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Trainer Joe Salinas on Megan Thee Stallion, cheat days & scaring off potential homophobes with his giant muscles
When it comes to healthy living, Salinas believes that balance is key.
When Joe Salinas wakes up every day and hits the gym, the Texas-born trainer shines as his true self. With Megan Thee Stallion blaring in the background, he helps his clients achieve their goals.
But more importantly, he wants them to feel proud of who they are.
“I just want to be a positive role model for the people in my area,” Salinas told OutSmart Magazine. “I hope I can be a light. I want to be there for people and show them that someone cares and is willing to challenge them. Exercise and fitness is a journey, not a race. I want to be their guide on that journey.”
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Salinas knows that first-hand. Growing up in an “unhealthy family,” as he describes it, Salinas wasn’t familiar with exercise or fitness until he joined his local JROTC program. Upon joining, Salinas didn’t just get into shape.
He developed a lifelong love for fitness, and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The key is balance… and healthy servings of Chipotle burritos and Crumbl Cookies.
Queerty recently caught up with Salinas to talk about toxicity in the fitness world, his experiences as an out gay trainer in conservative Texas and those creepy messages he receives on the apps. Here’s what he had to say…
QUEERTY: You said in a previous interview that you’ve been successful in the fitness world because you don’t hide your identity as a gay man. What do you mean by that?
JOE SALINAS: Luckily, I’ve been able to just be myself. I’m partnered with a fitness company called Camp Gladiator, and with them, my goal is to bring my community together. I lead people in the community, and they’ve all shown me love and support. I play all types of music. I’m just myself, and I bring gay culture into my workouts and my comments—just the way I do things. I’ve also been an open book. The campers bring Pride stuff during Pride Month, they’ve also been interested and shown their support with my relationships. I think I’ve been through a couple of relationships with my people I’ve been training for almost seven years. They’ve just been a part of my life.
Have you encountered any blowback over your sexuality?
I’ve actually had no blowback, nothing like that. I think it’s partly because, I don’t know. I’m not sure if this is the right thing to say or not, but I think I don’t look like someone you could say something to. I’m muscular, so if you look at me, you probably don’t think I’m nice or approachable. I think that might have something to do with it!
So being unapproachable is key. Got it!
I hate to say it, but that’s probably contributed to me not receiving any sort of hate, especially living here in The Woodlands.
What’s the most toxic idea when it comes to fitness?
That you have to do things a certain way 100% of the time. I’m a firm believer in just living life. You can have it all. You can go the gym and follow a diet, but you can also have a Crumbl Cookie. My [Instagram] stories are me going to the gym, but I also like to post my Crumbl Cookies. I think people tend to think you have to 100%, follow a certain diet, and not enjoy life. I think that in turn leads to a constant cycle of repeating every year the same plan that didn’t work the first time.
What’s your most helpful tip?
I think everyone should hire a personal trainer at some point in their life. I see people at the gym every day who are exercising, but not doing things correctly or pushing themselves. These are people who are going to look the same in six months and a year. Whatever someone can afford, find a trainer who’s knowledgeable, and get guidance.
What’s your workout routine?
It changes! Right now, I’m strictly in the gym lifting heavy weights. I do basic movements, and add resistance every week. I track what I’m lifting. I used to do a lot of cross-training to get my endurance in and my cardio, but I’m taking a break from that. I also used to run marathons. Fitness is a lifestyle for me. Running marathons and doing things like that makes me happier than being in the gym.
Fitness gives me the confidence that I didn’t have when I was younger. It also helps me mentally. If I don’t work out, I make bad decisions, and just don’t feel like myself.
What’s your cheat day like?
I don’t really have cheat days, because I incorporate it all. But I’m at Chipotle every day for lunch. It’s been that way for seven years. My order is, a burrito with white rice, black beans, double chicken. That’s 66 grams of protein. I also get light sour cream, a little hot sauce and cheese and lettuce. Then sometimes, I go right next door to Crumbl Cookie, and get a cookie!
What are your favorite workout anthems?
Megan Thee Stallion is my top one! I love Megan Thee Stallion, and all of my clients know that! I listen to everything, but I do like circuit-type music. That’s what I listen to! Sometimes, during warmup sets I listen to Christian music. I listen to it all. That’s part of me being myself.
What kinds of comments do you receive on the apps? Any creepy ones?
Honestly, I do. It kind of freaks me out a little bit. People are after my body, and stuff like that. So that gets kind of scary. I try to not use the apps as much because of that. I’ve turned off my responses on Instagram a few times.
Do any of them make you laugh?
No, not really!
What are your goals for 2024?
Just keep on becoming the best version of myself. I’m trying to pursue some different fitness opportunities, and spend more time with my family. I watch over my grandma currently. She’s a big part of my life, and the reason why I do what I do. Just being there for her is one of my goals.
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