Transforming My Body: The Journey Of Lalo Rumayor From Inactivity To Bodybuilding

Being the black sheep of the family can be a unique challenge. While my family was hardworking, exercise was never a priority during my upbringing. This lack of focus meant that I didn't receive any guidance on how to work out or lift weights, leading me to discover fitness on my own.

I grew up in Monterrey, Mexico, until the age of 16 when my family relocated to various parts of the United States due to my father's career as a mechanical engineer. As a child, I was the typical skinny kid, lacking muscle but involved in a few sports, with body fat hovering around 15 to 20 percent.

We had a membership at a local sports club in Mexico where I played racquetball during my teenage years. At 14, after a match, I was intrigued by a fellow player who went to lift weights at the gym next door. This curiosity led me to join the gym that very day, marking the beginning of my fitness journey.

Exercise soon became an integral part of my life; I felt incomplete without a workout. However, everything changed in 2020 when the pandemic struck.

The onset of COVID-19 resulted in gym closures, and despite being a personal trainer, I lacked the motivation to work out at home. Although I had the equipment, I stopped exercising altogether and found myself glued to the couch, frequently ordering takeout and indulging in fast food.

Prior to the pandemic, I had maintained a decent level of fitness, but as inactivity set in throughout 2020, I began to lose the muscle I had worked hard to build. My diet consisted of not only fast food but also cookies and donuts, thanks to my sweet tooth, and I occasionally drank alcohol.

By the end of 2020, I had put on about 30 pounds, bringing my weight to 200 pounds at just 5'6". This was quite heavy for my height, and my body fat percentage reached 25%. Before the pandemic, I had been in decent shape, maintaining around 12% body fat, which meant I had doubled my body fat percentage.

It was the heaviest I had ever been, but I didn't recognize the change when I looked in the mirror. Seeing yourself daily can obscure the reality of weight gain, and my family didn't notice either. However, others around me began commenting on my size, prompting me to reflect on my condition.

Eventually, I looked in the mirror and realized that I was no longer the Lalo I used to be. I had experienced lower points in my life, but I wasn't unhappy or mentally struggling with my weight; I was simply going with the flow and eating without awareness of the impact on my body.

As a personal trainer for four years, I had only a few clients during 2020, and I felt I was not setting the best example for them. This realization motivated me to start my body transformation journey in January 2021. I had muscle, but I needed to shed the fat accumulated from bad eating habits.

I began making small changes, such as getting outside more as COVID-19 restrictions eased. I didn't eliminate fast food completely; instead, I reduced my intake from five times a week to twice a week. I also enjoyed an occasional drink, maintaining a balance in my lifestyle.

At the gym, I eased into a routine, starting with low-intensity workouts for about one to two months, focusing on full-body exercises three times a week with lighter weights. Gradually, I incorporated cardiovascular exercises and extended my gym sessions to one hour, focusing mainly on strength training aimed at muscle building.

Ultimately, I decided to clean up my diet, prioritizing high protein intake to rebuild the muscle tissue I had lost during my inactivity. My high-protein diet included dairy and meats, which helped me stay on track and nourish my body effectively.