Worth the ‘weight’
Damion Donaldson’s vision for gains pays off
Published:Wednesday | March 5, 2025 | 12:06 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
As an avid basketballer, fitness has always played an active role in Damion Donaldson’s life. But in his eyes, he never really looked the part. So he decided to do something about it. Envisioning a bigger body meant putting in extra work; the entrepreneur has achieved his goal, gaining close to 50 pounds in pure muscle.
“I was athletic but very slender, so I thought it would make sense to just go through a transformation of matching the physique with the right look,” The Pure Studio owner told Lifestyle, adding that as he got older, he realised the importance of making wellness a way of life, rather than wait until it was necessary or too late.
Donaldson takes us through a typical day: “I don’t eat a lot but definitely have six to eight boiled eggs in the morning. I also have a lot of water. In the day, I’ll have baked sweet potatoes with chicken breasts or tuna. And in the night, a small portion of rice with salmon or more chicken breasts.”
As it relates to training, his regime includes three hours of basketball for cardio three days a week, strength training for four days in the gym at Express Fitness, as well as at home, “The sessions are usually one to two hours each day, and I am a night person, so I get to the gym by 10 p.m.”
The entrepreneur continued, “Whenever I am working with my trainer Alphakris Fitness, I have specific muscle targets on specific days. Otherwise, his routines are mostly solo and my entire workout is full body all the time.”
Although he incorporates variations in his workouts, this exercise technique is all fun for him. What is most important, when it comes to seeing results is consistency, “I prefer to go the gym because being there, there is no messing around. You are able to try new things. And seeing other people putting work in is also good motivation.”
Remaining in harmony with his exercise and good nutrition, Donaldson’s vision for gains paid off. Starting out in 2020 at 156 pounds, he went up to 200 and plans to either stay there or drop to 195. So far, he is enjoying the fruits of his labour, “It’s a major change. And I am extremely happy with the new look. I feel great. In fact, no mirror is safe from me these days.”
Outside of the look and feel, he explains that it feels good to know that whenever someone sees him, they know he has put in the work at the gym. “I don’t need to say it; it shows. The guys at the basketball court are a little jealous now ‘cause I get to wear shorts that they can’t. I tell them all the time that it’s because I have the legs for it. My confidence is really high and it’s a reminder of what consistent work can do,” he said.
Now that he has achieved his ideal goal, Donaldson plans to keep going, working out while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Additionally, he hopes that his successful journey will motivate more people to join in and transform their minds as well as their bodies.
His advice to anyone who is struggling with weight issues and wants to gain muscle is simple, “Don’t be afraid to start the journey. And once you do that, keep going. There is no magic trick or motivational quote. Just start and keep going: that’s what I did and it worked.”