Jeff Mundy, Bodybuilding

Jeff Mundy won the Eastern Seaboard Body Building Championships teenage overall title last spring and placed second at the Teenage Nationals in the lightweight division this summer. His next competition will be next summer at the Collegiate Nationals in July.

AGE: 19

HIGH SCHOOL: Homeschooled in Weddington.

COLLEGE: UNC Charlotte sophomore studying pre-kinesiology. Wants to eventually go to chiropractic school.

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5-foot-8. His contest weight is 151 pounds and his offseason weight ranges from 180-200 pounds.

FIRST COMPETITION: May 7, 2005, Wilmington. Competed in Open Novice against men at least 10 years older. Placed fourth of six competitors.

HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO MANAGE THE WEIGHT FLUCTUATION?: "It's more gradual than it used to be. I used to try and get as large as possible, but we found I was adding too much body fat. That made it hard getting ready for contests."

He used to gain more body fat (about 12-14 percent). Now he tries to keep about 8-10 percent. For competitions, he trims down to about 1.8 to 2.0 percent.

WHY AND HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED? "(Cutting weight) really is a fascinating process, and it is the challenge that drew me to the sport. I like the team sports, but I like the individualistic aspect of bodybuilding. I started lifting when I was 15, and I was interested at that point, but I wasn't at the point of competing."

WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED ON A DAILY BASIS? "Just one of those personality traits, that whatever I do I want to be the best at it. Even though I'm not going to win every contest, I want to know when I get on stage I have done everything I had to do to win."

WHAT'S YOUR ATTRACTION TO THE SPORT? "When I was younger, I loved super heroes. I was really into comic books; X-Men and Spider-Man. I used to love to draw muscular super heroes, and I always wanted to look like that. I struggled with weight when I was younger. I had a slower metabolism and it was easier to gain weight. I had the dream to look like that. I alway had an aesthetic eye, I guess."

HOW MUCH DO YOU PRACTICE? In the offseason about 2 to 2 1/2 hours a day, five to six days each week. To get prepared for a contest, he trains 12 weeks, 3 1/2 hours a day, seven days a week.

HOW MANY MEALS DO YOU EAT EACH DAY?: During the offseason, he eats eight meals a day (three of those are protein shakes). During the 12 weeks leading up to a competition, he eats six meals a day.

LONG-RANGE PLANS? "School is definitely a top priority. I know I'm going to have to come to a point of being career oriented, find more of a permanent job and look to map out my future. And it may require me to take a break from the competitions. I hope to have a family one day, and I don't want bodybuilding to interfere with that."

"It is a huge part of my life, but it is a hobby. I'd like to do it as long as I possibly can, and I'd like to compete at the national level and then compete for my pro card."

DID YOU KNOW? Loves music. He's been playing the piano and guitar for eight years and started playing in church...had a 4.0 GPA last semester.