I would like for all of you fellow readers of this site to have some more personal information about me. My name is John Stamatopoulos, and I was born 29 years ago in Athens Greece. I am working part-time in a gym in Athens for the last couple of years. I have a university degree in business administration and I hope after 2-3 years I will have another degree from the University in Minnesota in Nutrition Science since I am planning to study there after some months.

I am 6'1", and I weigh 225 pounds, carrying 12% bodyfat this period. I started bodybuilding 10 years ago, and to be honest, I did not expect when I started that I would love this sport so much. I have changed many different sports before 1990, and just to name a few, I was running in 400m in track and field from 1984 until 1986, I was playing tennis from 1986 until 1988 and also I was playing basketball on a Greek team from 1988 until 1990, so I can say I was pretty "active" in sports.

But what I found in bodybuilding was impossible to find in any other sport. It does not have to do only with lifting, but I believe bodybuilding means also a way of life. If you want to get better (bigger) you have to do many more things, not only lifting. You have to have self-discipline, take care of your nutrition and your recuperation, and you have to be extremely concentrated every time you go to gym. So there are many different aspects that you should take into consideration if you want to succeed. I totally believe that bodybuilding can make you a better person. Hence, I believe I became a better person because I applied myself to the most important bodybuilding aspects.

Finally, I had the honour of training for some period of my life with two former Mr. Greece (one of them was 5th in IFBB Mr. Europe in 1992). The information that I got from them about bodybuilding was invaluable. Ok, that's enough about me, let me start with my first bodybuilding article.

Note: Consult your physician before taking any supplement or engaging in any physical activity. I am not a doctor and you follow my advice at your own risk.