Rudy "BANE" Merced Gonzalez Media TV interview on weight loss

The Rudy "BANE" Merced Gonzalez Media TV interview traced his path from a reported peak weight of roughly 550 to 560 pounds to preparation for his first bodybuilding competition, the Mel Chansey Holiday Classic. Merced told Gonzalez Media TV that he regained weight after gastric bypass surgery before building a lasting gym habit. He also discussed Built from Butter, the skin-care business he created with his partner kev for athletes and people who have lost weight.

What did Rudy "BANE" Merced say about his weight loss journey?

Rudy "BANE" Merced said he weighed roughly 550 to 560 pounds at his heaviest, when he was about 22 or 23. Gastric bypass surgery helped him lose weight, but he later regained it. He credits a friend who brought him back to the gym with helping him begin the routine that lasted.

Music, weight gain and a warning from a doctor

Merced, who is Puerto Rican and Dominican and grew up in Massachusetts, spent much of his life as a musician. He said he toured and spent time in Colombia. He was a heavier child in high school, and his weight continued to rise as he got older. He described depression as a significant part of that period of his life and music career.

While he was in jail, Merced said, a doctor warned him that his blood sugar was extremely high. After his release, he went to Colombia for gastric bypass surgery. He initially lost weight but said the change did not last: over time, he regained weight and was back to around 350 pounds. He had returned to the United States and was also struggling to restart his music career.

The friend who brought Merced back to the gym

Merced said his best friend picked him up when he felt at his lowest and took him to the gym. Previous attempts had ended quickly; he recalled signing up for Planet Fitness memberships under different names and email addresses without maintaining the habit. This time, a week became a month. He estimated that it took him about 60 days to make training part of his routine.

Seeing progress kept him going. Merced did not give a current weight or a total amount lost, but he said even reaching this point in his weight-loss journey once seemed unlikely. He wants people facing a similar starting point to know that change is possible. Merced put that message plainly:

I can also tell you that you can get out of it

How is Rudy "BANE" Merced preparing for his first bodybuilding competition?

Rudy "BANE" Merced said he was preparing for his first bodybuilding competition, the Mel Chansey Holiday Classic, scheduled for December 19. At the time of the conversation, he was about 10 weeks out, working with a conditioning coach and a posing coach, and finding that contest preparation could leave him tired.

Finding a goal after weight loss

After reaching his weight goal, Merced said he felt unsure what to do next. He was no longer pursuing music, but he remained absorbed in training. Watching posing videos, asking people at the gym questions and researching competitions gave him a new direction.

He learned about Summer Shredding, a competition in Texas that also includes a transformation competition. He said Goliath's transformation inspired him further. What began as curiosity became a plan to step onstage at the Mel Chansey Holiday Classic.

Coaching, posing and the December show

Merced credited Jason jam conditioning and his posing coach, Joey, for helping him prepare. He described the coaching relationship as close, saying they had become like family. On his rest day, he said he felt good, though other days of preparation had left him falling asleep by midafternoon.

For people who wanted to follow the show, Merced pointed to his Instagram page for preparation and behind-the-scenes updates. He also said tickets and a streaming link would be available through the event's website. He did not claim a result; the competition was still ahead of him.

What has Rudy "BANE" Merced learned about his bodybuilding mindset?

Rudy "BANE" Merced said bodybuilding has shown him that he has more mental strength than he once believed. He had repeatedly started and stopped going to the gym, so sustaining his weight-loss effort mattered to him even before competition became a goal. Preparing to compete has tested that belief further.

Looking back at his music career, Merced said he had relied heavily on other people's belief in him rather than his own. Training changed how he understood his abilities. He described his new strength as mental as well as physical and made clear that bodybuilding preparation has been difficult, not simply rewarding.

He also questioned his own progress at times, telling his partner that he could hardly believe he had made it this far. That perspective shapes how he talks to others about weight loss: he remembers the failed gym attempts as clearly as the progress. He said he would be happy if sharing his story prompted even one person to start going to the gym.

Why did Rudy "BANE" Merced create Built from Butter with kev?

Rudy "BANE" Merced said he and his partner kev created Built from Butter after he struggled to find skin-care products that suited his needs during weight loss and bodybuilding preparation. They planned to start with a body polish and body butter, intended for athletes as well as other people who want to care for their skin.

Skin care during weight loss and contest preparation

As he researched contest preparation, Merced began looking into exfoliation and skin care. He said he deals with loose skin and stretch marks after major weight loss and wanted products focused on moisturizing and skin care. Shopping at stores including Walmart, he found that much of the packaging and many of the scents did not appeal to him.

That experience shaped Built from Butter. Merced said the products were being developed with skin recovery and elasticity in mind, while also serving people who simply want a moisturizer. He emphasized that customers would not need to be bodybuilders or preparing for a stage appearance to use them.

Products, scents and the waitlist

The planned first products were a body polish and a body butter. Merced described cedarwood as a leading scent he hoped to release in December, with dark, musky and woodsy notes. He also discussed a planned body-polish scent called Midnight Mist, which he described in terms of rain and oak.

Merced said the products were made in the United States. At the time, he directed interested customers to the Built from Butter website to join a waitlist rather than saying the products were already on sale.

Who is Rudy "BANE" Merced?

Rudy Merced is a natural bodybuilding athlete whose weight-loss journey began at around 500 pounds. His path toward the NPC stage reflects the dedication and resilience he brings to training, and he uses his experience overcoming obesity to encourage others.