At a turning point in his adult life, Jay Martinez knew he wanted to lead a healthier
lifestyle and overcome obesity.

Martinez grew up in Covina and West Covina, playing sports and enjoying his
youth like his peers. Despite having an active childhood, Martinez struggled with obesity and at
one point weighed nearly 300 pounds.

He felt lost and knew something had to change.

Martinez started hitting the gym and studying nutrition at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, so he could help others who want to do the same. Now, Martinez works as
a personal trainer at Ultra Flex Fitness in Monrovia, pursuing his passion as a guiding
hand for his clients.

What inspired you to become a personal trainer?

What really got me into training as a personal trainer, I went through so many frustrations and
times throughout my weight loss journey that were so angersome but depressing. I would see
and hear a lot of misinformation portrayed in the fitness industry. When I found out, I had to go
through all the extra work and figure it out. People would portray things just to make money. That’s why I became a trainer, because if I would have had myself when I first started training, I
wouldn’t be so beat up physically but also mentally.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

It’s rewarding in the sense that I can have somebody believe in themselves and actually do it. A
lot of these individuals are broken and lost, but they’re looking for some type of strength.
That’s the most rewarding thing, when they can actually see the fruition behind their investment and the investment of their efforts.

What advice would you offer to someone looking to start their own fitness journey?

Take advice with a grain of salt. Especially in this industry because it is very fake, and that’s
another reason why I became a trainer. I’m going to tell you the truth. I’m not going to
sugarcoat things. And I say that — take things with a grain of salt — because a lot of people will
tell you what you want to hear so they can create a balance. I understand the level of sacrifice
and commitment it takes. It’s miserable, doing things you don’t want to do, and you have to
sacrifice things you want to do.

What is one thing you want your clients to take away from your training?

Discipline. There are going to be a lot of times you don’t want to do things. I mean, for myself, I
look at it as education. I learn more being in the gym and being around that for so long than I
have been in a classroom. All work is great work.

Do you have a motivational saying?

Head up, chest up, you’ll be all right.