Body Transformation: Stephen Ross Roberts Body Transformation
Lifestyle Prior To Change
I smoked a lot, drank, played music at clubs and was just getting into things no kid should get into. I didn’t really care about my health, or how long I’d live. I was unhappy, dealt with mood swings caused by my own bipolarity and depression combined with substance abuse. I was pissed off, just genuinely angry.
What was your low point or turning point?
My low point was summer 2009, when I quit my band, started drinking and taking a large amount of sleeping medications and smoking marijuana and cigarettes. I woke up though, and realized I was being so dumb, throwing it all away, so I hit the gym, cleaned up, and dedicated myself fully to a healthy lifestyle.
Were there any unique challenges or circumstances that made your transformation particularly difficult?
Yes, the first being that I am a teenager, in high school, trying to balance my education, jobs, and family life, girls, and most of all my music. I’m bipolar and depressed. On top of trying to find a middle ground in all of that, my family life was falling to pieces. I was homeless off and on for a good eight months, living with friends and using their kitchens as gyms. I had to beat all of that to stay in good shape, and I’m pretty positive that had bodybuilding not offered that element of stability and complete control, I wouldn’t have stuck with it. Bodybuilding kept me sane, when everything in my life was going horribly, horribly wrong.
Transformation timeline:
I didn’t really keep track of my progress, other than being able to see the bones in my ribs and chest and fitting into a medium shirt tightly, as oppose to and extra small. I stopped seeing my ribs in September, 2009, and fit into a medium this past summer 2010 when I hit 175.
Stephen’s Training And Cardio Approach
What was your weight training approach and split during your transformation?
I have never been one to take on a single region of my anatomy per day of the week. I was taught to go upper one day, and lower the next, and that’s exactly what I did. I always lift heavy, and do 8-12 reps per set as fast and as intense as I can when doing upper body, and 14-18 reps per set on lower body.
- Monday – Upper body.
- Tuesday – Lower body.
- Wednesday – Upper body.
- Thursday – Lower body.
- Friday – Upper body.
- Saturday – Lower body.
- Sunday – Rest or Cardio until you just cannot walk.
Please detail your cardio approach during your transformation?
I’m a teenage boy with a metabolism that breaks down what I eat faster than a bullet train. It’s for when I feel fat or need to clear my head.
Please list 3 things you learned about exercise, weight training and/or cardio during your transformation that helped you succeed:
- Big muscles call for big weight. You don’t get the change until you push yourself to the absolute limit.
- Resting is never time wasted. You need to rest, whether it is between sets or weeks. Always rest.
- Patience is key.
How are you currently training, and has your training changed since the completion of your transformation?
I train just as hard, to get bigger, stronger, and keep my head clear. High school isn’t over for me, and even after that, I have an entire life to live. I’d like to be like Sylvester Stallone when I turn 60, and not die of a heart attack at 38. I’m determined to live a healthy life, and lifting will get me there.
Stephen’s Diet And Nutrition Approach
What was your diet/nutrition approach during your transformation?
Eat like a king.
Can you provide us with a sample daily eating plan (please be specific):
Were there any diet/nutrition mistakes you made that you learned from?
A man’s craving for ice cream is his own Achilles’ heel. Nuff said.
Please list 3 things you learned about diet & nutrition during your transformation that helped you succeed:
- Carbs are important. Not yucky carbs, but complex carbs. You need grains after you work out!
- A protein shake is not a meal, it is a substitute. Treat it as such.
- Staying hydrated is common sense, but is often overlooked. Drink water.
Did you allow yourself cheat meals?
All the time. When you don’t know if you’ll be eating anytime soon, you need to give your body SOMETHING. Even if it’s fast food, it’s better than nothing.
What supplements did you use during your transformation?
Gaspari SizeOn and PlasmaJet did me wonders.
Advice For Others
What are your best 3 tips for someone looking to make their own transformation?
- You have to stay focused, but realize that no one person will ever be perfect, not even you.
- Patience is of the utmost importance.
- Find someone to help push you, because doing this alone is a lot harder than having someone there to fall back on. Make sure you find the right person to fill this position though, because you want someone to push you, not someone you constantly have to push.
How do you stay motivated? What advice would you give to someone who’s having trouble staying on track?
Staying motivated is always hard. It will always be hard, and everyone has their slumps. Just realize that your life will change for the better when you fully engage in it. When I get into a slump, I flip on UFC, or go online and look at other transformations.
More From Stephen Ross Roberts
What is your life like now that you’ve made a transformation?
Everything is better. Everything. I don’t have my mood swings as much as I used to. I don’t have to go out and smoke or drink just to feel at peace. I don’t feel uncomfortable when I walk into a room. I just feel good, and happy.
What motivates you currently to keep improving yourself?
To be totally honest, it’s the people I have in my life. I live with my aunt and uncle now, and on numerous occasions, my uncle has told me that he “wants to be like me when he grows up.” Obviously a joke on some levels, but he is serious in a way too. My younger brother looks up to me, and has started lifting in recent months. He saw a change in me and that inclined him to change too.
Another is my weight lifting coach and lifting partner, Mark Oglesbee. I’m in his class every other day, and when I go in that weight room with him, I almost feel that I have something to prove, and I like that a lot. He pushes me to my limits, and I always know that in his class I can go as hardcore as I wish, with the support of a genuinely good person there if I need it. Finally though, I want to get bigger and stronger than my dad. More than anything, I want to take him to the gym and lift so much that he has to pinch himself to know he isn’t dreaming.
Anything else you would like to share?
“You are capable of absolutely anything you wish, so long as you are in good company.” – My Aunt, Liz Marx.
How can people contact you?