Pain is the Gain: My Path to Getting Ripped

As someone who’s always been into fitness, I’ve long believed that being "in shape" means more than just looking good. To me, it’s about being able to crush any distance activity—whether it’s hiking all day without collapsing or biking until the sun sets without needing a nap (okay, maybe a short nap). But beyond the cardio and endurance stuff, I’ve spent plenty of time in the gym too. And let’s be real: gym bodies and distance-athlete bodies are not the same. We all know the difference between the lean marathoner and the person bench-pressing their body weight. Both impressive—just in different ways.

However, not all gym training is created equal. I’ve been lifting weights for most of my life, and while I thought I was lifting heavy, I was really just flirting with it. It wasn’t until I teamed up with the right personal trainer that I truly discovered what lifting heavy meant—and started seeing the results I’d been chasing for years.

Sure, having a flat stomach is nice, but let’s be honest—ripped biceps? That’s where the real fun begins. The kind that makes people stop and say, “Whoa.” Getting your body to look like that isn’t some magic trick, though. It takes work. A lifetime of lifting and I’m just now figuring out what it takes to get the body of my dreams. Better late than never, right?

Now, if you know me at all, you know I’m not into that which is unnatural. No HGH, steroids, or whatever weird concoction people are injecting these days. I wouldn’t even consider rat poison—unless it guaranteed me superhero muscles (kidding, mostly). If I have to eat 26 chicken thighs a day to get results, so be it. And yes, that’s probably not “natural” either, but hey, they’d be organic, free-range, and hormone-free chickens. Priorities!

Speaking of food—I eat squeaky clean. My only real flaw? I struggle with nailing the perfect carb intake.  But when I up my meat consumption, that problem tends to fix itself. Did I mention I LOVE a good ribeye? I mean love. Especially when it’s shared with a friend. Because what’s better than bonding over a perfectly cooked steak and then getting naked? (Answer: nothing.)

Now, back to the gym. The thing about working with a great trainer - You can’t cut corners. You can’t cheat. You’re going to scream your head off at multiple points during the workout—guaranteed. I’m doing things I didn’t even know were humanly possible. My body is restructuring itself in ways I used to fantasize about, and I’m finally seeing the changes in my physique that make me think, “Wow, I’m getting somewhere.”

I’ve always wondered, how do I go beyond just being muscular? How do I reach that next level where you flex, and people are like, “Holy crap!” The kind of muscles that stop traffic.

If you read fitness blogs, they’ll tell you it’s all about consistency. And you know what? They’re right. There’s no secret formula—just dedication, a great trainer, and maybe a few extra steaks…😉

The pain is the gain.