How “Methodz” Lost 55 Pounds and Is Competing Better Than Ever
We spoke with professional Call of Duty player Anthony “Methodz” Zinni about what it’s like to be a professional gamer who underwent an incredible transformation. The Counter Logic Gaming athlete lost 55 lbs through a combination of healthy eating and exercise all while maintaining a rigorous eSports training regimen. The drastic lifestyle change came after realizing that his poor health was negatively affecting his gameplay. The results were dramatic: Methodz became a better player and a better teammate than ever before.
Here’s his advice on what you can do to become a better eSport athlete and how Double Chocolate Chunk Quest Bars played a part in his transformation.
1. What does it mean to you to be a healthy gamer?
Being a healthy gamer is extremely important. It makes it safe for me to play video games for a majority of the day, every day, due to the simple fact that I get my workouts and healthy eating in. Everybody knows that video games are not the “healthiest” thing for you. You sit for hours at a time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t simultaneously be healthy and play video games. I work out 5 times a week and maintain a healthy diet. It removes any guilt I used to feel from sitting for a majority of my days.
2. How important is physical wellbeing to a gamer’s ability to play well?
Physical state can be pretty important when trying to maintain and improve your game. Personally, I feel it relieves stress and keeps my mind clear of negativity – which is essential in-game. After I started my fitness journey, I was definitely able to see that my gameplay improved. Playing video games while maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a totally different game than playing while being tired and groggy all of the time.
3. What motivated you to go on your fitness journey? How much weight did you lose?
I started down this path because of my health. I was 215 lbs when I was 17 and only 5’8 tall. I could literally feel the weight and burden on my body – it wasn’t very happy with me. I also found myself getting upset and angry in game due to the negativity brought on by my unhealthy life. When I started working out and eating smarter I felt better all around. I didn’t have to worry about upsetting my teammates due to being an in-game vibe killer. I was able to lose 55lbs and I couldn’t be happier.
4. What’s your best memory of playing games?
It definitely goes back to the Playstation 2 days. I used to get home from school and instantly sprint to my TV to play Sly Cooper or Crash Bandicoot. That is where the passion started for me. From then, it evolved into Call of Duty after the release of Call of Duty 4, which was basically the beginning of the gamer known today as “Methodz”.
5. How long have you been playing Call of Duty?
I’ve been playing COD ever since Call of Duty 4 (2007). Of course back then it was all for fun, never really thinking it could turn into something like this. I’d sprint in from the bus to hop online and play public matches with my friends. Eventually when I started to get pretty good, I discovered Gamebattles. It was basically a site to play and compete for “virtual XP” which gave you bragging rights over your opponents. The first ever LAN event I attended was UMG Chicago with CoD: Black Ops 2, which I ended up placing 5th. My team was able to upset and defeat “compLexity”, one of the best teams to ever grace Black Ops 2. At the age of 15, I couldn’t be happier. At my first ever event I was able to defeat players I had been watching for months – learning and trying to get into the swing of competitive gaming.
6. What’s your favorite healthy meal? What’s your favorite cheat meal?
My favorite healthy meal has to be salmon. I never really ate it much until I began to pay attention to what I was putting in my body and ever since then it’s now one of my favorites. Double Chocolate Chunk Quest Bars were also a huge help on my fitness journey – they’re a great snack when I’m on the go or in between games. When it comes to cheat meals, I will always go with Chicken Parmesan or Hibachi. I could probably eat those two every day for the rest of my life and be content.
7. What do you want to say to gamers who are considering embarking on a fitness journey?
DO IT! I wish I started earlier. It has easily been the best decision I have made in my entire life. After the first three weeks of healthy eating, you’re set. Those first three weeks aren’t easy. But I promise it’s worth it. I feel better, look better, and most importantly, play better.
A huge thank you to “Methodz” for answering our questions and sharing his journey. If you’d like your gamer transformation to be featured on The Bloq, send in your story to [email protected]
