One 21-year-old Canadian bodybuilder may be stealing hearts and winning awards left and right for his hunk body and Herculean poses, but his rippling abs and massive biceps did not even exist two and a half years ago. In fact, the youngster looked like a different person entirely.
Ivan Lumbera, of Manitoba, Canada, was 19 when he first entered the weight training room, determined to make a difference. Back then his hair was cropped short, his stomach was far from toned, limbs scrawny, and he weighed 185lbs.
But that all suddenly changed when he began to put the pedal to the metal daily through weight training and adopted intense dietary restrictions that evolved his body into an Adonis lookalike and his confidence, soaring through the sky.
Before and after: Ivan in 2015 (left) just graduated high school and headed to the gym but little did he expect that barely three years later he would be an award winning bodybuilder (right)
Flexin’: Today his body is unrecognizable, despite only dropping 15lbs from his 2015 weight of 185lbs. His stomach is completely toned, thighs protruding with muscle and biceps ripped
Weight champ: The fitness star takes to social media to catalog his fitness journey and to inspire others to pursue bodybuilding goals in the gym
Today Ivan’s body has completely transformed and is practically unrecognizable from what it was just years ago and he now weighs a lean 170lbs with rippling abs, gigantic arms, ripped thigh muscles, a broad chest, and Tarzan long hair. Though he shed just 15 pounds he’s bulked up extensive muscle mass, with his thighs and arms protruding with his gains.
But for the young exercise junkie, the most rewarding part isn’t his new award-winning body, it’s the boost in his self confidence that he shamelessly flaunts on social media, tracking his progress with inspiring messages that preach hard work and self discipline.
‘Fitness has played an immense role in my life teaching me valuable things such as patience, perseverance and most importantly, to be confident,’ the Winnipeg native shared.
When Ivan was younger he was an athletic jock, involved in a myriad of sports. After graduating high school he turned to the weight room as his way to keep up with a healthy and active lifestyle.
‘During my time in high school, I kept up with sports such as basketball, football and track and field. As that came to an end, I knew I had to stay active so I chose this lifestyle,’ he shared.
His hard work in the weight room paid off when he bulked up enough to attend his first bodybuilding show, the Manitoba Amateur Bodybuilding Association (MABBA) last October.
Competing in the classic physique division, he was shocked when he not only placed first place in his debut competition, but he also took home the awards for best poser and X-Factor.
Little by little: A photo from June 2015 reveals a scrawnier and less bulky version of Ivan
Selfie nation! Ivan can’t help but take photos of his rippling abs and veiny muscles to share with his fitness fans online
Focused: He shared that weight training doesn’t feel like a chore once excited about gains
And his first award sweep was just the beginning. Months later in June he won gold at the MABBA Provinicial.
‘I was determined to bring in a better package, and I’m glad to say that the hard work paid off. I placed first in my class, giving me a qualification for Nationals which took place in July this year in Edmonton, Alberta,’ Ivan revealed.
Nationals was Ivan’s biggest competition yet, but he walked in with confidence and set his Adonis figure poised and ready on the stage.
‘Needless to say, I made my national debut worthwhile, placing fifth among the best in Canada,’ he revealed on his top marks.
‘To this day, I’m beyond grateful to announce that bodybuilding has changed my life for the better, being able to inspire others as I have once been,’ he added.
And he’s dedicated the rest of his bodybuilding days to inspiring others to join in on the muscle bulking exercise. But he warns the deed can be tedious.
Double take! His progress from 2015 to 2017 is jaw dropping, with his limbs and even face shape taking a completely different form in a matter of just over two years
Daily discipline: Ivan revealed that his streamlined physique required extreme discipline when it came to diet. He eats four to six portion controlled meals a day full of protein and vegetables
For Ivan, the greatest sacrifice was losing his old fatty diet for an incredible strict one – and he only allows himself one cheat meal a week.
He traded three big daily means for four to six small portioned plates that feature chicken, fish, steak, rice, sweet potatoes and vegetables, with an occasional cheat on the weekends.
‘Keeping consistent is a very important aspect in weight lifting as I live by the quote, “great things take time”, with regards to my diet, I found that eating in small portions and frequently is better than eating two to three big meals in a day,’ Ivan said.
He says the exercise routines also feel less and less arduous with time.
‘Once someone finds their passion in weight training, working out does not become a chore. It is the diet that can be the most challenging if you want to achieve great results,’ he revealed.
‘If anyone else wants to get into this, honestly, I would say just go for it. You have nothing to lose and all to gain, pun intended,’ he said.