At 18, I was given a few dumbbells and a bench. Because of the smoking, drinking and fast food lifestyle, I became pretty skinny. The weight I had was fat, so I was basically skinny-fat.

I've bought several more pieces of gym equipment since then myself and added to it over the years.

Lifting isn't a common hobby/lifestyle in Ireland, most people are only concerned about smoking and drinking, which I was until I really got into it and seen how I could be so different from the people around me.

I smoked for several years of my life and drank excessively, this put me in a position where I couldn't even run up my own stairs without being short of breath, I was tired of it all. I love being healthy, the attention and the excitement of trying to better myself.