originally from Wyckoff, New Jersey, the 19-year-old sophomore has reached a milestone in his battle against obesity.
In the past year, Angelici has managed to drop an astounding 140 pounds.
"I've always had a weight problem, since I can remember I've been overweight," Angelici said.
He had tried to lose weight in the past but said he could never really keep at it; however, that all changed at the beginning of the second semester of his freshman year.
"I wanted to make a change when I came to college," Angelici said. "It was a fresh start."
Angelici began working out around the same time that he joined Seton Hall's Rugby team, which he attributes to much of his success.
"At Rugby practice I wasn't able to keep up with everyone or even do some of the runs and drills," he said, but that did not deter him, as he continued to go to the gym every day.
Angelici did everything he could to lose the weight, ranging from lifting weights to walking on the treadmill. He did not do it all on his own, though; his rugby teammates and coaches were a big part of his exercising regiment.
"Every person on my rugby team helped me in some way, whether it was (offering) positive motivation, workout tips, diet tips … (they) pushed me to my limits," Angelici said.
"I noticed my clothes getting bigger and bigger on me until I could not wear them anymore because they were so big," said Angelici. When he first started to workout he weighed 420 pounds, but he currently is 280.
Despite his accomplishments, Angelici refuses to become complacent, as he continues to strive to get in better shape. He joined ROTC this semester, planning on losing another 80 pounds and building muscle.
"Everyone can get in shape; for some it's easier than others, but if you feel like you want to lose weight, it's all mental," Angelici said. "You have to want it. You got to want to make the change to better yourself."
Ronan O'Brien can be reached at ronan.obrien@student.shu.edu.
