Last month as I was scrolling through Twitter I saw a post by @brttmcgbodyfit that made me stop and read every word of it.
It was a post about his coming out as a member of the queer community and it moved me. I had to reach out to him and sort of “welcome” him to the family, let him know nothing had changed about himself and that everything was gonna be okay.
I decided to offer him a platform and asked if he would be open to doing an interview with me. We would discuss not only his coming out but himself and his future in bodybuilding. @brttmcgbodyfit jumped at the opportunity. And let me tell you he was a delight and a sweetheart to talk to. I felt like I was talking to a long lost friend and we were just catching up.
We talked about his beginnings and when he was first bitten by the bodybuilding bug..
“Started bodybuilding as a hobby back in 2014 when I was 33. I realized after doing running for several years that my knees just didn't like it anymore. So I started with at home workouts doing the Beachbody “Body Beast” program.”
Man I miss those infomercials, don’t you?
“I saw some really good progress and started hitting the gym from there. Slowly I started really seeing results and decided in 2019 that I wanted to do a show after a few years of gym buddies saying I should. 2020 was to be my first show but COVID had other ideas. I went into another bulk and did my first show in June 2021.”
In a way @brttmcgbodyfit was one of those who came out of lockdown in better shape. Not many can say that. So proud and happy to hear the passion in which he was describing his origin in the industry.
There's more to the story.
As we kept talking I discovered there’s a sensitive side to his silliness and athletic look. @brttmcgbodyfit has revealed to his followers he’s a married man with 3 kids and a wife. So I had to touch on the subject of coming out not just to his fans but family and friends and how the situation must’ve been a scary experience. I know coming out is not an easy thing for anyone.
“I wanted to stop hating myself and allow my family to love me for who I truly am. My daughter set the example for me 3 years ago when she came out to us at 11! What courage! I was just too scared at the time to do it myself.”
I could hear it in his voice how much he loves his family and when he told me his children and wife love him no matter what, it put a big smile on my face.
We also discussed the topic of steroids in bodybuilding.
Most bodybuilders do not wanna talk about it or deny it and fans just assume things, yet those who do talk about it are punished by society. There’s no middle ground. It’s always been a taboo topic in the industry and since he’s open about it on Twitter we touched a bit on the subject.
“I think we need to make talking about steroid use less taboo. Most men (and a lot of women) in the bodybuilding community who compete are using them. I created my Twitter page so I could be open about what I'm doing. I'm not saying everyone should. It is a personal decision to be made.”
It’s a touchy subject and many people would not rather talk about it. So it was refreshing to have @brttmcgbodyfit educate me a bit about the topic. He also revealed he won’t be on ‘roids for an extended time. He’s well informed about the side effects and he has family to think about. It’s just a bit of a boost he’s taking in order to get where he wants to be. Kind of like those cards that allow you to skip few spaces forward on the board. How many people wouldn’t take a shortcut if the opportunity presented itself?
What’s next for him in bodybuilding, family and love life?
Dating in his future? He did reveal he’d want to date eventually but for now he’s focused on his bodybuilding career and his children. But I’m sure he’s gonna have some fun along the way if anyone wants to help him out (wink wink). As for bodybuilding, he will be competing in the Emerald Cup 40th Anniversary on April 30th and in June 4th at the Idaho Muscle Classic.
Here are links to the info for both shows if you wanna watch him on stage and cheer for him from home. I’m sure he’ll feel your positive vibes on stage.
A big thanks.
I would like to thank my new friend and brother again for taking time off his day to talk to me and give me my first interview since joining Muscle Service. As we wrapped up, @brttmcgbodyfit did have a few words for the fans and followers:
“I started regularly posting progress pictures as a way to document my progress and growth. Never did I think so many people would want to follow me on this journey. As a 40 year old who normally gets lost in the crowd it's nice to be noticed and get such amazing love and support in return. Not to mention all the friends I've made along the way. Thank you all for your continued support and love.”
Story by Muscle Service Intern — Orizaba.
