iSatori’s 2014 Round 3 Hyper Growth Challenge Champion finds a way to stay humble and get jacked!
At 24 years old, Jose Molina’s life sounds like the making of an infamous heroic novel, with Jose playing the lead protagonist.
Having moved to the US with his father when he was just 15, Jose says he had a very poor upbringing but learned to survive the best he knew. Jose was born in the very small, unpretentious Central American country of Honduras where the main export products are coffee, bananas, and wood. He says he was excited about the new adventure but knew it was going to be a tough uphill battle fitting in and getting settled in a new place, especially since he didn’t know any English when he got here.
Today, nine years later, Jose is over the moon with his accomplishments so far and is excited to be the newest Hyper Growth Challenge winner for iSatori. He made an amazing transformation in just eight weeks—having gained 7.4 pounds of lean body mass, four inches on his chest, and two inches on his arms, and he says this is only the beginning. “It was a big surprise when iSatori called to tell me I had won the challenge,” says Jose. “It was my birthday, and this news couldn’t have been a better present.”
The American Dream
Jose has lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the past seven years; before that, he lived in Tennessee for a year. “We’ve bounced around a lot, but my family and I are happy here.”
Jose married the love of his life, Shayla, and they have a one-year-old son named Anthony. Jose’s days consist of trying to make ends meet for his family, spending as much time as possible with his son, and hitting the gym every night after work when Anthony goes to bed. “I’m very fortunate to have my mother-in-law live with us, so she helps look after Anthony because my wife works long hours, and it gives me a chance to get to the gym.”
Jose plans to go back to school one day to continue with his education, but for now, he’s supporting his family as an electrician. “The biggest thing I’ve learned since moving to the States is that you can do anything you set your mind to if you put in the hard work.”
Despite having won this contest and looking the best he’s ever looked, Jose is a very humble guy and can’t say enough about how much he appreciates the opportunity to live and work in the US. He is honored to be the winner of this contest and is ecstatic about his transformation. “I’m still improving on my physique and want to just continue to work hard and show my son that anything is possible if you’re committed.”
Hailing from Honduras, where the main sport played is soccer, Jose says he’s been athletic for as long as he can remember. But he’s also had to work since he was young.
“We didn’t have a car back in my country, and I had to walk an hour to and from work and bike everywhere, and I was just a kid,” explains Jose of his childhood. “When I was 15, I came here with my dad, but he went back to Honduras after a year, so I lived with my aunt. We had no money, so I had to quit school and get a construction job. I’ve been paying my way ever since. We were really struggling, and even though the US presented a lot more opportunities for me, I had to work very hard to make it day to day. But I’m happy I did work hard, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for me and my family.”
Setting a Great Example
Jose is determined to show his son that anything is possible. He saw how hard his father worked growing up, and he wants to show his son the same dedication and passion. “I want to teach him that he can do anything he wants. I want to set a good example for him, so he has a good life.”
For a guy in his early 20’s, married and with a son, Jose is pretty darned mature. Almost like a wise soul. “I had to grow up quickly and learned what it took to survive without a lot of possessions and money in the house—back in Honduras and even here. So I don’t take anything for granted, and I always appreciate every single dollar that comes into the house. My wife is a great help too and works extremely hard to make a living.”
Jose played soccer and was into amateur boxing growing up. So he knows what it takes to stay fit and strong. Lifting weights was a natural next step for him to feel good about himself and make a difference. He likes to work hard and see results in all parts of his life. “I want to continue to lift weights and become someone someday and show others that they can reach their dreams too. I don’t want to cruise through life without any goals—that’s not in my blood.
“My family has always worked hard for everything they’ve got, and I want to be able to say to my son one day that I got here because I followed my dreams.”
