Chef Reuben Ruiz - An Inspiration

Food Network Star Season 10 recently ended, and as an avid fan of the show, it is disappointing to know that I have a long time to wait before the next season starts.

One of the fan favorites this season was Chef Reuben Ruiz, who grew up in a traditional Cuban family and lives in Miami, Florida.

This is not another post about how Reuben went home too soon (although I’m a firm believer he should have gone farther in the show than he did). This is a post about a story some people may not know about Reuben—his weight loss story.

Thank you, Reuben, for sharing your story with me.

When did your love for food start? What inspired you to become a chef?

My love for food began at a young age, watching my Abuela (grandmother) cooking traditional Cuban meals. I was always fascinated with the process from beginning to end and how the food would bring joy to the family while discussing their day. Also, by the age of 11 or 12, I realized my mother wasn't the most talented of chefs and she would cook what my brother and I thought was Cajun food…but it was food just being burnt. From there, I told myself that I would feed myself and, in turn, started cooking for my family. That’s how I ended up in culinary school.

How did your love for cooking affect your weight?

Well, if you know how to cook and are always practicing new recipes and concocting new dishes, someone has to eat them; fortunately for me, I was more than willing. More importantly, I was always a heavy-set kid. The Cuban culture really enjoys seeing young kids being a bit on the thicker side because it resembles health and happiness (and darn right cuteness) for us. So, living in a traditional Cuban household, my Abuela would continuously feed us huge portions and have us finish our plate, which progressed as I got older into all the wrong eating habits.

When did you realize it was time to change your lifestyle?

I began realizing that a change must come because I was way too young to be suffering from insecurity issues and having woman tell me blatantly that I had no chance with them due to my weight. It was really a great way to add fuel to the fire.

What was the hardest part for you? How did you push through and get to your goal weight?

The hardest part was modifying my eating habits and being able to substitute minor ingredients, like salts and sugars, which helped me significantly. The major problem with weight loss is the lack of motivation. A way for me to reach my goal weight was that I would purchase clothes a size too small, and I would work slowly but surely to fit into them comfortably. Then, I would do it all over again with the next size. I was a 2XL in shirts and a 46 in’ waist. Now, I am a medium in shirts and a 34 in’ waist, so it worked.

What were some of your favorite workouts? Did you often workout at home, or did you go to the gym?

My all-time favorite workout has to be running. There is something therapeutic when you just hit that pavement and begin to run and leave your worries behind. Running, for me, with music playing is an escape from reality and helps me center my thoughts; however, when it is a bit to humid here in Miami, I will gladly hit the gym and run indoors, I am also an avid fan of P90X and highly recommend it to anyone that has 90 days to change their life. I am about to begin it again.

How did you change your diet? Can you walk me through a typical day of meals?

I changed my eating habits by modifying things like salt and sugar. I replaced salt with strong herbs, which allowed for great taste without bloating contributed by salt. I learned to replace sugar with things like mashed bananas and/or apple sauce rather than eating pure sugar, which slows down your metabolism significantly. A typical day of meals consists of 4-5 meals beginning with a 7oz churrasco (skirt steak) with 6 egg whites all scrambled together with a slice of unbuttered wheat toast. I span my meal gaps about 2-3 hours in between, and then I eat a lunch consisting of whole chicken with a medley of different veggies. A snack would be a super smoothie or a Naked Juice. Dinner is a bit lighter, usually some fish, vegetables, and fruit. For me, I try to cap my food intake off at about 8 p.m. to allow my body to digest throughout the night.

How have you maintained your weight?

Running, running, and more running, If you like to eat, you have to work out even if you don’t like it. You must find the strength to get up and not live a sedentary lifestyle. The first two weeks of any workout routine is usually the hardest, but I guarantee you that, after the two weeks are completed, the routine will be second nature, and you will feel bad when you don't work out. True story!

What is the best advice you can give to someone who has struggled with losing weight?

