Q: hi mike, i am a 16 year old guy and i have recently gotten quite tubby. by recently i mean, i'm an ex-athlete. i was a sprinter last year, but this year i havent really found the time for it. i sorta gave up on running. and now ive gotten fat. i keep saying to myself 'im goin for a run tomrow' but i never do. whats wrong wit me? why is it so hard for me to get back on that cycle that i was in last year? even my girl friend left me cause i got fat!

A: Sorry to hear that, sounds like you are in a bit of a rut now. I wouldn't stress too much about it -- everybody falls off the wagon at some point or another. As an athlete, it'll be much easier for you to get back on track than it would be for an average person. So I wouldn't overthink or stress about it, but simply start running again. Right now pick a time when you're free to run and then just go for it! You of all people know that you'll actually enjoy it.

And if you are really getting too tubby you may want to examine your diet for what's causing it -- at your age even with no particular physical activity you ought not put on much fat unless your diet is poor. Most likely culprits are sweets, fast food, and sodas. Good luck and I'm sure you'll get back on track easily once you put your mind to it!