His Training Role
Jose is a fast learner. From the boxing ring to the gym—he believes that anything worth doing takes a lot of hard work. And lucky for him, his body has always adapted well to new workouts and strenuous training. “Before I really started training hard, I used to play pool [billiards] a lot, but that didn’t give me the physical pump I really wanted. It was a strategic game, and I got really good at it, but I wanted to do something with my body to build strength and more muscle.”
His wife was the one who introduced him to the gym. “She got a membership and said I should go with her one time. That’s all it took. I was hooked. I went all the time, every day, and I got stronger and stronger. It was different going to the gym to lift weights than it was when I used to box. It felt really good, and the only person I was competing against was myself.”
Jose says when he starts something, he doesn’t stop—he’s very committed and always pushes himself as hard as he can. “I never do things halfway.”
The Challenge
Jose first saw the iSatori iSatori 8-Week Hyper-Growth Challenge in Flex Magazine and said to himself, “I can do that!” So he did. It was only two weeks after he had signed up for his first gym membership—he entered online.
“The fitness lifestyle has really changed me. Before I used to go home from work, and my wife would cook meals for me. I wasn’t too happy about cooking for myself. But now that I’m living the lifestyle, I prefer to make my own meals because I know how I like them and what’s good for my body.”
Jose also started lifting heavier and reading everything he could online about training and how to take things to the next level. He started seeing results right away, and it felt amazing.
“I’m not as tired as I used to be and not as stressed when I’m working out. I see the results, and my friends do too. Even strangers come up to me in the gym and ask me how I’ve changed my appearance so much. I am happier, and everyone can see it.”
One day Jose would like to enter physique shows as a next step—once he can afford to have someone work with him one on one. “Competing isn’t cheap, that’s for sure. I have to save some money,” he laughs.
Supplementation Status
Jose says that his two scoops of Bio-Gro™ in the morning and two in the evening was a HUGE part of his transformation. “I was really tight with money when I first started working out and supplements can be pricey. I bought Bio-Gro and one bottle of protein and used it all because I didn’t have the freedom [money] to pick and choose from all the awesome supplements available—but Bio-Gro™ helped me make the changes I wanted to see and then some. I’m still not in a position to buy all the supplements I want, but I make the most of what I’ve got.
Training Days
When Jose started the Challenge, he only had two weeks’ experience at the gym. He was a newbie and didn’t really know what he was in for—except that he knew he wanted to see what changes he could make in his life. Coming from a poor childhood, Jose learned to work hard for everything he achieved, and the iSatori Challenge was something he thought would keep him in the gym and take care of his needs at home by learning to cook for himself. He also wanted to show his young son what true dedication and hard work means in life. Here’s what his training regimen looks like:
Sample Training Week
Monday Heavy Push Routine: Chest, shoulders, and triceps Tuesday Light Pull Routine: Back and biceps Wednesday Heavy Leg Routine: Legs and some days, abs Thursday Light Push Routine: Chest, shoulders, and triceps Friday Heavy Pull Routine: Back and biceps Saturday Light Leg Day: Legs and abs
Sample Daily Routine
“Chest and arm days are awesome,” says Jose. “I get to see [results] and feel what I think are my best attributes, but if I had to pick one specific day of training to highlight, it would be leg day because even though they are ripped, I really need to gain some size in my legs. Leg day is my favorite because I get to focus on my weakness.”
Heavy Leg Routine Jose starts by stretching for 10 minutes before he trains legs. Then he moves on to a warm-up that consists of walking on a treadmill or stair climber at a low speed but highest incline level. Stretch: 10 minutes Warm-up: 15 minutes Barbell Squat: 3 sets × 10 – 12 reps with lightweight to follow and finish warm-up Barbell Squat: 5 × 6 Leg Press: 5 × 8 – 10 Sumo Squat: 4 × 8 – 10 Leg Extensions: 4 × 8 – 10 (2 supersets × 6 reps) Leg Curls: 4 × 8 – 12 (2 supersets × 6 reps) Weighted Lunges: 3 × 12 Standing Calf Raises: 4 × 20 Seated Calf Raises: 4 × 12
Eating Clean
Jose’s nutrition plan is not as strict as you might think, but he does watch what he eats. “I don’t count every calorie because it’s too hard to remember, so I try to consume as much food as I can as long as it’s healthy. Making sure I get the protein I need for the day.”
