Late at night time, craving the consolation of Flamin’ Sizzling Cheetos, he hears the phrases.

When you lose the burden, you’ll have a shot.

Eager for his mother’s lamb chops swimming in coconut milk, he hears the phrases.

When you lose the burden, you’ll have a shot.

Wishing he might splurge for his favourite In-N-Out order of a triple cheeseburger, double-double, animal-style fries, common fries and a strawberry milkshake, he hears the phrases.

When you lose the burden, you’ll have a shot.

The phrases are annoying. They maintain him ravenous. They momentarily make him need to abandon this entire giving-up-what-he-loves insanity.

Atonio Mafi marinates in these phrases, the UCLA offensive lineman remembering how he as soon as strained the size at 411 kilos, stretching the material of his XXXXL jersey on a body measuring 6-foot-2.

At his lowest moments, he contemplates how these phrases saved his profession.

Having dropped the burden equal of a third-grader, now all the way down to 340 kilos, the fifth-year senior considers how he’s going to push by means of his starvation yet another time.

Yep, right here come these phrases once more.

“That’s what I maintain listening to when these sure instances are available in,” Mafi mentioned of the moments when he’s tempted to offer in, “after which I’m going and chug a water and get full off of water.”

He’s misplaced the burden. He’s acquired a shot.

Each chew he took, his thoughts thanked him. His physique didn’t.

His favourite fast-food meal consisting of 5 beef patties with cheese plus a double order of fries and a shake added as much as 3,240 energy and 177 grams of fats, in line with dietary info supplied by In-N-Out and FatSecret. That’s greater than 150% of the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration’s really useful calorie consumption for in the future.

Equally fattening spreads have been scarfed down at residence, Mafi relishing each chew of his mother’s Lu Pulu, with its savory beef or lamb wrapped in taro leaves and different Tongan delicacies. Staying true to his Polynesian heritage, Mafi appreciated to drown every part in mayonnaise, as soon as even making an attempt it on pizza.

He laughed when requested what types of tabs he saved on his consuming.

“That’s why I used to be large,” he mentioned, “as a result of I wasn’t counting my calorie consumption.”

His all-time recorded excessive of 411 kilos got here the primary time he stepped on the size contained in the Wasserman Soccer Middle earlier than fall coaching camp in 2018. Oh, dang, he thought. Roughly 25 kilos had been packed on within the previous months whereas he recovered from an Achilles’ tendon harm suffered in a highschool playoff recreation.

When Mafi crammed into the machine resembling an enormous egg that gamers name the “bod pod,” it revealed one other disturbing quantity — 40% physique fats.

He was issued an outsized mattress and pants to accommodate his size-50 waist, however there was no simple reply for the fatigue that overtook him in observe. Solely minutes into every session, he was dragging.

“After the primary or second interval,” Mafi mentioned, “I used to be gassed.”

Small victories adopted. By chopping again on what he ate or upping his cardio each time he binged, he slimmed all the way down to round 390 kilos by the season opener. He was the one true freshman starter on the defensive position — his authentic faculty place — after profitable the job in camp. By the primary recreation of 2019, he was at 357.

A change to offensive line got here in 2020 amid the staff’s scarcity of our bodies on the place. However Mafi’s weight remained regular, hovering round 355. These further kilos saved him from discovering the acceleration wanted to succeed in linebackers each time he tried to dam downfield.

None of his normal methods might assist him get any thinner. His motivation fluctuated like his weight.

When he began winter quarter in January, the size mirrored his waning focus. He was again as much as 377. His remaining season beckoned.

Coming into the world at 9 kilos and 21 inches, Mafi was born to eat. It’s a part of his tradition.

“Within the Tongan home, there’s all the time meals,” mentioned his father, Peter. “It’s simply the best way it’s.”

Atonio — ‘Nio, his family and friends name him — devoured every part, with one exception.

“He’s not into greens,” Peter mentioned with a hearty snort.

At all times the largest child in his class, Atonio began to understand he was completely different across the fourth grade. He was the one one increasing exponentially. There was no pediatric development chart that utilized to him. He saved getting in hassle for roughhousing after unintentionally bowling over associates.

Similar to his older brother, Atonio exceeded weight limits for youth soccer. The choice was rugby. It was the game his father had starred in professionally again in his homeland, incomes the nickname “Tongan Metal.” Peter’s exercises in these days included a 40-minute swim between islands.

Atonio Mafi stiff-arms a competitor throughout his rugby enjoying days.

