“I Was a Shell Going Through the Motions”

Adam Castro educated himself and learned how to transform his bleak life into a bright future

Like Many People, My Weight Problems Started in Childhood

I'd always been on the bigger side. My father was bigger, but athletic, so nobody really thought much of it. That changed about when I was in third grade. My parents would take us to eat at this family burger spot down the street, and I'd always get half of a burger, and my sister would get the other. On this particular day, my sister didn't want any, so I ate the entire thing. And that's when I realized I could eat more.

It was all downhill from there. My father was a great man but, with me being his only son, he spoiled me. He was my enabler, buying me anything I wanted, whenever I wanted. I enjoyed food so much that it’d drive me to eat even more. By age 12, I could eat enough food for a family of four in a single sitting.

Low-Calorie Diets Were Impossible to Stick With

During a routine checkup, my doctor suggested my mom put me on a diet. I thought it meant I had to eat nothing but salad, and that’s exactly what I ended up doing. I never lost a pound, because what I ate was more like ranch dressing with a side of lettuce. But my attitude was that I had to eat as little as possible to be skinny. It wasn't about being fit back then, it was skinny. Skinny was “healthy”. I kept trying but I was miserable, and always ended up eating like I did before.

I Found Out the Hard Way That Not All Supplements Are Safe

During high school, I started working out at a local gym where I met a trainer who sold me on what he called “protein pills”. I felt like the Hulk. I wasn't losing weight, but I was getting bigger and stronger, and I liked it. Three years later, I started to feel really sluggish—even more than normal. I went to the doctor and had blood tests done across the board. Most of them were bad like always, but one stood out: my testosterone, which came back at an abysmal 68. I found out that I had been taking a test booster regularly for three years of my life.

The news hit me hard. I started hanging out with the wrong people and fell off the deep end for about two years, drinking heavily. But I knew that wasn't who I was, and decided I was going to turn my life around. I quit cold turkey and started to work out again.

I had no idea what I was doing. I thought all supplements were gimmicks, but I tried them anyway. I never did the research for myself. I always relied on other people to tell me what I needed, whether it was about supplements or how to work out. That changed when I nearly had a heart attack from one of my pre-workouts.

I Learned the Right Way to Diet, Train, and Supplement Thanks to Jim Stoppani

I realized I had to really start caring more about my health and research what I was putting into my body. The more and more I looked things up online, the more often I ran into articles and videos by Jim Stoppani.

The way Jim explained things made them really interesting, and the bottom of his articles had all the references he used to write them. He helped me put some actual facts in my head, based on science, about what supplements really were. I’d always listening to people who acted as if they knew everything, and believing them almost cost me everything. I was never going to make that mistake again.

Jim’s Programs Redefined Weight Training for Me

I joined the JYM Army Facebook group a couple of weeks before Jim’s Summer Shred Challenge. I debated on paying to sign up, but I’m glad I did. That’s where I changed once and for all. Knowing now what an actual program is supposed to be, I'd never call what I had done before a program. The challenge program, Super Shredded 8—all I can say is intense, intense, intense. I got pushed harder than I ever had before.

What surprised me most was how much you could learn in terms of training, nutrition, and supplementation. I literally thought you just showed up, lifted some weights, and ate chicken. Now I know what I really have to do to start losing weight. I learned how determined I could be. That challenge was my first real building block. Since then, I've done Super-Man, Jim's Giant Program, Down and Up Mass, HIIT 100. But Super Shredded 8 is my favorite. That's where I saw the best results.

Getting Healthy Was the First Step to a Better Life

I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my resolve and Jim Stoppani, not only because of his programs or supplements, but because he’s a man who's always teaching people how to live healthier lives. I’m still learning from him, because the biggest thing in life is to always stay teachable. Someday I’ll get my personal training certification so I can start helping people learn to change their lives, the way Jim helped me,

What I've learned about myself is that I hold the power to mold my life to be what I want it to be. I can accomplish about anything I want in life, now that I have one. What I had before wasn't a life at all; I was a shell going through the motions, most likely leading to an early death. I’m relentless in the gym and in life, determined to accomplish all my goals. I know I can accomplish the things I've only dreamed about. And I know you can, too.

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