Sample Meals in a Day:
Meal 1: 3 eggs, 3 slices of turkey ham, 2 slices of whole-grain bread, 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, 1 cup of orange juice Meal 2: 1 protein shake or 15 oz of Greek yogurt
Meal 3: 1 chicken breast, 1 1/2 cup of rice, 1 baked potato with 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, 2 slices of whole-grain bread Meal 4: 1 protein shake or Greek yogurt Meal 5: Jose will have anything he wants. Most likely he will eat his home country food like Baleadas, which are similar to Quesadillas, but instead of the chicken or steak, it’ll have eggs, refried beans, Honduran buttermilk cream, Honduran style cheese, and avocados. Yum! Meal 6: Jose will cook his own chicken or fish fillet dish. For example, 2 chicken breasts, broccoli, 2 oz condensed milk butter (Honduran style), 2 oz of milk, Montreal chicken seasoning, and 1/2 cup of cottage cheese. Then Jose will eat a bake potato and rice. (A Baleada is a traditional Honduran dish composed of a flour tortilla, often quite thick, folded in half and filled with mashed fried beans. It originates from La Ceiba.)
Jose likes to eat pineapple Greek yogurt for a snack. “It’s my favorite!” And once a month, he’ll splurge on some pizza.
Special Thanks
Jose is beyond thankful to the iSatori team for recognizing his physical changes, and he’s completely humbled that someone has recognized his efforts. “I can’t thank the [iSatori] team enough for their confidence in me and what I can do to change my body. In fact, it’s changed my life for the better, and I’m happier now. I’d like to tell anyone reading my story that you really can do anything you set your mind to, and if you try your best, you’re sure to catch someone else’s attention. It happened to me, and I can’t thank them enough for all of this. It means so much.”
Who He Looks Up To…
Jose says there are many people who have been there for him during his life. His Mom and Dad in particular he’d like to thank for showing him what hard work is really like. “My Mom always told me to stay out of trouble and be a humble person, and my Dad, even though I didn’t grow up with him by my side the whole time, he did a great job teaching me to stay grounded and out of harm’s way. I always thought to myself, ‘He didn’t get into bad situations, so why should I?’ My parents are humble people and would do anything for anyone, and I like to think I am very similar to them.”
Final Words
Jose says choosing to be fit now isn’t just about looking better—it’s a lifestyle and something you have to decide you want to do for life. He feels better and now cooks, which wasn’t him a year ago. He’s learned a lot through his journey and winning the Challenge. He has enjoyed every minute of the process and won’t look back. “I will always love where I come from and appreciate the struggles my family and I went through back home and here, but I know there is potential in everything I do now, and I want that sense of accomplishment for my son. I want him to live a good life, knowing anything is possible. Even little changes in your life can make a big difference, and that’s something to be proud of too.”
If you’d like to contact Jose, follow him on Insatagram and Twitter josemolina2911
iSatori’s 2014 Round 2 Hyper Growth Challenge Champion and New Dad Shares His Secrets to Success In and Out of the Gym.
While Wes, 23, has always been focused on staying in shape by sparing at the local boxing club or playing baseball, fo
otball, or basketball in college—he’s also had his eye on the prize in the fitness world. But these days he’s got a whole new reason to train hard and make it in the business. Wes has a new baby girl, and he’s pretty stoked about being a parent alongside his beautiful fiancée.
But before there were late nights and early morning feedings with his 17-day-old newborn (age at the time of this interview), Wes was a student athlete on a mission. While attending Ohio University-Chillicothe, where he studied Nutrition, Wes was always busy being active. From competing at local boxing shows (mainly for fundraisers) to winning games on the court, field, or diamond—Wes remained quite competitive in all aspects of his life. He also later managed to earn a certification in Holistic Nutrition from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.
