Blood, Sweat, and Rice: How I Transformed My Body

My workout routine has always evolved, and it depends heavily on how my body feels, the number of reps I’ve put in, and the time, effort, and energy I dedicate each week. I make it a point to track my progress so I can see my potential and how far I’ve come.

I even created social media accounts, not to gain followers or attention, but to show someone out there that even though the journey may not be easy, hard work pays off when you put your mind to it.

I started out small and started doing curls with rice—10 reps each side—10 sit-ups, and 10 single-arm dumbbell rows. Then I began researching different workouts and training methods, which led me to discover prison workouts. I was familiar with that lifestyle and found it fascinating—not just their workouts, but also their living conditions, sentences, and the challenges they face. This interest even got me watching shows like Lockup, Cops, and Live PD, though I avoid the ones with blood, body cam footage, or autopsies—it’s a bit much for me. Still, these shows are interesting and educational, and they remind me how blessed I am to have freedom and loving family support.

What really drew me to those workouts was the results: huge arms, biceps that looked like they could crush a watermelon, and physiques built like semis. I wanted to look like that, so I started a YouTube channel and a TikTok page called “The Deputy Does Fitness.” My views and likes were low at first, but that didn’t matter—I was making a real change in my life.

I was putting in the work almost every day, pouring blood, sweat, and tears into my fitness journey. A year later, I was working out my entire body—arms, back, chest, legs, calves, abs, and shoulders. I’d do 100 “rice curls” with two 50-pound buckets filled with rice tied in garbage bags, followed by heavy chest, leg, calf, shoulder, and ab workouts—10 sets of 50 reps with breaks in between.

What keeps me going is my family and my faith. Along with my workout schedule, I follow a diet plan focused on healthy portions. My motto: “Everything in moderation.” Mostly protein, though I love rice and all kinds of foods. On tough days, I might crave a snack, and that’s okay. Cheat meals happen occasionally, but if I fall off track, I get right back into the program.

If I could speak to my 2019 self, I would say, "Keep going." Progress is being made. You’re doing fine. Trust the process.

- David Gillespie