Biography
I have always made healthy choices, not because I made a conscious decision to do it, but because it felt right. I actually started paying attention to my ways in college. Other students would always say “Dude, you eat so healthy”. I never went out of my way to eat healthy, it just happened. I also began to notice that I felt better when I ate better so I started making a conscious effort to do so.
After completing my degree in Computer Information Systems from CMSU, I began my career working as a computer programmer. In the back of my mind, I always wanted to try my luck at natural competitive bodybuilding. So, while working, I continued to lift weights every day after work. In 1998, a friend from St. Louis, MO phoned and told me about a natural NPC show called the St. Louis “Show Me Naturals”. To prove its competitors were all natural, the organization did a polygraph on all of their competitors which impressed me. I bought a ticket for both me and my mother because she is my number one supporter in everything I do. After the show, I knew in my heart that if I trained hard for an entire year I could be on stage the following year.
Not really knowing what to do to prepare for a show, I immediately started training and dieting. By May of 1999, I was on the stage for my first show where I earned third place out of twenty-five contestants. Although this was not bad for my first show, I was not satisfied with third and decided to try again the following year. In my second show, disappointment came when I received third place again. I was unhappy with the results so I resolved to put my all into training.
I decided to take the next two years off to train hard and the training paid off! I took first place but did not get overall. As I grew, I wanted people to know that I was totally natural. I noticed that the National Association of Bodybuilding and Fitness (NANBF) had a more stringent drug testing policy. So, I decided to switch federations. This federation not only requires a polygraph but a urine analysis as well. At this point, I was more than determined to get my pro card. After 5 shows of placing no lower than third, in April of 2007 at the Liberty City Classic, I finally took first overall and earned my pro card. I was so excited that I got right back on my diet and did my first professional debut show in September 2007 where I took 3rd place.