I was an obese over-eater & told I’m too fat for sex – now I’m a CHAMPION bodybuilder after incredible transformation
Share:
A BODYBUILDER who overcame a decade-long battle with obesity and labelled himself a "freak" has transformed into a champion. Leonardo Machado from Brazil, now in his early 30s, was told he was "too fat for sex" and revealed he was so ashamed of his physique that he didn't lose his virginity until 29.
![[At his heaviest, Leonardo was roughly 200-kilos]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/photo-shows-brazilian-bodybuilder-leonardo-960750964.jpg?strip=all&w=770)
Leonardo lost more than 110 kilogrammes in a transformation that saw him go from a 200-kilos man into a 90-kilo hunk. The resident of Sao Vicente, on the coast of Sao Paulo, said that he had been battling obesity and depression since early childhood. Last weekend, the athlete participated in the Favela Classic event, held by Sao Paulo Bodybuilding and Fitness.
![[Leonardo said he was once too afraid to talk to women because of his size, and didn't lose his virginity until he was 29]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/photo-shows-bodybuilder-leonardo-machado-960751000.jpg?strip=all&w=496)
Leonardo won the "overall [general] overcoming" category, in which the winners from all sectors face off. He said: "Although I'm still recovering, I was persistent and managed to compete in the end. "That doesn't make it any easier, but facing and overcoming each obstacle made the journey extremely rewarding.
![[Leonardo is now a bodybuilder and Instagram influencer]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NINTCHDBPICT000960750963.jpg?strip=all&w=553)
"And as a bonus, I even got to win the trophy at the end.". According to the bodybuilder, the herniated disc was putting pressure on his sciatic nerve. This is the largest nerve in the human body and responsible for controlling the muscles and sensitivity of the lower limbs.
![[Leonardo had suffered with obesity and depression since childhood]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/photo-shows-bodybuilder-leonardo-machado-960750995.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
When there is a strong pressure on the disc, it can weaken and rupture. It meant that Leonardo was struggling to walk for an agonising 30 day period. He added: "During this period [of almost 30 days], I could barely walk, much less train or maintain the pace of an athlete.".
![[Leonardo was suffering with a herniated disc due to his size]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/photo-shows-bodybuilder-leonardo-machado-960751016.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
