[ Q ] First off I just want to thank you Troy for taking time out of your busy schedule and contest prep for this interview. With the Europa coming up, let's start there.
It is my pleasure Matt!
[ Q ] How is your prep going for the Europa?
Well, so far so good. I have to work extra hard for this show due to the fact that I am going for complete conditioning. It has been a great journey seeing my body change over the last few months. Now that I am in the home stretch I am really happy with the way I look.
I am at my lightest body weight in years but it is all about how I look and not what I weigh. I did not gain too much weight back after the Iron Man because I really, more or less, stayed on my diet right through to this show.
[ Q ] What is it like training and dieting in Canada compared to back in the UK?
Great question my friend. Well, it is very different because in London. You cannot even buy egg whites so you have to crack them open yourself... LOL! There are so many fantastic places to eat out in Canada so I have found that there is more temptation to eat delicious food here (can you tell I am dieting?).
There is a lot more variety here in Canada in terms of diet specific food. Some of the foods I diet on here I could not find in England. For instance, Tilapia, which I have been eating all the way though my diet. I really love Tilapia and I could eat it all day long, but it is not something I could have had in previous diets in England.
As for training in Canada, the gyms have great equipment and are huge in size and space but I have not really seen any hardcore gyms. As everybody knows I trained at Muscleworks in the UK which is the most hardcore gym you will ever find. It is located in Bethnal Green in East London.
The gyms here do have a great selection of Hammer Strength equipment. Currently, I am training at a gym called Hardcore Fitness in Edmonton, Alberta and it is definitely my favorite and the best gym I have been to in Canada.
The thing I really like here is that there are so many bodybuilders who compete so it is easy to get more motivated when getting ready for a show. In the UK not many people compete. Hopefully one day that will change.
[ Q ] Can you touch on what your training looks like getting ready for this show?
Sure, I have been following FST-7 Training since the Iron Man and I am really happy with the results. It sure does beat your body up but it is all worth it.
My workouts usually take about an hour with the exception of legs which normally take an hour and a half. For this show my training split goes something like the following:
I have been doing 45 minutes of cardio every morning (even on rest days) on the gauntlet and training my abs more or less every day.
[ Q ] What does your pre-contest diet look like?
A typical day for me is below:
Meal 1
- Oats in water
- 16 egg whites
Meal 2
- Basmati rice
- Green vegetables
- Extra lean beef
Meal 3
- Basmati rice
- Green vegetables
- Tilapia/or other lean protein
Meal 4
- Sweet potato/rice
- Green vegetables
- Tilapia/or other lean protein
Meal 5
- Green vegetables
- Tilapia/or other lean protein
- Peanut Butter
Meal 6 - Post workout
- Whey Isolate
Meal 7
- Green vegetable
- Tilapia/or other lean protein
[ Q ] Do you find you crave certain foods when dieting for a show or do you eat clean pretty much all year round?
Everyone that knows me knows that I eat clean all year round. That is not to say that I don't crave certain foods like Red Robin French fries and their awesome burgers.
[ Q ] From what I heard Hany Rambod is working on your prep. What does he have you doing differently for this show compared to the previous shows you competed in?
Well, first of all let me say that Mr. Rambod is a genius when it comes to contest prep. His knowledge is first class and he is a great motivator and to top it off he has an awesome personality. Hany has just kept things simple for me on this diet and has totally changed my whole training style. Hany changes my diet week by week depending on how I look and feel.
[ Q ] Obviously you try and take in as many whole foods as you can. But are there any supplements that you find key in your success as a bodybuilder not only pre-contest but also in the off-season?
Lately, I have been using a range of supplements (whey, glutamine, etc) and my favorite brands are MuscleTech, Gaspari, and MET-Rx products. I also use Animal Pack as they are a great multivitamin.
[ Q ] Is there anyone you would like to thank for helping you get to where you are today in your career?
Wow, yes, there are so many people I would like to thank. First of all Bodybuilding.com, Matt Weik and Kris Gethin for giving me this great interview opportunity. I also want to thank all my fans for their great support and encouraging emails. I am truly honored to be able to help and inspire people to better themselves and to never give up on their dreams.
Next, I want to thank all the boys down at MuscleWorks in London especially Sav and Louis. You guys have helped me so much and I am so grateful for all your support and guidance over the years.
I want to thank my Dad David Brown, my sister Natasha, my brother Rory, my fiancé's family: Erin, Linda, and little Bailey. I love you all.
Thank you to my wonderful mother Ann Brown who passed away 12 years ago. I will be dedicating my next competition (Europa) to the memory of my Mum. I Love You Mum!
I would love to extend a thank you to the people at Flex Magazine, MuscleMag, and MD for all the great exposure that they have given me.
Thank you and good luck to my Welsh brother warrior Flex Lewis at the Tampa Pro and to his fiancé Shina.
Thank you to my good friend Ian Black. You are a great friend and have helped me more than you can know. Thank you to John Welsh and David Epstein for getting me into the sport that I love so much. Thank you to Bob Chick and my idol Shawn Ray for giving me great feedback after the Iron Man.
Thank you to my previous trainer and friend Harold in the UK and a sincere thank you to Hany Rambod for taking me under his wing.
Last but not least I want to thank my fiancé and soul mate Meghan McCurdy who has brought so much happiness into my life and has given me so much love and support. I love you baby.
[ Q ] Is there anything you would like to add to this interview that you would like your fans to know?
I would like to say that I am living my childhood dream being a pro bodybuilder and that you can do anything you want to in life if you believe in yourself and never give up. Do not let anyone say you cannot do something. If you have a dream you have to protect it, go and get it and do not let anything get in your way.
I am always willing to help anyone out with their diet and training so just send me an email to the address on my web site www.bigtroybrown.com.
To everyone who is competing this year, go for gold and believe!! The sky is the limit.
[ Q ] Thank you again for doing this interview, Troy. I wish you the best of luck at the Europa and continued success in your bodybuilding career.
Thank you so much Matt, this really means a lot to me sir.