Transformation: Chris Peavley Gets Diced!

What Was Your Life Like Before Your Transformation?

My life was pretty much destroyed. I didn't see a future. I didn't know where to go.

In high school I enjoyed sports and working out some but I got involved with the wrong people and strayed away and never really took it serious anyway. A couple years after high school I found myself with no direction and not knowing what I was doing in life. I ended up living here and there and on the streets pretty much anywhere I could find.

I slept under bridges downtown and was addicted to heroin. I couldn't figure a way out, no matter how hard I tried. I shriveled down to nothing, maybe 125 to 130 pounds. I didn't have a scale to check, nor did I care about a gym membership.

I couldn't afford anything but my drugs. I absolutely hated it. I had visions of being someone all my life. I didn't understand how I got there, but I do now and I'll explain.


Please Detail Your Turning Point

I was ripping and running so long and was just so sick of that life. I had got in trouble and found myself on probation. But I would have never made it through it at the time. About a couple weeks into my probation I kept failing a drug test and couldn't get clean. I would make it 2-3 days and go right back.

Well my probation officer was done seeing me kill myself and was done giving me chances. I was actually so relieved she put me in jail. I felt something like I didn't have to live the way I was living anymore. I had a good family but they couldn't help me because when they did I took advantage.

So I was finally somewhere I couldn't leave when I felt bad. So a couple weeks in I was getting healthy again. My body wasn't depleted like it was when I went in. I seen people working out
and looking big and healthy. Then I thought of back when I used to actually do that, so I started doing push ups and trying to do pull ups.

I really couldn't even do a pull up. Not even one. I was ashamed. I didn't know my body was that tore down.

I met 2 guys in there that seemed to click with me. They were built and they just pushed me
everyday. I was only supposed to be there for a month but something happened and I ended up being there 4 months. So over about 3 of those months they talked to me about clean eating and making me order tuna and chicken on commissary because you don't get the best protein there.
But during the 4 months I ate, ate and ate the whole time. I pushed myself. I came out and weighed 178. Never been that big in my life and I could do 10 pull ups and it was easy. I worked out every other day and played basketball whenever I could. The healthy eating wasn't really a
option. I'm there.

So I went home had a few big meals then decided to get dedicated. I made sure I went to the gym as much as I could and learned how to eat clean and stayed on that mission. I still played
basketball 2 days a week at the gym I joined. When I got out I stayed away from the people I ran with before, or pretty much anyone that had any negativity or isn't trying to better themselves.

No matter what happened I made sure I would go to the gym so I could keep occupied and wear myself out on bad days and good days. It was fun now. Two years and some months later I am 155 pounds, have more energy than I've ever had, and still have my vision to one day do something big.

I keep getting closer and closer as long as I push myself. I love life even though I still struggle financially like everyone else, but I don't have to hate myself and look in the mirror with shame any more. I love my body and can't believe I poisoned it like I did for so long.

What Were Your Major Struggles or Challenges?

My major struggles were, and still are, trying to find other people to make goals and actually try to accomplish them in and out of the gym  - especially eating clean. It can be done and there is still good health food and healthy fast food.

And other struggles have been going through all my probation and classes they made. Paying
fines and having to have a job while doing all that. I still made it a point to, no matter what, to go to the gym and eat good food. Whether I have time to or not, I would find the time even if I had to get up extra early to go or late. It didn't matter. I felt like that's what made me, so I didn't wanna let that go or the feeling it gave me.

Detail Your Workout and Cardio Plan During Your Transformation

I never really had a full out plan. I just went and worked on everything and it slowly developed into a system for myself on what I thought worked for me. Sure, I read things about workout plans, but they all seemed too much or like it wasn't real. So I would throw one in here and there if it was a part of the body I felt hard to build, like lower abs, upper chest top outside part of the triceps.

I made my own thing up on my workouts and I still change it up. I stick with the basics. I do chest and triceps one day. Then the next maybe do legs or play basketball. Then I'll do back and biceps another day. Then legs again or a rest day, depending on how I feel. Your body will tell you what it needs if you pay attention and get in tune with it.

Detail Your Diet/Eating Plan During Your Transformation

For my diet I found what works for me. Like I said in the workouts, you kinda gotta do a trial and error with what your body likes or feels with all these diets out now. One person says it's good the other says it's bad. I just know that protein is good and making an eating schedule is important.

I love eggs and oatmeal for breakfast with mixed berries. That's my breakfast every morning. I also like almonds or natural peanut butter for my between meal snack. Lunch I would either do like a 6 inch turkey from Subway if I was in a rush, just extra turkey and real light sauce if you need it. I do oil and vinegar, just light.

Then I do like a protein smoothie, which is mixed berries, protein powder, almond milk and non-fat Greek yogurt before my workouts and as a small meal. Then dinner is always like turkey or chicken, maybe a steak if I get lucky (which isn't much, lol). I'll have that with some mixed veggies. That's about it. It's really basic and easy.

Detail Your Supplement Plan During Your Transformation

I started out with nothing. But I was forced when I got home and went to the gym with a friend. He had some pump fuel from GNC. I took that and it put me to a whole new level. I didn't have much money so I used his for awhile until I got on my feet and found out about Tiger Fitness. You guys are great with great products.

I slowly started adding more things to my work out. But you gotta get protein and the Machine
Cookies and Cream is amazing. Then Clash or Pre-OG for a pre-workout, I think are my favorites. That's all you need, but I get a lot of samples and if I like them I'll add them in.

What Was Your Major Accomplishment, or Major Milestones?

My major accomplishment was that I made it 2 years clean.  I finished off my probation, paid out lots of money, got a couple different jobs trying to make my way, and through all the hard work and doing all that, I still managed to eat healthy and stay at the gym. I had everything I needed working 60 hours a week out of town, and could still make it to a gym.

Detail Your Biggest Mistakes

My 3 biggest mistakes have probably been not getting some kind of professional help or keeping a network to push me to the next level.

3 Biggest Things You Learned During Your Transformation?

1. If I can do it anyone can. You just have to have the drive to do so. And believe in yourself.
2. As long as you never give up you will never fail, even if you haven't reached your goal yet. Don't ever give up or quit.
3. No matter how bad you have it someone has it worse than you so stay positive and do the best you can and be grateful.

Final Words of Advice for Others Looking to Make a Change?

Just do it. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something. Use those people and negativity to motivate you to show them what you can do. Just believe and know that you are worth so much more than you think and find positive people in your life.

Love the life you have because you only get one chance at it so if you're not happy. Do something different. Don't be scared. What's the worst that can happen?