pushed me to go way beyond what
I thought I was capable of.
INSPIRATION
Who inspires me now? I could name
the usual big names like Phil Heath,
Flex Lewis, Kai Green (I actually
think Kai is awesome and such
a nice guy) and although they
certainly do inspire me I actually
seek inspiration a little closer to
home. We have some amazing talent
here in the UK, the likes of Nathan
De Asha reaching the Olympia, Peter
Molnar, Shaun Tavernier, Jordan
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So what were the main struggles
and how did I overcome them? I
guess it really depends on what you
define as a struggle! In terms of
getting up at 5am for cardio, was
that a struggle? At first yes but
I soon got used to it. The biggest
struggle for me this year when
prepping for the PCA Finals was
time and lack of energy towards
the latter few weeks.
I would typically get up at 5am for
cardio, 10-15 mins posing and then
breakfast and off to work. After
work would be straight to the gym
to train, cardio and then home to
shower, prep meals for next day
and generally getting myself sorted.
When you add into the mix a busy
family life and sometimes extra
work commitments it was hard
finding the time to get it all in, but
somehow, I managed. I always say
to people when they ask, "How did
you manage to do all that and have
a busy job/family life?"... and my
answer is always the same. "If you
want something bad enough, you
will make time to fit it in!"
I do remember however, when
I first started competing, trying to
get my close friends/family to
understand why I can't eat their
food, why I have Tupperware boxes
with me and why I generally have
been a little less sociable was pretty
difficult, "one small bit won't hurt"
was all I would hear, but that's just
it... it would.
So, educating family and non-
gym going friends was difficult,
STRUGGLES OF
BODYBUILDING
especially family. Coming from an
Indian Sikh background and being
approx. 10 years ago, bodybuilding
and training to the extreme that we
have too was unheard of in my
community. So, education was the
key here, the more I involved family
and friends and told them why I was
doing what I was, it gradually
became a little easier and they were
a little more understanding. Then
after winning my first show, they
realised why I was so strict and
dedicated to not cheating and
sticking to my food plan exactly
Peters and of course, not forgetting
my two 'brothers from another
mother' training partner Dean Lesiak
(4 x British Champion) and Simon
Fan (who owns the amazing Ultimate
Fitness Birmingham) they all have a
wealth of knowledge in bodybuild-
ing/competing and as well as being
like family, they also are the ones
who currently prep me for competi-
tions.