After years of winning multiple competitions, a Manitoba bodybuilding champion says he felt weak and that he needed to focus on what is truly important.

The Canadian National Pro Qualifier occurs October 18-19, 2019 and Eric Franczyk, past Manitoba champion, has chosen not to compete.

Inspired by his brother who had competed years prior, Franczyk, started his first eight-week preparation to compete in a men's physique competition in 2014.

During that first preparation "right around that six to seven-week mark, I did not feel very good," Franczyk says. 

"I had never done regimented cardio. I had never eaten six meals a day. It was a tough adjustment. The next ones, I knew what to expect a little more so they weren't as hard but that first one was pretty rough," Franczyk says. 

He pushed through. "I could see the results. I could see what was happening with my body, it was changing. I was losing weight, and I was getting more ripped. You want to be as conditioned as possible, not necessarily your cardiovascular system, it's how your body looks," Franczyk says. 

"l didn't realize it at the time but looking back I don't feel like I was doing it the right way."

Franczyk believes it was tough on his faith to be a part of something that had him focused fully inwards. "At the time I was just so focused on how I looked. It's a tough thing you're doing these competitions and the only thing you want is to look good on stage for a couple of minutes. It's kind of strange as a bodybuilding competitor that it doesn't matter what kind of person you are really as long as you look good on stage that's kind of the mindset," Franczyk says. 

"You don't want to be vain but at the same time you almost have to be, so, it's tough as a Christian to deal with that. l didn't realize it at the time but looking back I don't feel like I was doing it the right way," Franczyk says. 

"Basically, your whole life is run by your workouts, your eating habits, and your cardio habits. You have to remember what's important. When you are doing a prep, you do not feel strong, you feel weak, extremely weak. The only thing you are eating is essentially protein, which comes from meat, and your carb, which is rice or potatoes. Your food is very plain," Franczyk says. 

He says it's easy to get caught up in the show and feel as though the competition is everything that matters. 

"It's not for everyone. It can wear on you and mess with your mind. You start to think 'I am better than this person because I can do this or I look like that.' If you're a Christian and you want to be a professional bodybuilder you might have to do things that call your faith into question because you are going to have to put some things on the back burner," Franczyk says. 

Although he continues to train daily, Franczyk has stopped competing completely.

"Even though I'm not gaining money, it's just something I love to do," Franczyk says. 

Franczyk competed through the Manitoba Amateur Bodybuilding Association from 2014-2016. He placed first in the 2014 provincial qualifier and won provincials that year and in 2016.