Evan Centopani

Bodybuilding is perhaps the ultimate balancing act. When a cosmetic result relies on physical performance, training and all other factors must be perfectly balanced.

Support. In the arena of competitive bodybuilding, support is often overlooked or ignored. Bodybuilding is not considered to be a team sport.

The one absolute truth in life is that nothing is ever perfect. Perfection is a unicorn—it simply does not exist.

Early on, I learned that all the hard work in the gym would be in vain if your nutritional approach did not support your desired goals. This one fact would prove itself true over and over again throughout my lifetime pursuit of physical improvement. Whether I was an obese 13-year old looking to shed fat, an aspiring teenage bodybuilder looking to get started, a 23-year old stepping on a bodybuilding stage for the first time, or a top level IFBB Pro competing in the Arnold Classic and the Olympia, my understanding of nutrition is something that has been forever changing, evolving, and improving. Throughout all of this, my commitment to supporting health through proper nutrition has been unwavering. A “meathead” approach was never a viable option, at least not for me. I always strive to cut to the chase; I just want what’s genuine, what works, and what’s best. I despise bullshit and gimmicks—in the gym and in the kitchen. I demand quality and results simply because my career and my personal life are about quality and results. It's taken me many years to build trust among my fans…it’s not something I'm willing to squander. This is who I am.

Difficult things in life become incredibly easy when you don't have a choice. People love to say, "You always have a choice."

Shit happens. Sometimes it's good shit and sometimes it's bad shit. This time around, it was the latter.

One of the single greatest benefits of traveling abroad is having the opportunity to experience different cultures. While the term "culture" can include anything and everything that makes a specific geographic region and its people unique, the thing that interests me most is food.

Isolated vs. Systemic All too often I find people looking at training as something that is specific to a particular muscle group.

No matter who are or what your goal, it is safe to say that you will likely find yourself on the road, away from home and outside of your normal routine.

On the road without food; we’ve all been there and sure as Monday is international chest day, we’re bound to find ourselves there again.

Overview Back in the summer of 2013, Animal sent me on a special mission. They challenged me to stretch a limited budget as far as possible and put together a bodybuilding diet using only $50—for an entire week's worth of food.