February 1999 issue of Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness                             

Click magazine cover on the left to go to NB&F's homepage

After my good novice showing at the 1997 NGA Hercules contest in New York, I was  invited by NB&F editor Steve Downs to do an article for his mag. One week after the  show, we did a photo shoot in a park in Brooklyn (in autumn - it was freezing!).

Steve liked the idea of including a photo that showed me before I got serious about dieting for a show. Here some background info:

In 1997, as I prepared for my first natural show in the US, I simultaneously participated in a body transformation contest by supplement company EAS. Even though I did not win the photo contest (someone else snatched away that first prize Corvette...), I learned a great lot about my body, about nutrition, dieting and the power of proper supplementation. 

The trick with these "before & after" picture contests is, of course, to binge eat for a few weeks and then pose as poorly as possible (pale, puffy and watery) for the "before" pictures. Then, you whip yourself into shape with a strict contest diet.

Looking back, I find the "before" picture very amusing - hope you like it, too. I must emphasis, though, that I have never allowed my weight to balloon back up to 100+ kg ever since. In my opinion, staying close to contest shape, eating fairly clean and doing some cardio year round are essential for making continuing progress.

Click link on the right to read the article: