Samuel Carreto
Turning past teasing into motivation, Sam found strength through working out. Inspired by his friends Raymon and Abraham, Samuel Carreto is a senior who turned insecurity into motivation to improve himself. He began working and found strength through fitness over the years, and he has taken it seriously as he goes to the gym here at East Leyden. Sam himself he wanted to improve and was determined to get stronger and healthier, as he pushed himself in ways to his limits: “I wanted to break myself so I could make myself better.”Pushing himself to be better has always been part of Sam’s mindset. Whether it’s in the gym or everyday life he focuses on progress and self improvement. As he puts it, “I wanted to get stronger and healthier, so I really pushed myself.” Samuel looks up to friends like Raymon and Abraham, finding inspiration in their strength and dedication. Talking about why he enjoys working out with them, he says, “I thought overall they were funny, cool people- my best friends. They were smart as hell too. I did get stronger and smarter because of them, and I really thank them for being part of my life.” Sam finds working out isn’t just about strength but about health and setting goals for himself. Sam finds motivation in friends like Raymon and Abraham, who inspire him with their strength and smarts. “I really look up to Raymon. He was overweight and built, but he lost weight this summer and he has outrageously big forearms and arms. I want to transform like that. Abraham had a 3.95 GPA and Raymon had a lot of certificates for tech, and they were always there to help me with weightlifting and homework.” Sam’s workouts are more than physical. They’re a way to challenge himself and celebrate his progress. Talking about his favorite lifts, he sharesm “My favorite lifts are chest and arms, least favorite gotta be legs. I bench 300 and I feel like I’m lifting the impossible but impossible is alway possible. It’s an amazing feeling.” He also talks about the effort and reward: “You gotta have good form or you’re gonna hurt but sometimes also push yourself past your limits, and the soreness can be amazing or the worst thing ever.” It’s not just about lifting weights. It’s about discipline, celebrating achievement and appreciating the journey. On the feeling after a tough workout, Samuel says, “It’s a great burn, feels bad and good at the same time. But that soreness the next day? It’s an achievement. It feels like you’ve really proven yourself achieve new heights.” He sums up and states something his father told him: “Be around with people who are smarter than you because you’ll become smarter, hang out with stronger people and you’ll become stronger”