He doesn’t spar as much any more, but when he wants to cut up, he’s the first to take it to the ring. “My whole family is into their health and fitness. I remember the day I first went to the gym. I started working out at 12 years old because I was jealous of my friend who was getting ripped, so I made my Dad take me. That was it—I haven’t looked back since!”
In fact, training for the 8-Week Hyper Growth Challenge had a similar feel to when he first started hitting the weights back in sixth grade. You see, Wes is not one to take a Challenge lightly. He also knew he was about to be a daddy for the first time, so the Challenge kept him focused leading up to the big arrival. And did we mention he got totally ripped in those eight weeks as he packed on the muscle?
Yep, Wes knows his training is going to be different at least for the first little while as he settles into daddy mode and new routines. But the good news is he’s motivated more than ever to stay fit and healthy. “My intensity in the gym has gone up because my little girl is a whole new level of motivation for me.”
Wes is determined to do well in all aspects of his life, and his daughter is a reminder that he’s not the only one depending on him now.
Staying on Target
When it comes to training, Wes admits he’s still pretty old school in the gym. He makes his own workout plans and sticks to them. He usually trains by himself because he says he’s “picky,” and even though he used to train six days a week and try different things like Crossfit, or what have you, time and experience has taught him a lot, and he knows what works for his body.
And since becoming a father, things have changed for sure, so keeping his training routine the same is a good idea. What will change, however, is the amount of time he spends at the gym and how often he gets to go.
Wes plans to hit the weights four days a week instead of six because he knows there will be days it’ll be harder to get there. “I used to get fancy because I thought it worked, but now I just stick to the basics and isolation. Nowadays, I don’t have a lot of extra time to waste. So I’m in, and I’m out.”
Training for a Bright Future
Wes aspires to one day be as ripped as the guy’s in some of the popular fitness magazines… *(Well, we think you’re doing a pretty bang up job already, Wes!).* But on a more serious note, he says he has a family history of heart problems, so he’s always aimed to stay on the leaner side for health reasons, not vanity.
In fact, he’s lucky he has a fast metabolism—not all guys his size can eat 5,000 calories in a day and stay lean. But he admits he hits his exact numbers when he’s cutting. (See Wes’ sample nutrition plan below).
Wes is working toward becoming a personal trainer to fulfill his love for the gym and to help others reach their fitness goals as well. “My ultimate goal is to be successful in the fitness industry, which would allow me to provide for [my family] by doing what I love,” he says.
“I’m hopeful that winning this Challenge will help me jumpstart my career in the industry. I am beyond excited to be both a daddy and a newcomer to the business side of fitness. I’ve always loved kids and to finally have one of my own is truly life changing.”
Weekly Training Overview
Monday:
Back, Chest, Biceps, Calves
Tuesday:
Shoulders, Triceps, Legs, Abs
Wednesday:
Sprints
Thursday:
Full Body
Friday:
Off
Saturday:
Full Body
Sunday:
Off
“When I do a bunch of body parts in one day, I like to keep it to one or two exercises per body part but hit them very intensely. I train every body part at least three times a week and split them up by doing only four or five sets in a day.”
Sample 1-Week Program
Monday
Barbell Row 4×15
Bench Press 4×15
Incline Dumbbell Bench 2×12
Dumbbell Curl 2×15
Spider Curl 2×15
Calve raises 2×50 (1 seated/1 standing)
Tuesday
Barbell Military Press 4×15
Lying Triceps Extension 4×15
Squat 4×15
Cable Crunch and Hanging Leg Raise 3×12 (superset)
Wednesday
Cardio
Thursday
3 sets of every exercise from Monday and Tuesday for 8 – 10 reps (heavier day)
Friday
Rest
Saturday
Same as Thursday except Wes uses a 4 – 6 rep range (power day)
Sunday
Rest
Nutrition and Supplementation
Wes averages around 3,100 calories a day with his main mission to put on size. “I eat mainly protein and fat Monday through Friday—and cut carbs to 200 g on these days and 100 g on Saturday. On Sunday, I have what I call a ‘5,000-calorie re-feed’ while eating as clean as possible and keep my carbs around 500 g to 600 g.”
