My name is Ryan Hughes and I am one of the first two IFBB Men’s Physique Pros in the country. I am also a Gaspari Nutrition sponsored athlete, BodySpace Spokesmodel finalist, fitness model, trainer and avid fitness enthusiast. I began my journey into the fitness world when I was 15 years old. I was an ectomorph, meaning I had trouble gaining any kind of weight. I was a relatively lean 125lbs at that time, standing 6’0” tall. As you can imagine I was skinny, real skinny. I decided it was time to do something about this, so like many young teenage boys I hit the weights. I obviously had no clue what I was doing, neglected legs and of course did not eat properly. This is pretty much the norm for beginners in the fitness world, as everyone wants results but very few actually know how to achieve them properly.

At age 17 I had put on a few pounds and was hooked. I made it a goal to compete in a bodybuilding competition and began studying the world of exercise and fitness. I spent hours a day reading everything I could find on how to gain lean muscle, how to lose body fat, what to eat, what time to eat, etc. I began to develop a drive to get better and achieve the best results possible. When my friends were continuing to eat like typical teenagers, I was eating clean and feeling great. I graduated high school a respectable 170lbs and had made a drastic change in both my physique and my outlook on the health and fitness world. My freshman year in college, I took things to another level. I made it my goal to compete in my first bodybuilding competition that year and to begin personal training. I enjoyed talking to other about exercise and nutrition, so I figured, why not extend what I have learned out to as many others as I can?

At age 19, I competed in my first competition in the lightweight class at 176lbs and 4% body fat. I took 1st in the Novice class and 3rd in the Men’s Open! I was ecstatic! It felt amazing to look back and see what I had just achieved. I then completed my next goal of becoming a certified personal trainer from one of the most highly accredited organizations in the business, NASM. From there I began training clients of all ages and fitness levels, from athletes to grandmothers, I wanted to help each and every person reach their fitness goal. Over the next 3 years I trained at numerous gyms, studios and even did private in-home training sessions. I truly enjoyed what I did, but felt like I still needed to grow both in my knowledge and in my physique.

At age 22 I went from working out and eating a clean and effective diet to living the lifestyle. I picked out another competition and decided this time I want to be bigger and leaner than ever. I did two a days for months and packed each and every meal on a daily basis. If I was going to get beat, it wasn’t going to be because I didn’t work hard enough. I competed in my second competition and stepped on stage at 208lbs at 4% body fat. I took 2nd in the Novice overall and 3rd in the Men’s Open, except this time around I was in the Heavy­­­­­weights class. From there it has been a blur. I went up to New York and was signed within a month by Silver Models NYC. I have since booked jobs with Nike, the NY Jets, Oxygen Network, Exercise for Men magazine, Muscle Mag and Men’s Fitness magazine. I am now a full time fitness model/athlete and trainer working in NYC. This is my dream, my passion and my life. I hope, given the opportunity, we can work together to reach your individual fitness goals. If you want more then a trainer, look no further then HughesFIT!