Persistence is key, and Rome wasn't built in a day. It took me almost two years to lose a hundred pounds, and I know the struggle personally. There are weeks that you feel that the scale just doesn't reflect on your hard work—you know what? Ditch the scale. Scales aren't your friends. You can drink a glass of water and gain a pound in a matter of seconds. A big key to measuring your weight loss is to use your clothes. If they fit a bit looser, keep doing what you're doing. But ultimately, please don't give up. I know for a fact the hardships that people go through on both the physical and psychological aspects of being a bit heavier, and I guarantee you that it is worth the fight. The struggle is there, but do not let it conquer you!

What inspired you to be on Food Network Star?

I’ve been watching the show since season 1 ten years ago, and I thought I can do this. Also, I am a big fan of proving people wrong. We all have naysayers, and, believe me, so many people told me I would never get on the show. Well, surprise surprise! I made it on. Food Network Star to me has always been a great show because it allowed everyday normal people, such as myself, to go and work to obtain their dream position.

What was your most favorite part about being on the show?

As of right now, my favorite part is the friendships I have made with some particular contestants. I am truly blessed to have crossed paths with these few individuals, and they know who they are. Also, being able to work alongside such greats like Giada, Alton, and Bobby was spectacular. Hearing their feedback and watching them do what they do is truly admiring and has only made me want this that much more.

How has your lifestyle change affected, in Food Network Star terms, your "culinary POV”?

Truly, it really hasn’t. My culinary POV is Sabor Of Miami, which means Taste of Miami. It is how I live my life every day. At my restaurant, we serve food that represents many of the cultures that inhabit our great city. The healthier side, as I told the Network, would come in smaller strides, such as small tidbits as to substitutions for meals and ingredients but not necessarily cooking pure dietetic plates.

Is there anything else you would like to add about your weight loss story?

Well, if anything, a message to anyone dealing or struggling with weight loss—please do not give up. It’s well worth the roller coaster of emotions that comes along on this journey, but, at the end of the road, you will come out a newer, brighter you with such an amazing aspect on life. If you ever need any help with any weight loss advice or tips and tricks in the kitchen, feel free to tweet me a message @ChefReuben.

This blog entry was contributed by Adena Siefert, a PR and Marketing intern at Hedstrom – Ball, Bounce and Sport. She recently graduated from Ashland University with degrees in Sport Communication and Public Relations. She loves watching the Food Network.

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Skewed Vision

Working in the fitness industry has really opened my eyes to a mass of communities, lifestyles, and people I never even knew existed. It’s been a great experience for me, and I am constantly learning more and more about fitness and healthy living. Before getting involved with fitness, I had written several essays and took classes on women’s image and appearance, especially in media. I don’t claim to be an expert in women’s studies, but fitness is a really dense market where the words “image” and “healthy” are sometimes used interchangeably. The image of women in the fitness world seems to create a bit of friction between both people of the fitness world and those looking in.

Often times on Twitter, I’ll see companies post photos of women with before and after pictures with an invitation to “click on the link to find out how she transformed.” The individual comments following the picture encompass an emotional roller coaster. Of course, for marketing purposes, the companies posting the photo want the second picture to look better and add elements like warmer lighting, tans, lip gloss and make up, different hairstyles, or maybe it’s just a difference of the subject smiling in the second photo.

Most of the time, I’m proud of the second photo-ers if I believe their transformation was tried and true. I love when people set a healthy goal for themselves to achieve and emit rays of confidence. In a way, it motivates me to keep reaching for my personal fitness goals and let’s face it: It’s incredibly inspiring. The problem social groups run into are the “already skinny” women getting even “skinnier.” I don’t like using the word “skinny” because it sounds like someone is describing an inanimate object, like a string bean or jeans. To prove my point, I went to my beloved thesaurus.com and typed in “skinny.”




The only word I like from this list to describe a woman’s body is the word “slender.” The rest sound unhealthy. So instead of using the word “skinny,” which is a physical attribute, we should start thinking about using the word “healthy” for everything it is. There isn’t a definite way to measure someone’s health by looking at them. Different heights, ages, and genetics are elements we cannot control that help determine a healthy weight, and yet, judging both “fat” and “skinny” people based on appearance is creating issues between fitness fans and body image campaigns. Nearly every photo on Women’s Health Now has comments both for and against the before/after post.

After a while, I started seeing the same posts over and over again:

“I liked the first photo better. :)”

“WOW, when will my body look like that?”

“What is wrong with the first photo?”

“When will women learn that muscles aren’t attractive?”

These comments all enraged me. Did the world of Twitter suddenly become certified doctors where they could dish out any suggestion they thought? It doesn’t matter whether someone is criticizing someone else for being too big or too little; it doesn’t matter if you’re defending fitness or self image. It’s still criticism of someone else’s body.

I decided the best solution for my raging would be to interview someone who underwent a transformation. She has been criticized for being too thin, judged for not eating enough, and has had an opportunity to share her story. She wishes to remain anonymous.

Here is her story:

What made you decide to start your weight loss/strength training?

I looked in the mirror one day and was just like, "Wow, I've really let myself go." It clicked and I just decided to change. To be honest, I thought about my boyfriend of three years now. He knew me at my thinnest in college and started dating me then (115lbs.) and stayed with me when I weighed 157lbs. and never said a word about me gaining weight in three years. His response to my saying "Oh my God, I got fat," was "What? I didn't even notice, besides I like your big butt. But if you want to lose weight I'll support you." He actually started lifting too.

What was your goal when you decided to do this?

I had a goal of -25lbs, just because I felt like I needed a number to strive for, but my real goal was just to be comfortable and happy with my body again.

What did you do to achieve this?

I got with a personal trainer who I did 3 months of workouts with, and she taught me how to be fit without playing a sport. Playing soccer my whole life trained me how to be fit by playing soccer, but I had no clue what I was doing in a gym when I gave up soccer after two years in college.

How did you stay motivated?

My family helped me to stay motivated as well as my boyfriend. Every week I would take "progress pictures" which really helped because while I may lose 5lbs. one week, then only 2lbs. the next week, I could still see huge differences in the toning of my body.

Are you happy with your results?

I am very happy with my results now that I have dropped the weight I am working on gaining more muscle tone.

What has been your total weight loss?
38lbs. 157lb. start, 119lb. now.

What happens after you achieve your goal? Have you achieved it? Do you want to keep going or maintain what you have?

I've achieved and surpassed my goal. I work in a very physical environment for the time being which affects how much weight I have lost. I'm happy with where I am at but I want to build more muscle tone because I believe I look better with a little muscle rather than very thin muscle.

Did anyone criticize you for taking fitness too seriously or think you didn’t take it seriously enough?

Yes, people criticized me for even starting to take fitness seriously. They said I wouldn't stick to it, and it’s all just for show. They said I really wasn't doing anything behind the scenes when I would post pictures of healthy food. I just took what they were saying with a grain of salt and kept doing me. Getting into fitness is about what you want and not what other people say about you doing it.

Do you think other people are influenced by social media and media to lose weight?

Very much so, and in a bad way, also. My posts about losing weight have been about getting to a place where I love myself and my body. Fitness for me is something where I can channel my stress and also get to a place where I like my body. I think social media pushes the "get thin" or "get fit" too much to where people think they have to be like that to be accepted. It’s about what you want. If you like being thick, more power to you. There is nothing wrong with that as long as you are healthy. If you want to be thin, there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you are healthy. It should be all about loving YOURSELF!

Do you think exercise eventually becomes unhealthy? If so, at what point?

I think it can be if you don't eat enough and don't get the proper nutrients. I always tell myself, “Don't be obsessed with a number.” I actually had to step on a scale while answering these questions to get my total weight loss because I didn't even know off the top of my head. Like I said previously, my goal was to like my body, not get to a certain number.

What would you say to someone who criticized your body for being too thin/too fat?

