Twelve egg whites, 8 ounces of chicken, 8 ounces of brown sirloin, 16 ounces of tilapia, 8 ounces of sweet potato and 3 cups of broccoli are what make up the six meals a day Josh Kuechler, senior exercise science major consumes.
To Kuechler, this diet is important, especially in the the days before the Mr. and Ms. Ball State bodybuilding competition.
The competition, which will be held at 7 p.m. April 19 in Emens Auditorium, allows Ball State students to flex their muscles for the title of Mr. or Ms. Ball State.
Competitors will be placed in various divisions — three divisions of women and men’s tall height and men’s medium height. Contestants perform poses, show the judges from Ball State and Fort Wayne how defined the contestants muscles are, their muscular symmetry and upper and lower body muscular balance.
To prepare for competition, Kuechler said he has built up muscle and is now cutting, which means he is working to define his muscle by losing fat. He said diet is the “number one key” to making himself stage-ready.
“The best part of being on stage is proving you deserve to be on stage. It is really euphoric, it is surreal to be up there,” Kuechler said. “This has taught me so much about my own body and what I needed to fix.”
The competition has been giving students like Kuechler a chance to learn about their bodies for at least 25 years, said David Pearson, coordinator of the competition and associate professor of exercise science. This year, 13 men and nine women will compete.
“The competition is is an individual attempt. You are in competition against yourself. If you don’t do well, you have nobody to blame but yourself,” Pearson said. “It goes a lot deeper than how you look in the mirror. It is very, very hard to get yourself ready to compete for the contest.”
Megan Brineman, junior exercise science major, said she has been in the competition for the past two years for more than just her looks.
”I am happier and healthier and enjoying what I look like,” Brineman said. “Losing weight, you find the you that you feel like.”
Due to her involvement in bodybuilding, Brineman said she has inspired others to have healthier lifestyles.
“My family members have lost a lot of weight and changed their dieting and eating styles to being healthier because they realized they let themselves go,” Brineman said. “It reminds me of the feeling I get when coaching others. I enjoy seeing others get something or make progress toward their goals. Their excitement and enthusiasm about it inspires me and motivates me more.”
Contact Liz Rieth with comments at ejrieth@bsu.edu or on Twitter at @liz_rieth.
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