While this eating regimen may not work for everyone, Wes feels it’s worked in his favor over the past year and has helped add size to his physique, yet stay lean. “I only eat about three meals a day, so I eat a ton at once.”
His favorite go-to post-workout meal is steak and eggs with couscous and toast. Breakdown: 4 whole eggs, 10 to 16 oz steak, 2 pieces of toast with organic butter, and a bowl of couscous. “If I have a cheat meal [which is hardly ever], it’ll almost always be a pizza from my fiancée’s parents’ restaurant. [Their pizza] has got to be my favorite of all time.”
Wes says iSatori products have helped him reach his goals tremendously. “It’s like they do double duty because they help me stay lean while I also gain mass. [Bio-Gro™ “!/Bio-Gro-P1.aspx”] helps a lot with my recovery. [PWR™ “!/iSatori-PWR–P1019.aspx”] is also a great pre-workout product and helps me focus and gives me a great pump. But [Eat-Smart® “!/Eat-Smart-Meal-Replacement–P19.aspx”] is probably my favorite high-protein nutrition supplement. I love the taste and use it between meals.”
*For more on Wes’ training and nutrition regimen or to find out what he’s up to, follow him on Instagram and Twitter @wbouillion.*
Congrats again, Wes!
To connect with Nick directly, you can find him on Social Media:
Hailing from Orange County, California, Nick DiPietro is one lucky guy. Not only does he live near La-La-Land where you’ll find such infamous hot spots as Muscle Beach and Gold’s Gym Venice—Arnold’s regular hangouts—he’s also the winner of our iSatori 8-Week Hyper-Growth Contest!
“I’m a self-proclaimed people-person. I like to talk,” he laughs. “So talking to people about what I’ve been through to get where I am today is easy. The hard part is staying positive through the ups and downs. But I’m always up for a challenge—especially if it involves being physical and getting in the gym to pump some iron.”
Nick is no stranger to bodybuilding. He did a physique show last February called the Gold Coast Muscle Show. He placed Top 10, not bad for a first-timer. “It was a great experience. Sure I wasn’t on par with some of the other guys, but I’m in school full-time and working several jobs to make ends meet, so I didn’t dedicate all my time to prep. I would take a different approach next time.”
However, Nick’s certainly not the type of guy to get down over one show. He was quickly onto the next project—making more gains. So when he heard about the iSatori 8-Week Hyper-Growth Challenge, he thought: *”Wow, I could get into that no problem! Sounds like fun!”* After all, Nick had used Bio-Gro in the past and was familiar with how it worked.
Win or lose, he just wanted to gain some weight and knew the contest would be a great motivator.
“I’m a morning person,” Nick says. “I’m always on the go or doing something—whether it’s work or school or going to the gym—so everything I do I like to get a head start. I was ready for anything. The Challenge gave me the kick start I needed after my show.”
So needless to say, a couple months later, he was very shocked when he received a call from Craig Stevenson, iSatori’s VP of Marketing, telling him he had won. In fact, at first, Nick thought one of his friends was pulling a prank on him. “I was sure there were other people [in the contest] going harder, so I just stuck to my plan, not really believing I could win. I couldn’t be happier,” he says. “I’m very honored.”
