Written by Douglas Oggelsby
Meet Suzuki Shinobu, a man of many passions. Born in Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, he is 50 years old, married, and a proud father. When he's not honing his physique in the gym, he's applying his artistic skills as a painter. His love for his family, the gym, and his newfound fascination with the Pacific Ocean are the driving forces behind his inspiring transformation journey.
Douglas Oggelsby (DO): Did someone help you or convince you to start a program to develop the body you have now? What was your weight, height, and body fat percentage when you started, and what is it now?
Suzuki Shinobu (SS): Yes. My younger brother is a fitness guru, and while I was supporting him in his competitions, I wanted to enter a contest myself. It would be fun to see how far I could change my body. The journey was not easy, but the sense of achievement and the support from my family and friends kept me going.
At the start of my journey, I stood at 171 cm and carried a weight of 98.8 kg, with a body fat percentage of 32%. It was a long road ahead, but I was determined to see it through.
I am still 171 cm tall, but I weigh 68.3 kg, and have a body fat percentage of 6%. I am excited to see how I do in the APF H & YO Championships 2024. This prestigious event, known for its high standards and fierce competition, features three categories that I will be participating in: Men’s singlet model, Men’s athlete model master 4p plus, and finally, Men’s physique model 50-year-old class.
Douglas Oggelsby (DO): When did you start your program and begin to lose weight?
SS: My main program started in January 2024. I became serious about my fitness program, weight loss, and healthy diet. I decided to try different foods to keep things interesting. I found that if I ate the same old thing, I got really bored, so I diversified my protein intake with chicken, beef, pork, and fish. I even ventured into new territories like Yokan (a Japanese Confection), which consists of red bean paste, agar, and sugar. I have a sweet tooth, so this was a delightful choice for me.
My meal composition from the start of weight loss was the following:
7:00 Carbs 60g Protein 220g Fat 10g
10:00 Same as morning
12:00 Same as morning
Post-workout protein drink 30g
Go home and have dinner. Same as in the morning.
I continued in this way, until I could no longer lose weight. At this point, I had a cheat meal of 10,00 kcal. As I began to lose weight, I slowly lost my PFC.
Douglas Oggelsby (DO): Did you have a rigorous workout routine?
SS: I would say yes. I focus on my Chest, Shoulders, Back, Arms and Legs between Monday and Friday.
Saturday is my day off to spend with the family and enjoy other aspects of life. I believe that outdoor activities are crucial for my family and me. I also engage in everyday activities like everyone else, such as shopping, watching movies, going on trips, and now I am even starting to get interested in diving. I make sure to visit hot springs and the ocean, and I try to live my life without accumulating stress as much as possible.
Sunday is an exciting day for me. I go to the gym, get my Body Mass Index measured, and then do sit-ups and cardio.
Douglas Oggelsby (DO): You told me you had an operation that made you think about fitness. Can you explain?
SS: When my weight increased to 98 kg, I was feeling very ill and just did not feel right. I felt heavy, and I had that protruding belly, and I slowly started to diet and train. The unfortunate part was when I was hospitalized in December of 2022 and finally discharged after a surgery to address my weight-related health issues, I had lost all my muscle mass.
I knew this was not good, so I spent the next year bulking up, and in early 2024, I started focusing on Nutrition, Diet and Fitness. Following my rigorous program, my body changed, my confidence grew, and my appearance became more stylish. Many clothes look good on me, and I owe that to fitness.
Douglas Oggelsby (DO): What would you tell people your age or older about becoming as fit as you. Any suggestions?
SS: The first thing is that age does not matter. You need to have the right mindset, and once I started to see changes, my mindset became positive. I would tell people to work hard, diet properly and start a safe workout program designed for their age. I encourage older people to have a fitness professional evaluate them and guide them in setting up a proper program. In conjunction with that, I would like to express to older folks that if you eat lower calories and train, you will lose weight, gain muscle, and change your body, so don’t give up. Keep trying. You will have minor setbacks, but that is common.