Body Transformation: Nolan Heyer Slashed 21% Body Fat!
Football left Nolan with many injuries, but his positive attitude helps him overcome any adversity!
Why I decided to transform
All throughout high school, I was known as the Big Kid because I was easy to spot in a crowd. I weighed 230 pounds in my freshman year, but it was also the first year I started lifting; it was mandatory for football.
At the time, however, I focused on throwing around as much weight as possible to transfer to the football field. In my senior year, I stood at an intimidating 275 pounds with a fair amount of muscle, and was hungry for a football scholarship.
To my dismay, I never got a single scholarship. I continued my eating habits as if I were still training for football, and my weight crept up to 295 pounds. I didn't realize how big I had become until I saw a picture of my brother and myself on my 19th birthday.
I made it my New Year's resolution to get this weight off, so I quickly began "eating less and working out more," which was my football coach's mantra. In theory, the idea makes sense, but with the lack of nutrition a lot of my weight loss consisted of muscle.
Within a matter of half a year, I went from 295 to 208, but was fragile and weak. I continued to play football for a local community college, but saw little playing time due to my lack of size.
How I accomplished my goals
I quickly became interested in nutrition and how to build a strong healthy physique. Bodybuilding.com quickly became my homepage, and my beginner gains had me hooked on the gym life. I still did all of the heavy Olympic lifts that are centered around football, but with my diet and supplements dialed in, I was getting stronger every week.
Being young, it was not hard for me and some of my friends to push each other to see who could lift the most each week. I accredit a lot of my transformation success to my supportive friends for helping to push me in the weight room, and to my parents for helping pay for my supplements and food. Without them, I would not be who I am today.
What aspect challenged me the most
What challenged me the most (and still does to this day) was diet. I am very good at following diets and tracking my macros, but if I am not on a program, my inner fat kid comes out.
My future fitness plans
My future fitness plans are to become a certified trainer and possibly compete, but I really just want to train people who want to transform themselves and change their lives. I also would like to finish my education at the University of Arizona and go back to school to further my education in fitness and nutrition.
Suggestions for aspiring transformers
I cannot stress how important nutrition is. If you plan on transforming your body, make sure you brush up on your nutrition. Another thing you need to realize is that not everybody is the same, and will not respond in the same way with nutrition. Find out what works for you through trial and error, and remember that nothing happens overnight.
How Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals
Bodybuilding.com has done more than help me reach my goals. It has truly reshaped my life. Any time I was tempted to cheat or not go to the gym, it was easy to find inspiration on Bodybuilding.com. I still get excited when I see that a new trainer is coming out, and tend to try all of them.
Sometimes I'll find myself on Bodybuilding.com for hours, reading articles by Jim Stoppani or Craig Capurso. Finally, the prices are unbeatable! I can honestly guarantee anyone that they won't find a better price anywhere else.
There have been a few times where I have placed an order and my shipment arrives the next day! Bodybuilding.com does everything right and makes my life easy.
Special Thanks
I would like to thank my parents for everything they have done for me, and for continuing to support me through all my endeavors.