Hector Reyes has battled weight problems for many years.

The former Ceres High School baseball player opened up about how much his life has changed since making a commitment to exercising and eating healthier.

“My weight has always been up and down,” said Reyes, 33. “Coming from a Mexican family, all we ate are tacos, quesadillas, tamales, menudo, pozole and pan dulce. I struggled a lot until I ate simple foods.”

Reyes launched his personal trainer business, Train with Hector, in November of 2017.

He previously worked as a sales manager at the Ceres In-Shape for four years.

“I’m thankful my wife motivated me to do it,” he said. “I was scared to put my name out there. I didn’t know if I’d be successful.”

Reyes has 30-plus clients.

“Now that things shut down (due to COVID-19), I do online training,” he said. “I got to play it safe because of my wife and kids. I give my clients a lot of attention. They check in daily. I make them take pictures of their food and provide guidance. I like helping my clients mentally and physically. It’s a stress reliever.”

Reyes shares workout videos on Instagram.

“You don’t need much,” said Reyes, who has his clients dedicate time to doing jumping jacks, situps, pushups, burpees and other exercises during their hour-long sessions. “You just need to move your body.”

Reyes currently weighs 220 pounds.

“I can breathe,” said Reyes, who no longer has high blood pressure. “I can move. I can jump. I can do things I did when I was 19 years old. I started playing baseball again. I’m all about my health. I used to drink (alcohol). I’ve been sober for 18 months. That’s been a big help.”

Reyes weighed 280 pounds in 2016.

 “People that are overweight, I’ve been in that situation,” he said. “The biggest thing is we don’t invest in ourselves and take care of our bodies. You have to trust the process. It’s not going to happen overnight. If you stay active and watch what you eat, you’ll get healthier. You have to put 100 percent effort into it.”

Reyes finished in second place at the Spectrum Fitness Golden State Bodybuilding Competition in Sacramento last November.

He weighed 188 pounds.

“I prepped for eight months,” Reyes said. “It was a learning experience. I pushed my body to the extreme. That made me even more motivated to help people around me. I want to give people hope. I want my clients to succeed.”

Reyes and his wife Sonia also prepare meals for their clients.

They founded Make Time Meals 18 months ago.

They make deliveries on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

“Every meal has four ounces of protein, a variety of veggies and rice,” Reyes said. “Everything is air fried.

Bulk orders consist of five pounds of protein.  

Protein sources include fish, beef, ground chicken and barbecue chicken.

“We give everyone options,” he said. 

Reyes plans on opening a personal training facility in Ceres in the near future.

“I’m going to help as many people as I can,” he said. “I want them to strive to want more in life. Anything is attainable if you put your mind to it.”

Hector and Sonia have been married for 10 years.

They have three children, including Nayeli (9), Tito (7) and Bida (2).

“I got lucky,” he said. “She was my high school crush.”