Body Transformation: Alex Lee Gained Over 60lbs Of Muscle Mass!

Lifestyle Prior To Change

Drank a lot, partied, a lot of pent up anger. Did not focus on school. I tended to overcompensate my for my lack of girth and mass with attitude.

What was your low point or turning point?

I don’t know if there was a single factor that led me to make a change; but a accumulation of things. I feel like I was growing up and having more responsibility, but I still looked like a child and felt weak and powerless.

Were there any unique challenges or circumstances that made your transformation particularly difficult?

Yes, my genetics. I have horrible genetics for building muscle. I come from extreme ectomorphs. Every day is a constant battle against genetics, which makes it all the more important for me to overcome the challenges that have confronted me.

Additionally, I had high school from 8-3 and then I worked from 4-10. My gym closed at 10. So I decided to buy my own gym membership and train 4-5 days a week because changing my life was important to me. So many people tell me that they are too busy. Yet, I made the decision that changing my body was important to me and I went after it and did it.

Transformation timeline:

My transformation has taken me 4 years. The first year I did not know about form, the second year I did not know about diet. Through the past two years in which I feel I have REALLY started to train I have used a number of different training regimes, the typical push pull, to more volume orientated training and now I am trying to break through more with Dorian Yates training style of HIT seen in Blood and Guts.

• Milestone: Reaching 200 on bench when I was 17…and then 300 when I was 18.
• Milestone: Squatting 200 when I was 17, 300 when I was 17, 400 when I was 18.
• Milestone: Filling out a medium shirt, large shirt, finally an extra large.
• Transformation End: I don’t know if it will ever end…but I can tell you I am lot more happy now than I was when I was before!

Alex's Training And Cardio Approach

What was your weight training approach and split during your transformation?

• Monday - Chest and Biceps.
• Tuesday - Legs.
• Wednesday - Rest.
• Thursday - Back.
• Friday - Shoulders and Triceps.
• Saturday and Sunday - Rest.

Please detail your cardio approach during your transformation?

Very limited. Until recently now I do 1 mile before training with slight incline. Ectomorph body type allows me to get away with doing limited cardio, yet keeping low body fat.

Please list 3 things you learned about exercise, weight training and/or cardio during your transformation that helped you succeed:

1. There are so many things I learned...the way my body moves being aware of how connected your body is and being in sync with your body.
2. Dieting...how amazingly important eating well is when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle, and how eating well and drinking water has lead me to almost never getting sick, rarely have headaches and my energy level has dramatically increased.
3. Learning the lesson of determination, dedication and perseverance. I have learned that if you want something you can either be weighed down by the obstacles what you desire hides behind or you can do everything in your power to make sure that you meet them. And I have been able to apply that to every aspect of my life, my relationships with people, school, work and any other endeavor I get myself into.

How are you currently training, and has your training changed since the completion of your transformation?

My transformation will never be complete because if I slack, I will literally go back to square one. It is a lifestyle, it is my outlet, It is one of the highlights of my day.

Alex's Diet And Nutrition Approach

What was your diet/nutrition approach during your transformation?

So many different approaches. I started with a dirty bulk which included McDonald’s for protein and lacked powders. Now it is a very clean bulk, I do not drink sodas, I don’t drink or party ( unless it is a very special occasion), I don’t eat fast foods (in and out is my exception for you Californians out there you know what I mean).

Can you provide us with a sample eating plan (please be specific):

For breakfast: Ten eggs, 6 egg whites, 4 normal, mushrooms, onions, 6 pieces whole wheat toast (with butter). Snacks I make in bulk mostly potatoes and chicken. 

Were there any diet/nutrition mistakes you made that you learned from?

Dirty bulking, it was stupid; the bad food leads to energy spikes and crashes, acne. Also a few times I made great gains, but got into the mentality that “hey I put all this effort into changing my body, why shouldn’t I party?” And I literally lost months of work cause I went out a few weekends in a row. My body eats muscle if I do not stay on top of it.

Please list 3 things you learned about diet & nutrition during your transformation that helped you succeed:

1. Carbs are key, potatoes are your friend.
2. Bulk meals are the best. Tupperware is amazing.
3. Carry extra protein and weight gainer in your truck for those times when you feel like you are going catabolic and cant find something right then.

Did you allow yourself cheat meals?

I am fairly lucky being an ectomorph. I can handle eating junk food, and I don’t really have to worry about what drastic effect it will have. But at the same time, if I miss a meal I literally run the possibility of losing week’s worth of work. I always say the grass is always greener on the other side for people with extreme genetic body type dispositions.

What supplements did you use during your transformation?

• Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey.
• Animal Pak.
• Serious Mass.
• USPlabs Jack3d.
• NO Xplode.
• My IPod :)

Advice For Others

What are your best tips for someone looking to make their own transformation?

1. Diet.
2. Form. This is insane to me. I see people in the gym who pick up the heaviest weight possible and practically do a snatch to the chest and they think they are curling. Please use Muscle and Strength and use correct form. If you do not think you are doing it right video tape yourself and compare it to the form checking on the internet. I would say as someone in the gym who looks to know what they are doing, but I don’t want to run the risk of having you ask someone who is all arms and chest about squatting.  
3. Diet...Diet is so important. If you eat big, you will get big. That is it.

How do you stay motivated? What advice would you give to someone who’s having trouble staying on track?

It has to come from within, if you do not want it you won’t get there. Do you want to look at pictures of yourself and feel good, or do you want to be embarrassed. Do you want to feel better about yourself because you are healthy? Do you want to have more energy? Do you want to not get sick?  Do you want all eyes on you when you walk in a room? It is about you, and what you want and what you are willing to sacrifice in order to get it. That is it.

More From Alex Lee

What is your life like now that you’ve made a transformation?

I have learned many life lessons such as dedication and perseverance.

What motivates you currently to keep improving yourself?

The feeling I get inside the gym.

Anything else you would like to share?

You have to be willing to make sacrifices if you really want to obtain your goals.

I would also like to add that some people do Yoga, others run, some eat fast food and watch T.V. While you did what ever you did to make you feel better, or brings you happiness. I did this. This is my outlet. This is makes me happy. This is what transcends me for 45 minutes a day.

These photos are not because of arrogance. These demonstrate a personal battle and my successes so far. These photos show my internal character development in an external manner. These photos show the progression and emergence of some defining personality traits I now possess such as: perseverance, dedication, time-management and prioritization.

This has been a struggle against genetics, and has revealed many things about my character. It has most importantly showed me who I am.

The willingness to grow and develop most come from within, external pressure or outside motivation might assist but the need and desire must be self inspired.

To end with one most come to terms with these facts before they can help their self with a transformation: there is always more to learn, there is always some one better, and nothing is black and white as every person is so different and lastly one must fail before they can succeed.

How can people contact you?

Email: Leea1776@gmail.com.