In 2009, I started nursing school at Kent State. This had an effect on my body and my appearance. I began to overeat and stress about school, and before too long, I put on the freshman 5, 10, 15, okay, 40 lbs! I ballooned up to 280 lbs. It was time to start going to Buckeye Gym. There were guys and girls there that reminded me of the ones I saw when I was a young boy walking home from football. I began mimicking their workouts, always trying to work harder. It wouldn’t be until much later in my adult life that I would start taking supplements.
I knew I wanted to be an all-natural athlete, and I was very cautious about what I put in my body. I researched the different products and tried many before meeting Joe Toth at the local rec center in 2011. Joe was training for bodybuilding shows and would mention his diet, supplements, and workout routine. My only response was, “You look miserable, and I am not wearing a pair of panties on stage with a bunch of other men to be judged by my peers.” He would laugh as I continued with my training. Over the years, Joe and I became friends through community events and our children. He would talk to me about bodybuilding, training, and supplements. I eventually gave in and started using the supplements he recommended. That is when I was introduced to Beverly International products through Buckeye Gym.
I graduated from nursing school later that year. Finally! I could now focus on my training. I met up with a couple of powerlifters at Buckeye. Their lifting style and diet fit my current lifestyle. Eat, sleep, and work out. I started coaching pee-wee football that same year. I was an offensive and defensive line coach, and my son was on the team. UMP and Muscle Provider were godsends at this time. We would make a pudding by adding a little water to the protein and mixing it to a pudding consistency. My son would say it tastes like cake batter. We would also mix it with almond milk and MCT oil; it tasted like a malt. When my son was old enough to go to Buckeye, he weighed over two hundred pounds and was our best defensive player. We continued this regimen until 2020 when my son informed us he'd like to get leaner and didn’t want to play football anymore. I was crushed. I did the only thing I knew how. I started meal-prepping with him and researching healthy ways to diet and lose weight while maintaining a healthy physique. I lost my first 30 lbs, and my son lost 25 lbs. Eventually, my daughter asked for help. We all got memberships to Buckeye again and began training together.
This caught the eye of Buckeye owner Ryan Propst and my friend Joe Toth. They encouraged me to diet and train for my first show in April 2021. At this time, my son and daughter were working out and dieting independently. My son lost sixty pounds, while my daughter lost thirty pounds. This made my decision a little easier. I began training and dieting for my first show in November 2020. Then I got COVID in January and had to stop my prep. I was back at it four weeks later, training six days a week. Joe officially became my coach and designed my diet. I went on to take second in the masters and third in the open. My desire to compete in all-natural events led me to the OCB. I began training for their 2021 Battle of The Great Lakes in August.
I became a machine. I was focused and began to set goals. I placed first and second in the Battle of The Great Lakes that year. However, I had a new goal to become a professional natural bodybuilder, and I set my sights on the next show that would take place in April 2022.
In November of 2021, I suffered a season-ending injury. I tore the extensor tendon in my elbow and had multiple tears in my biceps and triceps in the same arm. They were non-operable and painful. I tried to power through with my workouts and training but was forced to take a break. After two failed rehab sessions, I resorted to doing one-armed exercises for three months.
I was finally able to start prep for a pro qualifier in June of 2023, the 2023 Battle of The Great Lakes. I won my pro card in Masters 40 to 49 years.
