From being called "Kanono" and "Blueband" to building 20kg of muscle, this is my journey from childhood obesity to natural bodybuilding. Through high school struggles, campus gym sessions, and years of trial and error, I learned what actually works.
If you grew up being called "Kanono" or "Blueband," we share a special bond.
I wore those nicknames like a badge of honour; mostly because I didn't have a choice. "Mafuta," "Biggie"... I heard them all.
And, to be honest, I kinda enjoyed them sometimes. Mostly because they implied a sense of authority, and as a kid, that mattered. A lot.
My obesity wasn't accidental though. I loved food. Porridge, chapatis, mandazis, and bread slathered in BlueBand margarine.
I genuinely thought margarine would make me healthy, just like those happy kids advertising Blueband and Prestige on KBC. Remember them? (Sorry, Gen Zs)
My mother showed love through feeding me, and I returned the favour by eating everything she made.
Going to the shop meant a reward: half a loaf of bread, sometimes a whole one, just for me. Doing chores meant treats. Food was comfort, celebration, and, to an extent, currency.
But that comfort came with a price. By primary school, I was significantly overweight.
My stomach would cramp after eating chapati and beans, my favourite meal, though I didn't understand why at the time. (Years later, I'd learn about wheat intolerance and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), but that is a story for another blog.)
The real pain wasn't physical. It was social.
School opening and closing days were always trouble.
More often than not, I could not fit into my school uniform on opening day. That alone made me a target.
Other students mocked me relentlessly. Blue Band. Mafuta. Countless variations.
To protect what little dignity I had, I got into fights. A lot of them. It never really helped. Being fat felt like carrying something heavy that no one else could see.
Sports were another battlefield. I struggled to keep up, especially in football (one reason I don't take the sport too seriously; does Cristiano Ronaldo play for Arsenal? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
).
Believe it or not, my inspiration came from hip-hop. 50 Cent to be specific. Around 2003, when he burst onto the music scene, my mindset about my physical appearance began to change.
I was just a kid. Not that I understood anything about fitness per se.
But I had never seen an artist achieve that level of commercial success while looking so physically imposing. That was the moment I decided I wanted to look like him, someday.
Unfortunately, I was still just a fat kid in the early years of primary school. I had the dream, but I had absolutely no idea how to go about gaining muscle.
Then came high school.
If you know anything about Kenyan high school life, you know the conditions can be tough.
So tough that, if you were overweight, you barely had to do anything to lose weight.
The environment stripped the weight off me clean, and for the first time, I was happy to see I could fit into clothes.
But I didn't just want to be skinny. I wanted to look strong. I wanted huge biceps. Let's cut to the chase; I wanted to look like 50.
Seriously, was that too much to ask? Maybe. But I didn't care.
I had a group of friends, and after evening preps, we would hold push-up competitions at the basketball court.
It started as fun, but then I noticed something. My chest was getting bigger.
I became hooked.
After KCSE, before joining campus, I became obsessed.
I would do up to 100 push-ups in the morning or evening. I genuinely wanted to look like The Rock and 50 Cent, my two childhood heroes.
Still, I struggled to build any real size. I was putting in the work, but I lacked the knowledge.
How did these guys become so huge?
I dove into research. While my friends were busy reading The Insyder (remember those?), I was glued to articles and blogs on Men's Health, learning how to eat and train for muscle growth.
When I finally joined campus in 2014, I enrolled in the school's gym immediately.
It was under-equipped and basic, but honestly, it was enough. I started noticing results. As the years went by, I met a few guys who taught me the finer details of bodybuilding.
Eventually, I cracked the code. I found the right diet and workout routine for my body. Not someone else's template, but what actually worked for me.
I went from 77kg on campus to 84kg after graduation. Now I weigh 97kg while staying lean. That is 20kg of mostly muscle gained over several years.
As you can see, my fitness journey began a long time ago, and like most people, I couldn't get it right at first.
It took years of research, reading, experimenting, and learning how my body responds to food and training stimulus.
Trial and error. Lots of error.
But I stayed consistent. I kept learning. And eventually, the pieces fell into place.
In my next blog, I will break down exactly how I went from 84kg to 98kg in less than two years while staying natural and focusing on a clean diet. No shortcuts, no steroids, just science and consistency.
Editor's Note: Rogers is a certified personal trainer and fitness nutrition specialist who has spent over five years helping clients build healthier bodies and sustainable fitness habits. You can learn more about his coaching philosophy and services at rogersfitnessclub.co.ke.
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