Here’s your new interview with one of the winners from the 9th Adonis Index Transformation Contest.
Today John talks to Renne Ramirez who placed 2nd in our last 12-Week Transformation contest.
Check out his transformation pictures:
Renne Ramirez – AT9 2nd Place – Before Photos
Renne Ramirez – AT9 2nd Place – After Photos
Renne’s Interview:
How old are you? I’m 33 yrs old.When did you first start working out? If it was before finding Adonis can you briefly explain the types of programs/workouts you did before finding Adonis?Other than the Physical Training aspects of the Navy’s program, in which I have over 13 years of service, I have tried a lot of late night infomercial workout systems. I went from program to program, but only got minimal results upon completion of the programs. I have tried Tae bo (11 years ago), Slim in 6 (9 yrs ago) , Power 90 (9yrs ago), P90X (5 yrs ago), Insanity (4 yrs ago), RIP 60 (mid 2011), and Six Pack Shortcut (late 2011).Did you follow any sort of diet programs before finding Adonis? If so what were they and how did they work for you?
Prior to Adonis, The only diet I tried to stick with is the zero willpower eating system which was included with six pack shortcuts (SPS). I stuck with this diet for about 4 months while doing SPS, but found it to be not sustainable since I got tired easily of eating 5-6 times daily. Even though I prepared my weekly meals ahead of time, I easily got tired of the schedule and the taste of food. The tupperware meals I prepared wasn’t really satisfying after heating it up in a microwave. I just forced myself to eat to get the results I wanted, and even though I gained muscle I looked bulky while doing the program, which wasn’t the look I always wanted.
How did you find Adonis?
I found AI through the SPS program through an Interview between Dan Rose from SPS and Brad Howard. After listing to the podcast I signed up for the news letters to see if the AI program is something I would consider if SPS didn’t work out for me. I’m so glad I did this since now I found a lifestyle where it got me the physique I wanted that is easy to sustain.
What made you decide to enter the contest?
I wanted to enter AT8 at first, but at that point I was still recovering from my Patella reconstructive surgery that happened a year prior. I didn’t think I would get the desired results to place since I cannot give my max effort on all the lifts that require my legs. Also, I did not want to re-injure myself. I did shadow the contest however, and found that I was able to get dramatic results even with light weights/resistance. When AT9 was announced I was more than ready to take the challenge.
What did you expect from yourself during this contest?
I still had doubts about placing since I saw myself already in a decent shape for my before pictures already and I wondered if I could really further my body’s transformation at this point. After seeing my after pictures, boy was I wrong! I was still able to transform my physique in my opinion.
How did you fit the workouts into your daily routine?
I workout from home the majority of times so getting the workout in after work was easy for me. From time to time if not busy I have access to the base gym and would go there early morning or during my lunch break. I was able to knock out AIG and and twice a week add on a booster.
What did you do from a diet standpoint?
I followed RTD from the “get go.” I did occasionally go over my recommended weekly calories at least once a month if there where special occasions that happened. During my over consumption I went over by between 1000-2500 calories during the week. Luckily I was still able to lose inches and drop my BF% even after my over consumption.
What did you find most challenging along the way and did you have any setbacks?
The only setback I dealt with aside from my disabilty was during the 1st month of the contest I was transferred to a different base that was about 96 miles one way from my home, my daily commute was bout 3-4 hours a day and found myself too tired to even workout once home the first few weeks. Once I got used to it though I was back to my routine.
How did people in your life react as your body started to change?
The only people that knew I was in the contest were my wife and kids, so they supported what I did and saw that I was getting results as my physique began toning up. However, when other family members and close friends saw me they though I was sick since they were not used to seeing me this slim. They didn’t really understood what I was doing and tried to convince me to put on more weight.
When did you realize things were really starting to change?
I realized my body changing as soon as I experienced the Adonis effect from people that I met for the fist time since they had no clue how I looked like before. On several occasions whether it be in a gym, restaurant, or stores I often got complimented and people asked me for advise about how to get the physique I possessed. It was at this point, I realized I had transformed to the body I always wanted.
How did you feel when you looked at your before and after pictures side by side?
I was ecstatic to see the comparison, I really could not believe it a first when I compared them, Like what I explained earlier, during the beginning of the contest I wasn’t really sure how else I would transform myself at that point if I was starting off with a decent before body.
What advice would you give to other guys who are sitting on the fence not sure about entering a contest?
Regardless if you have doubts about placing or not, entering the contest will motivate you to push harder towards your transformation. The results you get will always be priceless. You have nothing lose in entering one of the contest since it is free to enter. Aside from that you don’t need to hire a photographer for your after pictures. It can easily be done by yourself, a friend, or a family member and still get an outstanding picture.
Whats next for you?
I am currently doing ATS and will more than likely shadow AT10. I ‘m in a middle of a residential move right now which has somewhat affected my RTD tracking and workouts. Once settled in though I plan on adding more size to my frame to reach my actual AI while maintaining my abs. I am still under by about 2 inches for my golden waist and and inch under my Golden shoulder, with my new RTD recommendations along with ATS and IXP, I plan on accomplishing this goal in the near future.
Summary of Renne’s Best Tips:
- Stay Informed. Listen to the podcasts, subscribe to the AI news letters.
- Reverse Taper Diet (RTD) was followed from the “get go”. It’s possible to still lose BF% and inched even with moderate over consumption of daily calories.
- Have a close support group to assist you in the transformation process.
- An indicator of your transformation progress is the Adonis Effect, as you interact with others, they may want to know how you were able to possess your exceptional physique.
- If you have doubts about placing, entering the contest will motivate you to push harder towards your transformation. The results you get will always be priceless.
If you want to get in touch with Renne, talk to him about his approach and get more tips, here’s his profile in our community.
About Allen Elliott