Beyond the Kitchen: Ninong Ry’s Goal to Compete in Powerlifting by 40

It has been observed on social media that people in their 30s are suddenly unlocking random side quests—whether it’s gardening, cooking, training for a marathon, or starting a small business out of their kitchen. For chef and content creator Ninong Ry, that side quest is powerlifting.

Ryan M. Reyes, better known as Ninong Ry, is the author of Hindi Pa Rin Ito Cookbook ni Ninong Ry and the star of SPOT.ph's June 2026 Weekender cover. We had the chance to catch up with the 37-year-old during his visit to the Summit Media office last Friday, June 26, to discuss what got him started on his fitness journey.

"Actually, 'no, sa totoo lang, hindi naman talaga 'yung weight loss 'yung point," he clarifies. "Actually, 'yung ginagawa ko kasi is powerlifting. Ang punto nung sport is to lift the heaviest weight you can. In its essence, 'yung powerlifting ay combined total ng three lifts: bench press, deadlift, tsaka barbell squat."

While his initial motivation was weight-related, he found that bodybuilding lacked a clear objective to push him. In powerlifting, he says, "isa lang 'yung goal: magdagdag ng plato talaga sa barbell." Under the guidance of one of the Philippines' best lifters, Rafael Cahilig, he has even turned his office into a training space for his team. "In fact, buong team ko nagpa-powerlift na ngayon. Nag-install kami ng gym sa opisina."

Ninong Ry added how much weight training or resistance training has improved his quality of life. "Malaking-malaki talaga. Hindi na nangyayari 'yung may pupulutin kang ballpen sa sahig; sasakit 'yung likod mo. Hindi na mangyayari 'yung aakyat ka saglit sa hagdan; may mga muscle na sasakit. Kasi nag-a-adapt 'yung katawan mo sa maximal loads na binubuhos niyo e," he explains.

And his goal? Compete in the Masters division of powerlifting by the time he's 40.

Balancing the demands of a successful content creation career, a family, and a rigorous, four-times-a-week training regimen—which can last up to three hours per session—is no small feat. When asked how he manages the balance, Ninong Ry is blunt: "There is no balance. Walang balance talaga. Something has to give talaga. Lahat tayo may gustong gawin, if only we have more time. Realistically speaking, wala naman din tayo extrang oras e."

His solution? He stopped trying to "find" time and started creating it.

Training begins at 5:30 a.m. for Ninong Ry. He uses this time to multitask, coordinating content ideas and sending market lists to his team to ensure everything is prepped for the day's shoot. By the time he walks into the studio at lunch, he’s ready to jump straight into production.

"Kasi sa totoo lang 'yung task na 'yun, 'yung pagse-send ng market list, pag-iisip ng content, gagawin ko rin naman siya sa office e. Gagawin ko rin naman siya. So, hindi ako papasok ng eight hours but nagtatrabaho ako for more than eight hours," he explains.

By waking up early to train, he ensures his workout is finished before the day’s work and family responsibilities take over. "Sa umaga ako nagbubuhat kasi may sense of guilt sa akin kapag magbubuhat ako after kong magtrabaho kasi nag-aaway ang anak ko sa akin, 'yung asawa ko sa akin," he explains.

For Ninong Ry, the secret to consistency isn't "motivation," a word he finds somewhat weird. Instead, it is about mindset. "There comes a point na parang mailalagay mo siya sa bucket of things that you do in your day na non-negotiable siya," he says. "Basta mailagay mo siya doon sa non-negotiables mo, hindi siya magiging mahirap."

With his usual humorous tone, he cites examples: "Halimbawa, hindi lahat ng tao nandito ngayon ay gusto nilang nandito sila. Nandito kayo kasi trabaho niyo 'to. Another example, anak mo, nasa school. Kailangan mong sunduin pero ayaw mo. Puwede ba 'yun? Hindi, hindi puwede 'yun. Kunwari, ayaw mong pumasok kasi tinatamad ka. Puwede ba 'yun? Hindi puwede 'yun."

He credits his progress to treating his training like a sport rather than a chore. He acknowledges the temptation to frame his hard work as being solely for his family, but he is candid about his personal drive.

"Pwedeng sinasabi ko kasi, 'O, para sa pamilya ko 'to. Ginagawa ko 'to para ako ay maging best version ng tatay ng mga anak ko.' [...] Lahat ng tatay sinasabi 'to, na gusto nilang maging best version. Pero ako lang siguro 'yung tatay na magsasabi na, at least for me, hindi 'yun totoo. Ginagawa ko 'tong bagay na 'to kasi nag-e-enjoy ako. And kung 'yung enjoyment ko, 'yung magbe-benefit 'yung pamilya ko in the long run, bakit hindi?"

He adds: "Malinaw sa akin na ginagawa ko 'to for me. Kung may iba pang makikinabang dito, e di good. Pero ako muna. I do this for me. Kasi if we don't do something for ourselves, I mean, paano na tayo magiging functional na tao 'dun, di ba?"

When it comes to nutrition, his approach is simple. When asked how he avoids all the "bad food," he quips: "I don't."

He pointed to the spread during the media event, "May tatlong klaseng French fries do'n, kinain ko lahat. Wala 'kong pinalampas talaga. May corndog doon, napakasarap. Nakadalawa ako. Humingi pa ako ng extra na plato ng ham, kaya sorry sa hindi nakakakuha. May dalawang klaseng cheese. Kinain ko talaga lahat. Kasi hindi nga ako naghahabol ng abs o ng magandang katawan, ang goal is to lift maximum weights... You need mass to move mass, di ba?"

He isn't interested in being "a hundred percent miserable" by strictly weighing every morsel of food. Thanks to his background in culinary school and professional kitchen experience, he relies on his ability to "eyeball" portion sizes.

"I think mas pipiliin ko na lang na maging 90 percent accurate than a hundred percent miserable," he says.

With three years left to train for his big competition at the age of 40, Ninong Ry hopes his journey serves as a reminder to others.

"Kung ako nagawa ko mag-start at 36, it's never too late for anyone. In fact, meron tayong isang Asian champion na lifter, si Luisito Manuel, nag-start siya at age 56. So it's never too late for anyone."

Hindi Pa Rin Ito Cookbook ni Ninong Ry (Summit Books, P685) is now available at Lazada and Shopee. Read the full story of his cover on SPOT.ph.

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