I have 2 older brothers, one is 7 years older and the other is 10 years older. They introduced me to weightlifting and I fell in love with it. It was also very therapeutic for the many problems I've faced in my lifetime. *To see my entire bio check out my BodySpace: thenaturalone.

At the age of 16, I entered and won my first bodybuilding competition; it was greatest feeling I had ever experienced! I know now from experience that you should never ever give up on your dreams or anything your passionate about and don't ever let anyone tell you that you can't realize your dreams and make them come true no matter what your circumstances are! You create your own reality and your own destiny; don't ever let anyone create it for you!

It is possible as long as you believe it is. Don't be disheartened by statistics or odds because the only people they are against are those of weak faith and that doesn't have to be you! Developing my physique for me was like building a suit of armor to protect the frail sick little kid that I remember being. I love bodybuilding and I will do it till I can do it no more. I choose to follow this path without the use of drugs; I've got stronger forces that drive me. Hopelessness is only a state of mind, therefore impossibilities are only illusions.

I've competed and placed well in many drug-free bodybuilding competitions, but my proudest achievement of all is gaining the respect and support of so many wonderful people on BodySpace, and also the Bodybuilding.com team members. I was fortunate enough to appear in Bodybuilding.com's magazine ads and also to be featured in Jeff Everson's Planet Muscle. I'm also writing a column for World Physique magazine in which my articles and photo's appear in each issue. My goal is to take every opportunity to get my knowledge out there for people to use in order for them to best meet their goals.