THE SLIM DOWN
EVERY MORNING at 5:00, before he checks his email, property manager Oscar Bonano, 32, walks 23 flights of stairs inside his apartment building. Then, after taking a short break, he turns around and does it all over again. For an entire year, he committed to this ritual, up and down the stairs as often as ten times a day. That simple act resulted in a massive 55-pound weight loss. Now he’s looking forward to signing up for his first physique competition. “Before, I felt like I was dragging [myself] around,” he says. “I feel so much lighter and stronger now.”
The Style Upgrade:
BONANO SAYS he tends to be a suit-and-tie kinda guy, but he also wants to show off his hard-fought weight loss. This contrast polo by Eleventy creates the bridge. Made from a super-soft and comfortable cotton, the shirt pairs well with a suit or can stand on its own. Plus, it’s fitted through the chest, sides, and arms for maximum gun-show reveal.
THE BALANCING ACT
EIGHT YEARS ago, Jake Odmark, 35, was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, which his doctors treated with heavy doses of steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs. He set out on a mission to not only beat the illness but also build muscle and stave off unintended weight loss. He was in the best shape of his life, but then 2020 happened. Without weights or access to a gym, he lost about ten pounds of muscle, he says, so he adjusted his perspective to find new balance in his life. “My goal now is just to stay healthy, stay away from COVID, and keep treading water long enough to stay within reach of my original fitness goals,” he explains. “I think that once it’s safe, I’ll be right back on the horse and things will be just fine.”
The Style Upgrade:
ODMARK IS a Broadway actor, so for him, comfort is crucial, whether he’s heading to an audition or (when performances resume) back to the theater for his second show of the day. The benefit of a track jacket, like this one by Todd Snyder + Champion, is that it doesn’t hug your body too closely, ideal for those of us who gained the quarantine 15. The soft merino-wool sweater by Mr Porter is also perfect for layering over a collared shirt or even a tee. It’s lightweight and machine washable, too.
THE BULK UP
WHEN THE pandemic hit New York City in full force last spring, Rolando Garcia III, 47, was furloughed for two months from his job. Using a set of kettlebells, he turned to home workouts to keep busy, training three times a day, seven days a week. He gained 34 pounds in 12 weeks. “I feel like a wrecking ball,” he says. “I’m ready for anything.”
The Style Upgrade:
THE CRITICAL step for a brawny frame is finding clothes that stretch. This Banana Republic zip-up (and chambray shirt underneath) provides room to breathe and looks put-together as well. The sweater is made from recycled wool and features a waffle knit for extra comfort. “The fabrics are classic,” Garcia says. “I could even lift weights in them, too.”
THE HEALTH KICK
LAST JANUARY, Guyviaud Joseph learned that his mother had a life- threatening ulcer. “She told us, ‘Look, I’m proud of you, I want you to keep going, don’t give up,’ ” he says. “And that drove me and fueled me to be successful, happy, and [more] physically fit.” A former junk-food eater now in his 30s, he adopted a plant-based diet, learned to swim, and began jogging. He lost more than 25 pounds in the process. “I just wanted to get to a place where I could go for a quick jog and not sweat so intensely,” he says. “My goal for 2021 is to do a backflip.”
The Style Upgrade:
AS A PRODUCER and actor, Joseph prioritizes versatile clothes that can keep up with his lifestyle. The beauty of this wool-and-nylon-blend Bonobos coat, lined at the sleeves and upper neck, is that you can layer it with just about anything in your closet. “My fashion sense is zero to none,” he says. “But now if I need to run out quickly to the store or somewhere else, it all works together. I love it.”