I was born and raised on a dead end street in a small French-speaking village of 350 people in Eastern Canada, in the province of New Brunswick (the poorest in Canada), called Haute-Aboujagane.
Grew up on this (literally) dead end street
When a car would drive by it was an exciting event. Most people’s dream is to work for the government and collect their pensions. Most people never travel outside of the provincial borders. Most people think you’re crazy if you have ambition and dreams.
Looking back, it feels like life really began when I was 12. I started making money delivering newspapers. It was a life changing experience to make $30 a week.
Rebel To The Bone
One day, I was at the mall with my father and I saw a $60 Body Glove shirt I wanted. My dad got upset because he didn’t want me to waste that much money on a shirt. He even gave me an ultimatum: If you buy the shirt you won’t get a guitar for Christmas.
Being the rebel I was – I said screw it and bought it.
Christmas came and there was no guitar.
However, my father gave me a gift that unlocked one of my deepest passions: a weight-lifting set.
Musical Passion
I love playing guitar.
My father didn’t stop me. And I saved up my money and bought my first guitar a few months later.
Guitar was my first DEEP passion. I played everyday for hours. Sometimes 4 hours a day.
Within a few weeks I was playing some of my favourite Metallica riffs. Within a few months I was playing solos from songs like Enter Sandman. I had grand visions of being the next James Hetfield (singer of Metallica). LOL.
I formed a band with my cousin Michel who was a great natural drummer and we made way too much noise in my aunt’s basement.
We went on to record an EP a few years later. We played in front of the schools and some gigs too. We had some great times.
Eventually we went different directions and the band didn’t go anywhere.
Bodybuilding Obsession
After this, I was 16 years old… at the beach, and I saw 2 bodybuilders who blew my mind. I had never seen so much muscle mass in person.
Being 147 pounds, I desperately wanted more muscle. I BECAME ABSOLUTELY OBSESSED with bodybuilding.
I started training TWELVE TIMES A WEEK. I would train twice a day, six days a week. I would wake up at 5 am hit the gym and train again in the evenings. I learned the power of discipline and following proven programs.
In three years, I went from 147 lbs to 235 lbs – NATURALLY. Yes there was some fat in that weight gain, but there was also a lot of muscle.
I decided to compete in a bodybuilding show and went from 235 lbs to 175 lbs in 14 weeks by pushing myself to the edge. I was training 3 to 4 hours a day and went down to 800 calories a day. TOTAL INSANITY LOL.
That was my first and last bodybuilding competition. I wasn’t willing to take the steroids necessary to be competitive. And the odds of doing well without them are close to zero.
Losing 191 Lbs in 18 Months
I helped my close friend Matt Leger lose 191 lbs in 18 months. This inspired me to get into personal training.
During this time, I helped one of my best friends lose 191 lbs in 18 months. He went from 391 lbs down to 200 lbs. His whole life changed. He went from virgin to being married within a year or so.
I was so inspired by his changes that I decided to become a personal trainer. I wanted to help others experience similar life-changing results. I had found my first calling.
I got accepted at U de M. I studied and got my bachelor in both Kinesiology and Science Of Physical Activity from the University of Moncton.
In my first year of University, several significant events happened.
Click here to read Part 2 of my story: rock n roll dreams, marriage, AND divorce …
And comment below — tell me which part of my story resonated with you!
