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Before: 130 lbs |
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After: 180 lbs |
Vital Stats
Name: Clayton Ruiz
Before:
Age: 16
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 130 lbs
Body Fat: 6%
After:
Age: 19
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 180 lbs
Body Fat: 7%
Why I Got Started
Growing up I was always that kid that was 'too skinny' or told 'you need to eat more and get some meat on your bones.' I ate a lot as it was, but I never understood what they meant by 'getting some meat on my bones.'
I didn't see much of an up side to going from 'you need to get some meat on your bones and eat more' to 'you need to lay off the food.' So I began talking to my dad who, at the time, worked out everyday. One thing led to another and a couple weeks later I had a gym membership with him.
I still remember the first time I was getting ready to go. I was so naive about anything to do with working out that I left the house in jeans to go to the gym. He laughed at me and brought me to Big 5 to get me some gym shorts. So I started working out with him and every day he would drill into my head the essentials of lifting.
Stuff like "the weight is not important, it's the form. Don't cheat on your reps, get the full stretch. You don't want to be that guy in the gym benching 265 but only going down ¼ of the way."
All of this came easy to me over the first 6 months or so of working out but the one thing and sadly the most important part of lifting he ever taught me I could never grasp up until this year and that was how important a diet is.
I Started Working Out With Him And Every Day He Would Drill Into My Head The Essentials Of Lifting.
I don't know how I did it looking back but I would barely eat 2 full meals per day. Because of this I was seeing some gains mostly in strength over size. However, it was nothing that I was hoping for or that would be possible with a proper diet. I tried everything from creatine to the 'steroid alternatives' they sold at the time.
I was missing the most important part. I was wasting all this time and money on these supplements yet I didn't have my diet lined up. A couple years of inconsistent lifting went by up until this year when I had wrote my self out a diet.
This is when I started seeing the big gains, the gains I've always been looking for, the gains that would get me away from the phrase 'you need to get some meat on your bones, you're too skinny' and turn it into 'I wish I did what he did.'
How I Did It
I do not take any type of supplements outside of protein. I'm not saying I wouldn't be taking a lot of the stuff out there, it just can get expensive on top of the already $200 a week on food.
I'm a strong believer that a diet is only going to work as well as you follow it - consistency is key. You can have an amazing diet that is perfect, but it's only going to work as well as you follow it.
A Diet Is Only Going To Work As Well As You Follow It.
You need to have a balance in what is going to benefit your lifting and the gains you're looking to achieve as well as something that you can follow and be consistent with. This doesn't mean eat perfect half the day then grub out on McDonald's the rest.
I like to enjoy decent cheat meals here and there because in the long run it is going to help me more than hurt me in the sense that the few times I cheat it will keep me sane for the other 90% of my diet.
As far as my workout, I try and always switch it up. There have been times (in the beginning years) where I would spend 2-3 hours at the gym. I've come to realize that I see the best results when I'm in and out of the gym in about an hour.
I See The Best Results When I'm In And Out Of The Gym In About An Hour.
I take 1 day off per week. My No. 1 focus is my diet. Anything I eat has to have some purpose or benefit to help me reach my goals or you probably won't see me eating it.
Suggestions For Others
Don't ever let anybody get you down about how you look. Never say there are no options or you've tried everything. It doesn't matter if you're 130 pounds and want to be 200 or if you're 200 and want to be 130, anything is possible with dedication and consistency.
Don't Ever Let Anybody Get You Down About How You Look.