(Petelo Mafi)

Atonio would often break off a long term, utilizing his girth to pulverize anybody in his approach, however his effectiveness was restricted by the fatigue that instantly set in due to the additional kilos he lugged.

Lastly freed to play soccer in highschool, Mafi emerged as a two-way standout. He led San Mateo Serra to its first West Catholic Athletic League title in 48 years whereas changing into the primary lineman to win the league’s participant of the yr award.

Mafi had all the time needed to go to UCLA however didn’t obtain a scholarship provide. He was set to attend California till he observed that Jerry Azzinaro, a Golden Bears assistant beneath coach Justin Wilcox, didn’t attend a recruiting go to. About half-hour after Wilcox left Mafi’s residence, a reporter referred to as, inquiring about rumors that Azzinaro was headed to UCLA to grow to be a part of new Bruins coach Chip Kelly’s employees.

Mafi didn’t remark however knew what this meant. Azzinaro had been doggedly recruiting him and certainly would need him to return alongside to his subsequent college.

“I checked out my dad,” Mafi remembered, “and mentioned, ‘I believe we would go to UCLA.’”

Solely two gamers on UCLA’s roster have appeared in each recreation Kelly has coached on the college: Mafi and security Stephan Blaylock.

Being there may be one factor, dominating one other.

As Kelly sized up Mafi throughout a gathering in January, the veteran guard weighing greater than he had since he was a freshman, the coach laid it out plainly. If Mafi needed to shine in his remaining faculty season and make the NFL, he wanted to commit to alter.

When you lose the burden, you’ll have a shot.

The phrases caught with Mafi like one in every of his tattoos. They echoed each time he crammed his plate and was tempted to cheat the weight loss plan plan he formulated with Ross Shumway, the staff’s nutritionist.

Breakfasts normally consisted of yogurt and fruit in order that he wouldn’t overstuff himself earlier than observe. That was the straightforward half.

Navigating the world-class buffet unfold contained in the staff’s observe facility meant mastering a brand new sort of playbook. Mafi loaded up on salads, and if he added any croutons then he’d should skip the carb of the day whether or not it’s rice, potatoes or bread. His plate was additionally invariably piled excessive with no matter protein was accessible, be it fish, hen or beef. More durable practices meant he might bask in barely bigger parts.

The purpose was to devour 3,500 to 4,000 energy per day. Mafi despatched pictures of meals to Shumway for suggestions and tracked every part he ate on Notemeal, a diet app that additionally supplied a advised blueprint for the sorts of issues he ought to eat.

Coaches would arrive on the observe facility within the morning to see Mafi already churning away on the elliptical machine or the stationary bike, having gotten there as early as 6:20 a.m. Placing on headphones to settle in for an episode of “Felony Minds” on his iPhone, Mafi knew that as quickly because the present was over his exercise was performed.

Encouragement got here from teammates who observed his slimdown.

“We miss the outdated ‘Nio,” one would say with a smile.

“Don’t get too skinny on us,” one other would child.

UCLA offensive lineman Atonio Mafi takes half in coaching camp drills Aug. 17. Mafi is watching his energy and changing into a extra fluid pressure on the sector for the Bruins.

(Sam Lazarus / UCLA)

Garments began to suit looser. He went all the way down to an XXXL jersey and a 42 waist. He now not wanted a seatbelt extender on airplanes. When he sat within the “bod pod,” he discovered his physique fats was now at 26%.

Mafi was getting nearer to a dimension that would prolong his profession. The typical weight for an NFL offensive lineman on the finish of final season was 314 kilos, with New England’s Trenton Brown the heaviest at 380.

At 340 kilos, Mafi had primarily reached his goal weight. He hasn’t been this mild since he was a freshman or sophomore — in highschool. If he dropped 5 extra kilos, nice. If not, it’s simply as nicely.

His motion is extra fluid, his elevated stamina permitting him to make these downfield blocks he couldn’t beforehand.

“You watch what he’s doing on the sector proper now,” Kelly mentioned, “and also you sort of get excited.”

Nobody’s happier than the participant who’s a fraction of the person he was, Mafi now not needing to commandeer the entrance seat each time he hops in a automotive with teammates.

Reflexively calling shotgun, Mafi is reminded he now not wants all that house.

“You ain’t that fats no extra,” a teammate will say, “hop within the again!”

No drawback. He’s misplaced the burden. He’s acquired a shot to be no matter he needs.