Tre Hubbard, 27, of San Diego, CA, faced a crisis of confidence after he stopped playing college football. Not only did he lose his athletic identity, but he faced two tragic events that led to overeat. At his weight, he hit 300 pounds. Hubbard had an epiphany when his clothes stopped fitting, and made a phone call that changed his life forever. Here, Hubbard shares how he rose from a personal rock bottom, building a new body and life.
I am A Division I linebacker at Virginia Tech and Wagner College. I always struggle with overeating, but because I continue to train, I always get far and don’t gain weight. That is, until two things changed my life.
In December 2019, I lost one of my best friends and best friends, Clay Beathard. His death broke me. Then, COVID happened and the world shut down. I stopped my athletic activity. Football was my identity, and suddenly I lost the game with my brother.
My weight slowly crept up from 235 pounds throughout 2020. I was sitting at home with no structure, no workouts, and no real direction. I started binge eating, but I didn’t care. I let myself. Made himself invisible. Besides some close friends, no one checked on me. I feel alone in a world full of people. It was the darkest day of my life. I do not recognize myself mentally, spiritually, or physically.
Then came my turning point. I went to an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant. Walking out after the meal, I realized that my clothes did not fit. On the way home, I had to stop at a store to buy my first 2XL jacket. When I put it down, everything hit me at once. I’m ashamed. I was afraid to look at myself in the mirror. Later, I stepped on the scale and saw the number: 300 pounds. In six months, I gained 65 pounds.
That very day I called my high school coach, Tony Thompson. He owned the Train Hard gym in Virginia Beach where I lived at the time. When I told him what I was going through, he said, “Tre, I’ve got your back.” He told me to come in to see him, and I went.
Going to the gym changed the direction of my life. This is where I met one of my closest friends, Sczar Charles. He was an amateur fighter at the time, and kept telling me to try MMA. I didn’t think I had the ability to be violent or successful in the ring.
But Sczar and the people around me kept pushing me to break out of that belief. Finally, I took the leap and trusted God. I don’t wait until I feel scared or ready. I did it out of fear. That decision to move forward despite the fear has changed everything.
New Routines That Change Your Mind and Body
I started a new routine that was simple, but intense. I run two miles every morning at 11 am Then I go to Train Hard from 2:30 to 5 pm every day to work with Tony and Sczar. After that, I went straight to MMA training from 5pm to 9pm, Monday to Friday. I was able to dedicate time to practice because I took online classes for my senior year of school. The schedule varies from day to day, but usually takes place between 6 am and 10 am, and sometimes from 12 to 2 pm.
Tony and Sczar never let me out. On snowy or rainy days, I’ll ask to message if training is canceled, and they’ll reply, “We’re not sorry – we’re just working.” Eventually, that became my mindset. Your body doesn’t care about the weather. You show up anyway.
My diet became strict and repetitive. I started eating eight ounces of lean ground turkey or chicken, 150 grams of white rice, and 100 grams of peas mixed with hot sauce – and thankfully, my mum was cooked. It became my favorite thing, because nobody made food like him. I started weighing everything I ate, too. Nothing enters my body unless it touches the scale. That discipline changed everything for me.
My faith also grounded me. Jesus Christ gives me strength every day. I learned that everything comes down to your mindset. If you win the battle between your ears, your body will follow.
Weight Loss and Boxing Wins
I lost 100 pounds in eight months. I have lost about 125 pounds in total. I feel better now at 27 than I ever did as a college athlete, because I finally understand how to take care of my body. After I lost 100 pounds, I no longer cared about what other people thought. I realized I was exactly what I always thought I could be.
Boxing gave me that mental clarity. It forced me to face who I was and helped me rebuild my identity on my own terms. It also led me to some impressive victories.
I am now 3-0 with two first round knockouts – one in the first six seconds of the fight. That moment in the ring wasn’t just boxing for me: it was the result of a complete transformation that started long before I put on the gloves. Nothing can happen without people around me. The trainers at Round4Round Boxing Gym in Houston, Texas, where I also train, trust me.
I’m not done yet. Some of my goals are running a marathon, completing an Ironman, and joining Toastmasters, professional development and speaking groups, so I can grow more confident and comfortable with public speaking. I want to continue to push myself into places that have always made me uncomfortable, because that’s where I’ve grown the most. That’s why I started sharing my story on TikTok and Instagram to inspire others who may not be satisfied with their current position in life. Losing weight taught me that if you can conquer yourself, you can conquer anything in this world.
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