Onward and Upward
After all, Nick did make some incredible changes—he gained 30 pounds of muscle and has more energy than ever before. He started the contest at 190 pounds and ended at 220. This was some major progress and took a lot of hard work to get to that point after his on-stage appearance…
“After the show I was 172 and very skinny—and eventually because of the way I was training and eating, I had no motivation and felt deprived. I started to adapt to eating very low calories and just didn’t want to eat. Then in June, I started the iSatori 8-Week Hyper-Growth Challenge to make some gains. I started eating more food and realized the more I ate, the better my metabolism worked, and my muscle mass just shot up! All of a sudden I was benching more and squatting more—and I didn’t feel as sluggish and had more energy. I started to add weights to my workout like my brother who plays football—and that’s when I finally put on some muscle. I thank my brother for his help and encouragement big time.”
Defining Nick D.
At 24 years young, Nick is a full-time student majoring in Sociology at California State University of Long Beach, who plans to graduate in spring 2015. He’s also a certified personal trainer (having worked at four gyms at one time in the past) and now trains serious gymnasts and cheer athletes. “My lifestyle has always been active—from participating in sports to personal training to coaching kids and teaching them how to flip and do acrobatics. I was obese when I was younger, so now I try to instill health and fitness in youth.”
Nick grew up playing America’s favorite pastime, baseball, until the age of 10; his brother is a collegiate football player, and his sister is in competitive aquatics. Nick’s entire family is athletic, which he says is a huge advantage when you’re looking for inspiration. He’s also on the stunt team for the LA Clippers. “All my friends work out too, so any chance I get, we’re in the gym.”
And last, but certainly not least, like many other bodybuilders and action flick moviegoers, he’s a huge Arnold Schwarzenegger fan. His favorite quote is one that continues to inspire him every day. “The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.” –Arnold Schwarzenegger
Training Week: Overview
Nick’s training week is usually a three-day split comprised of Chest/Tris, Back/Bis, and Legs with 20-30 minutes of cardio on active rest days. “For me, I would incorporate cardio for general health purposes and to aid with recovery. My weight training would be high volume work, with a minimum of three sets of 16-24 reps with isolated workouts.”
Nick’s a firm believer of growth through fatiguing the muscle using higher reps. He generally starts off all of his workouts with the big exercises such as bench, squats, and deadlift. These exercises are started off toward strength and power, keeping the rep range between 3 and 12 reps with more sets. He uses the pyramid scheme for these key lifts—for example: 12 x 70% max, 8 x 75%, 5 x 80%, 3 x 90%, 3 x 90. “My rest is about 45 seconds to a minute between sets in every exercise, so I really try to keep the intensity at a maximum level.”
Nick tries to train early in the morning. “I train around 7:00 a.m. before my day starts with classes and work. It’s important for me to blast my body with a great workout to start off my day because I get energy and motivation through my schedule,” he explains. “My favorite body part to train is back. The feeling I get from training back is great because it’s the most brutal, but it’s very rewarding.”
Sample Week: Exercises
Monday (Chest/Tris)
Bench Press: 12 reps x 70%, 8 reps x 75%, 5 reps x 80%, 3 reps x 90%, 3 reps x 90% Incline Dumbbell Press: warm-up set of 30 – 40 reps, 3 sets x 20 reps Dumbbell Pullover: 3 sets x 20 reps Cable Crossovers: 3 sets x 20 reps Dips: 3 sets x 20 reps Rope Triceps Pull Down: 3 sets x 20 reps Triangle Pushups: 2 sets to failure
Tuesday (Back/Bis)
Deadlifts: 12 reps x 70%, 8 reps x 75%, 5 reps x 80%, 3 reps x 90%, 3 reps x 90% Reverse-Grip Back Rows: warm-up set of 30 – 40 reps, 3 sets x 20 reps Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows: 2 sets x 16 – 20 reps per arm Standing Rear Delt Flyes: 3 sets x 20 reps Barbell Arm Curls: 3 sets x 20 reps Alternating Hammer Curls: 3 sets x 10 reps per arm Pull-ups: 2 sets to failure
Wednesday (Legs)
Squats: 12 reps x 70%, 8 reps x 75%, 5 reps x 80%, 3 reps x 90%, 3 reps x 90% Romanian Deadlifts: warm-up sets of 30 – 40 reps, 3 sets x 20 reps Single-Leg Hamstring Curls: 2 sets x 16 – 24 reps per leg Calf Raisies: 3 sets x 20 reps Quad Raises: warm up set of 30 – 40 reps, 3 sets of 20 reps Walking Lunges: 3 sets x 10 reps per leg Incline Sprints: 2 sets of 30 seconds with 3-minute cool off
Thursday (Active Rest)
30 minutes of cardio (Jogging, Stair Climber, Elliptical, etc.) “Repeat my training split again, if I’m still sore, I would incorporate another active rest day.”
