Students learn to build a healthier lifestyle
Since their freshman year, Evan Miller and Dylan Joyce have found a passion for weightlifting.
While many buy gym memberships in an effort to become healthier or lose weight, as time passes, most lose motivation or revert back to their old lifestyle.
This has not been the case for Diamond Bar High School senior Evan Miller or junior Dylan Joyce, who both use resistance exercises to build their physique, otherwise known as bodybuilding.
While Joyce was introduced to the sport by his older brother during his freshman year, Miller began to work out in 2015 because he was tired of being skinny. Their workouts include core lifts such as the bench press and accessory exercises such as curls and rows.
When he started to bodybuild seriously, Miller struggled since he was unfamiliar with all of the proper techniques for certain exercises. To prevent injury and make sure that he was doing the exercises properly, he turned to YouTube and found inspiration from famous bodybuilders such as Steve Cook and David Laid.
“When I first started [lifting weights], I had no help and no knowledge in the gym. It took hours of videos and doing my own research to know what I was doing,” Miller said.
Joyce struggled during his freshman year with time management, since he went to the gym while also being on the DBHS boys soccer team. During soccer season, Joyce would practice soccer until 4 p.m. and then head to the gym for a workout.
“I love saying I’m going to the gym because it is like my other home,” Joyce said.
In addition to learning how to lift weights, Miller and Joyce became familiar with nutrition and healthy foods. Both students prioritize foods with higher amounts of protein and complex carbohydrates while staying away from saturated fats and sugars.
Miller also “intermittently fasts,” where he abstains from eating food for a certain amount of time to burn excess fat while gaining muscle. He specifically eats during 2 pm to 8 pm, since it is the most convenient for him.
“I go to the gym six days a week, and it’s definitely a huge chunk of my day. It’s not just the gym that fills my time, eating at certain times every day is important too,” Miller said.
Miller’s most recent personal lifting records was broken during winter break. His new PRs include 325 pounds on the deadlift and 225 pounds on the bench press.
Although going to the gym is a time-consuming task for Miller and Joyce, they have both received positive results for continuing their passion ever since their freshman year.
“Weightlifting has absolutely changed my life. I was a 90-pound freshman and became something that a lot of people didn’t think I could become. It’s made me a harder worker, a more humble person, and has boosted my confidence,” Miller said.
Joyce has also become more independent, learning to cook nutritious food and finding the discipline to go to the gym.
“This healthy lifestyle has made me more energized and happy. Weightlifting has made me motivated to get things done outside of the gym,” Joyce said.
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