Ashley had struggled with gynaecomastia from an early age and found putting on weight actually meant he could camouflage his enlarged chest. He first met Alex in his 20s to discuss gyno surgery, and Alex explained that it was necessary to lose weight before making this important decision.
In this special New Year’s Day episode of Konfidence with Alex Karidis, Ashley discusses his weight loss journey and why he is now in the right mental headspace to proceed with surgery.
Alex: Now, I know Ashley has been on a little bit of a journey. I know you’ve struggled with weight, which I know thousands and millions of people around the world do. But you also have an issue with gynaecomastia. In many respects, gynecomastia and your weight interact in terms of one affecting the other, but they’re also independent.
Now, I understand you’ve done fantastically well so far and lost quite a bit of weight.
Ashley: Yes, 30 kilos, about.
It was something I struggled with my entire life. And going through my 20s, I was easily able to yo-yo. So I would get some motivation, maybe lose five kilos in a month, something quite dramatic, but then it was always for a purpose. It was like weight loss with a view in mind, such as a holiday or an event. After that holiday or event, I’d return to my previous habits, and it wasn’t like I ever cracked changing my lifestyle.
The big turning point for me was turning 36. My mum became a type 2 diabetic, and my dad had high cholesterol, both in their early 40s. It was the realisation that while these things aren’t necessarily hereditary, the behaviour patterns are, and If I didn’t crack it by the time I got to my early 40s, I’d probably be prone to the same issues.
I decided to embark on the journey initially with the help of a nutrition coach. One thing that I got into in a big way was weightlifting, which really changed things for me, so those two things go hand in hand.
It’s become an absolute lifestyle change. I can’t imagine going back.
Alex: We met because you had a consultation, during which we discussed a longstanding issue you have with your chest.
Ashley: From as young as I can remember, I have had gynaecomastia. And as a child, I was hyper-aware. I couldn’t walk past a car window. I couldn’t walk past a shop window without being aware. I had marks on my T-shirts where I continually pulled at them to try and hide it.
I let it dominate my entire life. And as a result, I then realised being overweight hid it because I was now just an overweight guy with a big chest. I wasn’t a moderate-weight guy with a big chest.
I first came to see you 10, 12 years ago, in my 20s, thinking this would be the magic cure.
None of it was ever about putting the responsibility on me to find a way to be happy with my body. You were very honest and said I needed to lose weight, and then we could see what we could do.
Now, if I decide to go ahead, it will be the icing on the cake as I’m doing it in such a healthy headspace. Whereas, I believe if I’d done it in my 20s, it wouldn’t have been the answer to all of my prayers. Yes, I would have now had this smaller chest. But I still would have been a larger guy. I still would have been unhappy with my weight. I still would have had these unhealthy habits with food. I needed to go through the mental journey.
Listen to Ashley’s story in full in our latest podcast…
