My 'Normal' life as A champion bodybuilder blog

Tired of being small, 18-year-old Tumise Ogunmilua went to a natural bodybuilding show and, absolutely mesmerised by what he saw, decided to work hard and become a competitor himself. Today, he is the UK's number 1 teen natural bodybuilder.

Tumise blogs on Am I Normal about his passion for bodybuilding, what 'normal' means to him, and he offers advice to others wanting to chase their dreams...

What is normal? To me, wanting to be normal is wanting to be the same as everyone else. I spent a large period of my life trying to fit in, avoiding standing out at all costs because I believed this was the way forward in life and that being different was wrong. As a young child, a lack of confidence has always been an issue. I would always be the one trying to please others while putting my own desires to one side.

Throughout being a teen I started to express the love I had for fitness and bodybuilding, I watched regional bodybuilding shows with a close family friend who was a bodybuilder and competed in them, and I also idolised several bodybuilders and aspired to be like them. I was always on the slim side with a slight build that wasn't impressive. These guys stood out and they did what they wanted without caring what others thought. I had to learn from this and be me - this meant voicing my passion for bodybuilding to the outside world. Exposing my passion for bodybuilding was not easy as a lot of people saw the sport as a joke. People wouldn’t take me seriously and I felt like an outcast because I wanted to chase my dream. I used to struggle dealing with negative comments, but I soon realised that whatever you do, people will always find a way to pick on you. If you let this stop you from reaching success then they have won.

At the age of 15 I uploaded a topless photo onto Instagram and that was the turning point for me, I would never have imagined doing something like this. I received a lot of mixed feedback online and in school. Positive comments gave me a boost to my confidence seeing that people noticed the hard work I had put in and motivated me to push forward. I did receive some negative comments, but the difference was that this time I would not let this change my mindset and sway me from my goal. I put my head down and worked extremely hard using the gym several times a week and controlling my calorie intake. Slowly, I grew. The same people that used to give me negative comments are now asking for tips on how to build muscle or change their physique. To know that through dedication and perseverance I can change someone's mindset without changing my message is amazing.

The advice I would give to a young person scared of standing out and chasing their dream is simple - if you are passionate about a dream, chase it and be proud. Respect yourself and do what you want to do, not what someone else has planned for you. Surround yourself with people who have goals and want to go somewhere in life - whether it be fitness, school, music, sport or any other passion.