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Joey's training journalAlbuquerque, New Mexico

Notes from a life getting stronger.

A personal record of progress, routines, food, hard days, small wins, and the quiet discipline of continuing to show up.

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Joey taking a gym progress photo
100%Natural

A recent page · Summer 2026

Latest journal entry

A note about the part nobody applauds.

Consistency is quieter than motivation.

Motivation is useful when it shows up, but it has never been a reliable training partner. The routine works because I keep returning to it—one clean rep, one meal, and one ordinary day at a time.

170Current lbs.
6Training days
1Recovery day
Read the full entry
Joey's strength training progress in 2026
Current focus: clean reps, recovery, and patience.

01 / The story

Dear journal, it turns out consistency works.

This was never only about the weight. It became a way to rebuild myself.

Strength training is purely a hobby for me. I still have a day job, bills to pay, and sadly, no lucrative fitness sponsorships waiting in my inbox.

What began as a simple goal to improve myself grew into something that gives me structure, discipline, and a better mindset every day.

Joey's dog Tyson, whose loss became part of his turning point

H.B. Tyson · Always part of the story

The turning point

Motivation left. I kept showing up anyway.

The hardest part was simply getting started. I had started and stopped more times than I care to admit, usually with enough motivation to last a few days or, on a good run, one mildly inconvenient weekend.

Losing my furry friend after nearly a decade left a deep emptiness. At the same time, poor nutrition was beginning to affect my health. Eventually, I knew something had to change.

So I committed to my diet and kept showing up on the days motivation had clearly called in sick. What once felt like a chore became something that gave me structure, purpose, and pride.

“The progress did more than change my body. It changed the way I see what is possible when you stop giving up on yourself.”

02 / The progress

A few pages from the journey.

Seven years, seen in moments.

A natural progression built through repetition, patience, and learning to keep showing up when motivation did not.

Then / Now

The clearest comparison is the life around the photos.

The visible change matters, but the lasting change is the rhythm: training, recovering, eating with purpose, and beginning again the next day.

Joey at the beginning of his training journey in 2019Then
2019
Focus
Building the habit
Lesson
Start before you feel ready
Joey's natural strength training progress in 2026Now
2026
Rhythm
Six training days
Focus
Consistency and recovery
Joey at the beginning of his strength training journey in 2019
012019

The starting line

Joey's strength training progress in 2025
022025

The work shows

Joey's natural strength training progress in 2026
032026

Still building

03 / The routine

The weekly rhythm I return to.

Push, pull, legs, and room to recover.

I began with this split once a week, then increased the frequency as my experience, conditioning, and tolerance for voluntary suffering improved.

SunPush
MonPull
TueLeg / Ab
WedRest
ThuPush / Ab
FriPull
SatLeg / Ab
Start here3 × 8

Three sets of eight clean reps.

Form first. Weight second. Ego somewhere outside.

I begin every unfamiliar movement with little to no weight. Once the setup feels solid, I add weight slowly and give my body time to adapt. The goal is to train the muscle, not accidentally launch myself across the gym.

If eight reps feel comfortable, I add a little weight. If I cannot reach eight with good form, I lower it. Not flashy. Still effective.

01

Push

Shoulders / Chest / Triceps

Shoulder press · Decline press · Flat press · Chest butterfly · Tricep press

02

Pull

Back / Biceps / Traps

Back pull row · Pulldown row · Bicep curl · Trap pull · Trap fly

03

Legs + Abs

Lower body / Core

Leg press · Calf press · Ab crunch

Recovery is training, too.

Every so often, I deload: a short period of reduced training so my body can recover before my joints begin filing formal complaints.

04 / The fuel

Notes from my kitchen.

Food that supports the work and still tastes like food.

My approach is simple: smaller portions of carbs, larger portions of protein, and fewer foods loaded with added sugar. I track nothing, force nothing, and let my body tell me when it is hungry.

  • ProteinEggs, beef, chicken, and salmon
  • CarbsSpinach, rice, and noodles
  • SeasoningMonk fruit with allulose and umami seasoning
Beef phở
Beef · ComfortBeef phởSeared steak, spinach, herbs, chili and VIFON Phở Bò.
Open kitchen note

Ingredient checklist

How I make itPrepare the broth and noodles, add the greens, then finish with seared steak, herbs, and chili.

No calculated nutrition claim—just the ingredients and method I use.
Chili-crisp salmon
Fish · QuickChili-crisp salmonAir-fried salmon with garlic herb seasoning and cheese.
Open kitchen note

Ingredient checklist

How I make itSeason the salmon and air-fry until cooked through, then add the finishing toppings.

No calculated nutrition claim—just the ingredients and method I use.
Teriyaki beef
Beef · QuickTeriyaki beefPan-fried steak, chili crisp, green onion and cilantro.
Open kitchen note

Ingredient checklist

How I make itPan-fry the steak, add the sauce, and finish with chili crisp and fresh herbs.

No calculated nutrition claim—just the ingredients and method I use.
Loaded eggs
Eggs · QuickLoaded eggsEggs, chicken frank, green onion, cilantro and chili.
Open kitchen note

Ingredient checklist

How I make itCook the eggs and chicken frank, then add the herbs and chili just before serving.

No calculated nutrition claim—just the ingredients and method I use.
Slow-cooked rib
Beef · ComfortSlow-cooked ribTrimmed beef rib with the meaty bones cooked in broth.
Open kitchen note

Ingredient checklist

How I make itCook slowly in broth until tender and keep the meaty bones in the pot for depth of flavor.

No calculated nutrition claim—just the ingredients and method I use.
Spicy chicken ramen
Chicken · ComfortSpicy chicken ramenBuldak noodles, sliced chicken breast and asparagus.
Open kitchen note

Ingredient checklist

How I make itCook the noodles, prepare the chicken and asparagus, then combine everything with the spicy sauce.

No calculated nutrition claim—just the ingredients and method I use.

05 / The essentials

A short list, on purpose.

The few things that help me keep showing up.

No secret stack. Just a few basics and the equipment that makes training more comfortable, stable, and repeatable.

01
Nutricost Peach Mango

Pre-workout

Nutricost Peach Mango

About 30 minutes before training
02
Pomegranate Lemonade Energy

Intra-workout

Pomegranate Lemonade Energy

Sipped with water during training
03
Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine

Creatine Monohydrate

5 grams every day

In the gym

Tools I actually use.

Zero-drop shoes01

Zero-drop shoes

Stable, comfortable, and almost like training barefoot.

Workout gloves02

Workout gloves

Less fatigue and discomfort, more focus on the lift.

Lifting straps03

Lifting straps

Extra grip support when the movement calls for it.

Nordic strap04

Nordic strap

A seat-belt style anchor for a more stable machine setup.

MAG-style grip05

MAG-style grip

My preferred cable-row and lat-pulldown alternative.

In the kitchen

Front-loading air fryerSmall rice cookerWireless meat thermometerEgg cooker
Portrait of Joey

06 / About me

More brain than brawn.

A little more about the person writing these pages.

I value discipline, consistency, and having a clear sense of purpose in life and work. Fitness taught me patience, structure, accountability, and the value of steady progress over time.

I take pride in being dependable, respectful, and intentional. My focus is continuing to grow, maintaining balance, and building a life rooted in purpose, character, and long-term progress.

Name
Joey
Home
Albuquerque, NM
Height
5' 9"
Weight
170 lbs.
Email me
Stronger together

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