I have been involved in athletics and fitness for a long time now. While growing up I was the fatty that got picked on. Throughout school I was very active in team sports and as I got older, I really got into strength training. I eventually grew out of the chubbiness and turned out to be an athletic kid after all. I remember picking up my first set of weights when I was 14 at the high school field house. I recall using the Starting Strength and Bigger Faster Stronger templates during summer training for my first season of competitive football.

These were the years in which I developed a very firm foundation for strength training and work ethic. During this time period, I developed confidence in my ability to train effectively and efficiently. I am no longer involved in athletics but still train frequently and like to stay in shape. I owe much of my knowledge in this field to working closely with others in the fitness industry, as well as a ton of self-study, experimentation and continually using an objective approach to what's going on in the real world as opposed to what is "perfect" on paper. After a few years of training and meticulously watching my diet, I have learned what works well and what doesn't work so well. I have also witnessed my ideals applied on others with much success.

Training

My training regimen is a mix of strength and bodybuilding training as this fits my personality type well and is congruent with my never being satisfied aesthetic goals(call me vain). I also enjoy certain aspects of athletic related training, sprints, intervals and the like.

Nutritional Views

I do not follow the typical "clean" diet that is very popular and even deemed superior in the fitness and bodybuilding circles. I do not do the 6 meals per day thing either. However, I do make sure that I consume a certain minimum of protein, fish oil and vitamins/minerals daily. While I do eat a lot of oats and grains, I also eat a lot of sugary cereal and I enjoy some fast food on occasion. All you can eat sushi bars are my favorite places to dine out. My diet tends to be moderate or high in carbohydrates and moderate amounts of unsaturated fats depending on my activity level and goals.

Needless to say my approach to a long term diet is very relaxed. The only time I ever get very strict with my diet is when preparing for a photo shoot or some other significant event that requires a very lean physique.

My Website: jcdfitness.com
My BodySpace: JCDF