Blackpool bodybuilder who lost over four stone gets set to compete at UKBFF British Championships after seven year break

When Callum McGuirk, 33, first started bodybuilding in 2013 he was working in Asda and juggling university studies which seen his weight rise to four and a half stone - one of many factors which seen him fall out of love with the sport. Fast forward seven years however and he is in the best shape of his life, co-owns Wyre Fitness Gym in Hambleton with his business partner and professional boxer Jack Arnfield, 33, and will now be competing once again this weekend. He has also been asked to represent the UKBFF at the IFBB Men’s World Championship in Santa Susanna, Spain, which takes place from November 2-7.

In his short time back Callum, who has always held a passion for fitness, has recently been crowned the winner of the UKBFF Midlands Championships. He said: "The last time I competed was in 2015. I was working in Asda at the time and decided that I wanted to get into fitness. I went to university and gained a sports coaching degree and then became a personal trainer at another gym in Blackpool for several years.

"In that time I stopped training and trained other people and started living through them and it just started spiralling out of control. I lost my spark and ended up putting on four stone which affected my mental health. Lockdown was the deciding point for change. I just started walking one day and continued doing this with a friend where I literally walked the weight off a few hours every day and I also worked back at Asda while the gyms were shut. I changed my life in lockdown after I lost my way. I have been training and decided to get myself a coach 16 weeks ago who said he wanted to get me back on the stage which I did and managed to take home first place at the UKBFF British qualifier."

Dedicated to the cause, Callum trains five times a week, and follows a strict diet of five meals a day consisting of oats, chicken, rice and eggs.

Some of the impressive accolades he has won over the years include being crowned the UKBFF Cumbrian Classic 2013/14 winner, coming second place at the UKBFF English Grand Prix in 2014 and now - winning the UKBFF Midlands Championships 2022 and hopefully the UKBFF British Championships on Sunday.

He added: "The misconception some people have with bodybuilders is that we are all vain and this is not the case as it is something we love doing. I am literally living my dream. I am excited about Sunday and I would like to win the British as that's my goal."

Any mishaps with the spray tan? "Luckily not. We get the spray tan on the morning of the competition."

The United Kingdom Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (UKBFF) is part of the largest bodybuilding and fitness organisation in the world. The International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB), which was founded in 1946 by Ben and Joe Weider and has national federations in over 196 countries.