By Mark McConville
ONE man has been able to overcome his confidence issues after his stunning transformation from scrawny teen to musclebound Adonis.
Chris Venter, 21, from Pretoria, South Africa, was tired of being skinny and went from 11st 11lbs to 13st 7lbs in just four short years.
While the weight gain may not seem significant the incredible images show student Chris’ dramatic change in size.
The pictures show 6’3 Chris as a skinny seventeen-year-old before he started weight training and Chris working out in the gym now.
Chris shows off his huge biceps, well-formed pecs and six pack in other snaps as he poses in front of a full-length mirror with no top.
“Plain and simple really – I was tired of being skinny,” said Chris.
“I just wanted to be a bit more muscular. Adding muscle mass and gaining weight has been the hardest thing about my transformation.
“I’ve always had a very fast metabolism due to my high rate of active living throughout the years. Bodybuilding has changed my life. With a doubt. Absolutely.
“I have a ton of confidence since I started working out. I feel a lot better about myself – mentally and physically.”
Chris works out for around an hour and a half before doing twenty minutes of cardio. He explained this regime came about after a lot of experimenting to see what worked best for him.
Chris has his friend to thank for getting him interested in the gym and has advice for anyone just starting out on their fitness journey.
“A friend of mine got me into the whole fitness thing,” he explained.
“I started off with very basic exercises. I bought one barbell with four plate weights, two 15kg and two 10kg plates. My mother also had one of those ‘all-in-one’ workout stations in the garage, and that’s where I started working out.
“My advice is always ask. There’s no such thing as a stupid question. In the first year or so of working out, I used to ask some personal trainers about five questions a day. Knowledge is power.
“When it comes to starting out, keep it basic. It is also very crucial to have a solid workout plan and a suitable meal plan.”
Chris is three weeks away from competing in his first bodybuilding competition. He explained his strict meal plan he keeps to look his best.
“I have a very strict meal plan,” he said.
“For Meal one : 1/2 cup of oats; Meal two (pre-workout): 3 boiled egg whites; Meal three (post-workout): 150g lean beef mince, 200g mixed vegetables, 50g sweet potato, 50g cooked broccoli; Meal four: 100g lean beef mince, 100g mixed vegetables, 50g cooked broccoli; Meal five: 150g hake, 100g mixed vegetables, 50g cooked broccoli and Meal six (before bed): 4 boiled egg whites.”
