Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Stalter
Hi Brandon, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I found my purpose after I broke free from my depression. In my eyes, fitness saved my life. I used bodybuilding as a positive coping mechanism to deal with my problems. In a way, I think of the gym as a source of therapy. Physical activity activates the release of a neurotransmitter called dopamine, often referred to as the “happy hormone.” Hence why I believe working out has altered my life for the better. It broke me free from the chains of depression.
Fast forward, now I take my personal experience & create motivational content on my Instagram. Fortunately, I’ve helped numerous amounts of people who were once going through hard times. As a matter of fact, I thank God for my hardships, as I strongly believe it only transformed me into a stronger/better individual. If it weren’t for my depression, I may had never turned to bodybuilding…so therefore I am grateful.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Back when COVID-19 first hit the United States in 2020, little did I know how much it would’ve impacted my life. Shortly after the pandemic, I was laid off from my full-time job as a breakfast attendant. I worked at Home2Suites and became in charge of preparing breakfast for the guests of the hotel. Unfortunately, the CDC department shut us down due to COVID. Then at the same time, I had just gotten accepted into the Ohio State University (Buckeyes). It was my dream to partake in that University. However, all colleges were shutdown & I was delayed for I didn’t know how long. Meanwhile I was in my first serious relationship for over a year. I was already slowly drifting into depression…but that was when my girlfriend at the time, began surrounding herself with bad influences. Fast forward, I went to see her at her apartment…but then I was shocked to catch her cheating on me. That’s what ultimately broke me as a person. With the fact of losing my job, college shutdown, and to the new addition of seeing my girlfriend cheat…my fall into depression was complete. I became a broken man. I lost all motivation in life, and used unhealthy eating habits as an outlet. I gained quite a bit of weight. I remember one day looking into the mirror after washing my hands. If I’m to be completely honest…I hated what I saw in that mirror. I hated myself. I was a lost soul.
Fast forward, I decided to take matters into my own hands and wanted to turn my life around. That’s when I turned to weightlifting. I entered an online course and earned my certification to become a fitness trainer. That’s when I moved to South Carolina with my mom & dad. I began working out nonstop…became nearly addicted to it. Once I started seeing results, I was in it 100%. That was when I decided to enter my first bodybuilding competition. I was absolutely blessed, as my first competition, I placed first. I won 1st place in my first show. Then I got signed by a supplemental company, whom I’m still with to this day. I’m one of their sponsored athletes, and I couldn’t be more grateful (Old School Labs). Fast forward, I made the decision to create a transformational video on Instagram, which involved me breaking free from the chains of depression, to rising up to winning my first bodybuilding show. I was fortunate enough to get a large amount of attraction from that video. I was offered multiple brand deals to do with different companies. And to this day, I still make transformational/motivational content for my followers on Instagram.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I would have to say I’m most proud of the transformation that I was fortunate enough to create. One big piece of advice I could give…is to never give up. It doesn’t rain forever. Just hold on, and as you outlive that storm, shortly after you’ll see that beautiful rainbow in the sky.
I for one, am grateful for the hardships that came in my life. I understand that others may of had it much more difficult…but for my personal experience, I’m glad I had depression and fought through it, because at the end of the day, it only strengthened me and solidified me as an individual. It made me into a stronger, better, more intelligent person. The reason I say intelligent, is because when I became fascinated with bodybuilding, I dove deep into hours and hours of research, learning, discovering more about the nature of the human body. If depression never arrived to steer me into my fitness path, I may have never learned as much as I know today.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Family is everything. I am grateful to have such a strong bond with my parents & grandparents. I actually dedicate every Friday night to my grandfather, to play video games together. He lives in Tennessee, while I’m in South Carolina. We’ll be up all night playing Call of Duty, or Grand Theft Auto on our Playstation 5 systems. I greatly enjoy those moments.
Another person I’d like to thank, is my beautiful and amazing girlfriend, Lacie. After my first heartbreak, which I explained earlier in the interview, I took nearly 3 years to myself. I never dated nor had any flings, as I wanted to solely focus on myself. I had a mission to repair myself as a person, from being the broken man I once was. Nowadays, I’m dating this absolute angel, who I love so dearly. I am absolutely blessed and extremely grateful that she came into my life. Lacie has always been super supportive, loving and so encouraging. They say “behind every great man, is a strong woman” and I couldn’t agree more. I love & appreciate you, Lacie.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandon_stalter?igsh=MXB2N3NyZmhtOWVuZw==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandon.stalter?mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@brandon_stalter?si=CtHs_eMbNoGd1XLg
