Men’s 212 Bodybuilding staple Flex Lewis is setting down the barbell for some running shoes. In a recent YouTube video published on October 3, 2023, Lewis revealed he lost 20 pounds while transforming his physique before turning 40 years old in November.
“I’m shocked just how fast flexibility has come back by putting in daily work. Granted I’ve been doing this the last couple of weeks but it’s shocking just how fast I’ve been able to get back to feeling 10% like the athlete I used to be,” Flex Lewis said.
Flex Lewis, a former seven-time 212 Olympia, didn’t seize the sport’s most coveted throne by chance. Squeezing every ounce of blood, sweat, and tears into his training, Lewis attained bodybuilding glory with a relentless attitude, combined with a one-of-a-kind physique.
Ripped head to toe with freaky fullness and huge arms, Lewis also became the first man to win the 212 title at the Arnold Classic in 2014. He’s proven successful against heavy hitters in the league such as Hadi Choopan, Derek Lunsford, and Shaun Clarida.
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Last May, Flex Lewis announced his retirement from competitive bodybuilding. Though he stepped away from the stage for good, Lewis’ love for the sport motivates him today. However, last month, he sustained a painful back injury on leg day. Despite the obstacle, Lewis hasn’t slowed down on his transformation goals before his next birthday.
Flex Lewis Talks Diet Changes, Losing Weight, and Pain Levels from Injury
According to Lewis, he lost 20 pounds and is feeling a lot better even though he admits he’s been “battling” with back issues.
“As you know and have seen by the title, I am 20 pounds down. I feel a lot better from the last update video. Obviously, the last update video, I was battling with some back issues. Quite honestly, if I put myself back on to that time. I sucked it up so much. For anybody who’s had issues with their backs before, they’ll know on the test there’s nothing you can really do.
There’s issues with sleep at night, there’s sitting down… so I found myself kind of wondering and standing up on calls and stuff and as soon as I sat down for the drives home which were like 20-30 minutes, the time I got out of that car I was like shit. It was kind of like a slap in the face guys. It was. A true moment where I truly have to now change my lifestyle patterns and I have to do a lot of different things.”
“I was putting myself in a lot of frequent pain. Shoulder issues, back issues, and whatever else. That’s down to my stupidity, turning that Flex Lewis switch on and training with the likes of the World’s Strongest Man and the best in Jui-jitsu and the best in bodybuilding and hanging with them and then hanging in pain the next few days prior.”
Having changed his diet, Lewis says he no longer prioritizes carbohydrate intake in the morning.
“I’ve changed my diet up. As you guys know who have followed me consistently on various socials, I eat every day the same thing. I fast a minimum of 12 hours a day. That’s been prolonged on some days. Also, you guys know I’ve had GI issues throughout my bodybuilding career.”
“I find eating carbs in the morning is not conducive for me as much as I want to,” added Lewis.
With Lewis’ birthday approaching in mid-November, he hopes to become a stronger, faster, and more flexible version of himself before blowing out his candles. He added that he was inspired by Jay Cutler‘s transformation but explained why his will be different:
“Why we started this transformation… November 15 is coming. My big 40. My 40th birthday. I’ve said many months ago, shout out to Jay Cutler, he’d done the fit-for-50. We started with the team putting something together. Jay’s ended in August – what a fantastic job he’s done. I’m 10 years his junior, but nonetheless, he’s an inspiration to me and many others.”
“Jay wanted to do a contest prep and get down as lean as possible, I want to make sure I’m in the best, stronger, faster, endurance, flexibility version of what I was like six months ago. My goal is then to continue this. Six months, six months, six months, and then have updates and stuff like this.”
Lewis says he’s pleased with his current cardiovascular fitness level.
“Right now, secretly I’m working on some running, trying to make sure my knees and my ankles and as you heard with the shoes, you can see the direction I’m going. I want to make sure to get a mile done with ease. I’ve been more than anything else, I’m shocked just how cardiovascularly fit I’ve kept myself with doing nothing but the treadmill.”
Even though Lewis won’t be participating in the upcoming 2023 Olympia contest, that doesn’t mean he is overlooking the contenders headed to Orlando, Florida. In a previous Straight Outta the Lair podcast, Lewis suspected that Derek Lunsford could become the sport’s first-ever two-division champion if he could get past Hadi Choopan in four weeks.
Given his dedication to bodybuilding, Lewis is no stranger to transforming his physique. With health and longevity growing concerns, the former 212 star says he plans to continue these practices into 2024.
RELATED: Derek Lunsford Builds A Fuller Chest With Flex Lewis As 2023 Olympia Prep Continues
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