Controlling Calories and Macros
A typical day of food intake for Nick is monitored and controlled through calories and macros. “During the contest, I kept my macros at around 360 g carbs, 240 g protein, and 90 g fat, which is about 3,200 calories at the end of the day. Putting myself in a 400-calorie surplus helped me put on size all the way through the eight-week challenge. I increased my carbs by 60 grams and my protein was upped by 40 grams before the start of my bulk. The meals I ate were oatmeal mixed with Eat-Smart Meal Replacement in the morning, chicken with baked beans and broccoli for lunch, chicken salad with peanut butter on whole wheat toast for dinner, and oatmeal mixed with peanut butter and Eat-Smart for a late-night meal. Hands down favorite snack to eat is Eat-Smart sludge mixed with two tablespoons of peanut butter. This recipe has saved me from indulging in cakes and pastries.”
And while Nick is not in hardcore “contest” mode right now, he still eats the same foods—but has increased his caloric intake to 3,600 per day. He eats similar foods but higher volume, so he can keep up with his hectic schedule—his top purchases at the grocery store are: chicken, fish, steak, vegetables, oatmeal, brown rice, beans, peanut butter, and coconut oil. In fact, all of this has made Nick really learn more about nutrition, and he often gives advice to friends and family on recipes and supplements.
“Cheat meals are a way for me to keep my sanity in-check. But for my transformation during my bulk, putting in those extra calories wasn’t an issue for me since I needed to pack on muscle and size. I made sure the foods I ate were clean, such as oatmeal, peanut butter, and chicken to keep me satiated. But by far, the biggest cheat meal I squeezed into my diet was a Double-Double from In-N-Out burger.”
Serious about Supplementation
Nick is currently incorporating iSatori’s Bio-Gro™, PWR™, and Eat-Smart® shakes into his daily nutrition regimen. “I use Bio-Gro first thing in the morning with my multi-vitamin and fish oil, and I take the second serving right after my workouts. The Eat-Smart meal replacement shakes are great for me because the taste is phenomenal, and they’re very convenient for my crazy schedule. And lastly, I use PWR before all of my workouts to get that edge in the gym. I can honestly say, the focus I get [from taking these] is off the chain with great pumps and energy, and I don’t suffer from any crashes.”
Aspirations & Advice
Nick wants to be a high school teacher one day. “That’s why I coach. I love helping kids see the positivity in health and fitness. As an overweight child myself, I know what it’s like to not fit in, so if I can help kids to not feel that way, I’m in!”
When it comes to advice for bodybuilders, he says: “Gaining weight can be difficult on both ends, whether you’re a hard gainer or someone who puts on weight too quick. It’s important to follow some of the same protocols as you would when losing weight. Monitoring your calories and macro intake will keep you on top of your goals and will set you on your path to success. But remember, easy does it: your body can build only so much muscle in one month. And, don’t be afraid to eat those extra calories.”
So where does he get so much confidence in his ability to set goals and achieve them? His father. “If I had to pick a mentor, it would have to be my Dad,” Nick says. “He taught us so much growing up that hard work is everything in anything you do. Whenever I thought I had a hard day at school or whatever; I’d come home and see how much he worked that day. He always said you have to put the work in to achieve your dreams in life, and that’s what I’ve always done.”
