Flex Flex_UK__March_2018 | Page 72

I ’ve been competing in various sports from a young age. I started out as a junior national swimming champion, before becoming a European indoor rowing medallist, and held British powerlifting titles too. Somewhere in the middle of all that I squeezed in a few WNBF World and European bodybuilding titles. To this day, I consider myself a bodybuilder, and probably always will. Although every sport has its challenges, bodybuilding is the only one that has structured my entire life. When I was competing, whether it was the off-season or I was dieting for a show, the sport of bodybuilding became a lifestyle. 70 FLEX | MARCH 2018 Eating between six and seven meals per day and preparing all that food is time consuming and costly. Training intensity and frequency is also key to ensuring growth and maintaining the muscle shape and mass. All-important rest is often over- looked, but is essential for your body to grow and not become overtrained. Whether you perform fasted cardio or choose to do it post workout, burning excess calories always plays a part in getting in top condition. Consistency, consistency, consistency. That is what you’ll hear from every top athlete. All day, every day, there is always something to be focusing on to make you a better bodybuilder. All that being said, even at Profes- sional level, most bodybuilders have to fit all of that discipline and dedication around a day job, sometimes even two jobs. I myself work full-time for Rolls Royce and also own a gym called The Workout Mill in Leamington Spa. I have various commitments with my sponsors, USN, and travel the country supporting natural body- building in my spare time. My point is that bodybuilding is a hard, time consuming hobby, which dictates your entire way of life, all for the selfish pursuit of a better physique, or to one day win that title of your dreams. That’s fine by me, I love it. I relish a challenge and I love the lifestyle. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE CHILDREN? In 2014 my wife Rebecca gave birth to our first child, Henry. He was planned so I only have myself to