1) Who is Ryan Milton? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc)
I am an online fitness and business coach. Born in Whitefish Montana but spent most of my life growing up in northern California. Currently i am located in Las Vegas Nevada and i am the creator of Team FFLEX and 6 Figure Fit Coach. Team FFLEX is my online training business thats coaches everyone from everyday gym goers to world class competitors. We do 100% custom built online training powered via our mobile coaching app.
6 figure fit coach is my consulting business where i help other coaches and trainers break into the online coaching space and develop successful business that makes money, helps people and impacts the world. I think there are far too many online coaches and trainers that are not producing quality coaching or they are really good but have no idea how to run a business. This business is dedicated towards raising the standard and helping those that should be successful get there faster.
2) How many years have you been training? (Including how you got started, etc)
From a personal perspective i have been training since i was 15 years old. I started out actually obese and needing to make a change in my life. 39% BF at about 280-290lbs isnt the best for your look or your health having never worked out at all and being a young teenager. I lost about 90lbs very quickly once i immersed myself the fitness culture and then that led me to wanting to help people. My first job was at a gym and i have worked in fitness since that time. From a professional stand point i have been a trainer and a coach for 8 years.
3) Whats been the most challenging/hardest part of your journey so far? and how have you overcome them (set backs, rejections, injuries, basically anything difficult that you have had to overcome)
The biggest set back ever for me was a debilitating back injury i sustained years ago. I herniated and bulged multiple of my lumbar discs and was in severe pain from it. I was hell bent on not getting surgery and instead attempting to heal it myself and the process of doing so took atleast 2 years. It altered the way i did everything from how i could walk (limped around a lot) to how i could train (had to modify a lot) to how i even had to sit in chairs and sleep in my bed. But i do not regret that injury what so ever. It was one of the greatest periods of growth in my life. As debilitating and painful as it was to deal with such a chronic injury day in and day out, i learned so much about myself and about the human body in general i have been able to apply in many areas of my life as well as a coach and trainer to my clients. The process was long and very difficult but today i am pain free and stronger than ever before. And i have been able help literally thousands of people that have similar issues or injuries over come them. Thats what the most important thing is.
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like? (With any particular protocols you rate).
I typically train 6-7 days a week. Not because i need to but because i want to. Being an online coach i spend a lot of time at my desk. So i like to get out and get to the gym as often as i can really and still get my desired result. I start my day at 3:30 am and ill be hitting the iron by 4 am. I do a lot of heavy lifting coupled with hypertrophy type movements. I like to be strong but also work for my ideal aesthetic. My nutrition is very simple. I practice what i preach with flexible dieting and eat all types of foods in proper macro profiles to attain my ideal. Its very simple for me to practice this type of nutrition since i travel a lot and have never been the guy to prep out 7 days of chicken and broccoli. I like to keep my foods varied and enjoy balance in my life.
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition? (And How has it changed your focus for the future).
I continue to learn things i have always believed. Every person is different and the way that they need to train and eat will be too. Its really easy these days to watch your favorite fitness professional or athlete on instagram and expect you can mimic them to get similar results. But thats just not how any of this works. If you start trying to be somebody else you just get further and further away from what you are actually capable of in the fullest expression of yourself. I have always practiced total customization for myself and my clients but as my coaching businesses grow i see this hundreds and hundreds of times over. Everything you do must be custom to you.
6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal?
I live in Vegas so i really only do buffets. The buffets are the best in the world and they literally have all types of foods you can possibly imagine. Most people would wanna do a pizza or a donut or something as a "cheat" i just go ahead and go all in eating enough for 2 families of 4 in under an hour. As far as a "cheat" really goes though i don't consider it that. I practice flexible dieting so regularly i am able to eat whatever the hell i want and still stay on track with my health and fitness goals.
7) Whats one supplement that you could not live without?
I dont actually take supplements ever really. Ill occasionally play around with pre workouts because i love caffeine but other than that i really just stick to drinking coffee etc. Not a fan of BCAA, Protein powders, Fat burners or anything else like that.
8) If you had to start your Journey from scratch with both your health & physique what would you do differently and why?
Absolutely nothing. My journey has been far from perfect. But thats the only way i am where i am today. I think that so many people expect achieving goals to be unicorn bullshit with sunshine and rainbows around every corner but the truth is, thats not how life works. If you want to succeed in achieving any goal in life you are going to fall many times. You are going to have days you dont wanna do what it takes, you dont wanna show up, maybe you even want to give up. But the difference between those that get where they want to be and those that dont is one simple thing. Every damn time you fall, you get hit in the face or you second guess yourself, you drive forward anyway. You stay focused. You stay disciplined and you do what it takes whether you feel like it or not. The amount of days i actually feel like doing what i need to do day in and day out to achieve my goals is 1-3 a year. Every other day is just the process that it takes. So i am grateful for all the struggles i have ever had to over come because it has allowed me to grow and become better so that i can lead the life that i do today.
9) Who do you look upto in the fitness industry and why?
I look up to every person that takes action in their life. So many people can talk. So many people can make excuses. So many people just bullshit. And while most people would probably say some famous person with a big reputation and a ton of a achievements is someone to look up to, i think that every damn person who is taking steps to become better is what is actually admirable. I look up to the man or woman that is 200lbs over weight and just decided to not eat pizza for dinner tonight just as much as i do the biggest and most famous names in the fitness industry.
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
Do what it takes whether you feel like it or not. The comfort zone is a beautiful place. But nothing will ever grow there. Growth comes only from challenge. And that means you will need to get uncomfortable. If you want to build muscle, you need to lift heavy things which will make you uncomfortable. If you want to burn fat, you will need to control your nutrition and that will make you uncomfortable. This applies with every goal in life, not just fitness. You must understand that its not suppose to be comfortable. You need to commit to your goals and do what it takes regardless.
11) What new goals do you have on the horizon?
Set a higher standard. My goal is always to be my best. For me this means consistently bettering who i was yesterday, today. I set very high and almost impossible goals and then take small steps towards them every single day. This is critical for anyone trying to achieve any goal. You must raise your standard for what you accept of yourself in life. You will simply never get where you want to be if you dont do that. So my new goal is to every single day, beat who i was yesterday. And if i can do that, i will be unstoppable in everything i want to achieve.
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
Best place to find everything about me and what i do with a ton of also free coaching information is on my website www.teamfflex.com.
My other social media handles have a ton of great free content as well. Be sure to follow or subscribe to each one so that you can get the different pieces of the puzzle i offer on each.
Facebook: Functional FLEX Fitness
Instagram: Teamfflex
Twitter: Teamfflex
Youtube: youtube.com/functionalflexfitness
Podcast: RyRant Radio