I've been criticized for getting "too thin" and been told to "eat a burger or two." My only response is, “You're entitled to your wrong opinion. It's not your body that's 'too thin,' it's mine, per your WRONG opinion!” I'm healthy, I consume 1500+ calories a day, and I probably eat a burger 1-2 times a week, so shove off! (Plus chicken wings and beer on the Saturday & Thursday nights at karaoke night, so HA!)

If someone said to anyone that they were "too fat," I would point-blank tell them to F OFF. There is absolutely no point in bringing someone else's self-esteem down. That's what causes unhealthy weight loss or gain. Society pressures women to lose weight and, sadly, women are huge culprits of bringing other women down about their weight. I don't believe it’s anyone’s place besides a doctor's to tell someone they need to lose weight. It is only people's responsibility to be supportive of others on their fitness journey.

We’d love to know your thoughts and opinions. Feel free to share them with us!

Disclaimer: The photos are meant to be an exposure of the realities of harsh judgments on all sizes of women. We do not support the text in the photos, especially the last one where women are being compared to meat and men to dogs.

This entry was contributed by Shannon Bolen, a Public Relations and Marketing intern at Hedstrom - Ball, Bounce and Sport. She recently graduated from Bowling Green State University in music education. She loves public libraries and Arvo Pärt.

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Motivation Monday

You’ve worked hard.

You’ve spent hours, days, or even months on a project for your job. You’ve worked late; you’ve worked on weekends. You’ve been putting all of your effort into it, and then it’s finally time to turn it into your boss.

You’re nervous.

What if he/she doesn’t like it? What if I messed up? Did I forget to add something?

You hand it over to your boss, and when they finally look it over, they say, “Okay. Thank you.”

Huh? Wait… that’s it?

No “Fantastic job” or “I really appreciate the effort you put into this” or “You deserve a promotion”? (Okay, that last one is stretching it, but you get the point).

It may seem needy to want praise for your hard work, but almost all of us have experienced a moment when we were lacking self-esteem and confidence.

Being told that you’ve done well when you’ve worked hard and have done your best is the boost you need to do your best again because it means it was worth all of your effort.

Humans are needy creatures who need (okay… let’s say want) to feel like they are accomplished in life.

Why do you think Motivation Monday has taken off on social media platforms? People post memes, quotes, photos, videos, and everything in between to encourage and motivate people to do their best and never give up.

A dominating force behind Motivation Monday is the fitness crowd, and rightfully so.

If you are a beginner who is trying to lose some weight, gain muscle, or just be overall fit and healthy, you need all the motivation and encouragement you can get.

It’s easy to get discouraged when you try something new; for instance, attempting to run a little bit longer or lifting more weights than you did the day previously.

It’s easy to get discouraged when you eat something you shouldn’t have.

Sometimes, you fail…

And it’s important to realize that’s okay. Don’t let that stop you from continuing on toward your goal, just like you shouldn’t let a boss’s lack of praise keep you from always working hard and doing your best.

To give you the encouragement you need to keep fighting the good fight, here are 10 of my favorite quotes that give me inspiration:

1. “Be nice to yourself. It’s hard to be happy when someone’s mean to you all the time.”
2. “Believe you can, and you are halfway there.”
3. “Keep trying. Keep believing. Be happy. Don’t get discouraged. Things will work out.” 
4. “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” 
5. “If you’re feeling blue, try painting yourself a different color.” 
6. “Be a warrior, not a worrier.” 
7. “The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” 
8. “You’re one day closer.” 
9. “Mistakes are proof that you’re trying.” 
10. “I can, and I will.”

I hope these gave you a little bit of praise, encouragement, motivation, inspiration, determination… and everything else that you need!

What is your favorite quote that reminds you to keep working hard?

The blog entry was contributed by Adena Siefert, PR and Marketing Intern at Hedstrom – Ball, Bounce and Sport. She recently graduated from Ashland University with degrees in Sport Communication and Public Relations. She loves searching Pinterest for great quotes.

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