Thus stressed world class powerlifter and professional body builder Joe Ladnier and Universal Nutrition senior sales executive Gary Sacks in an interview and in the recently concluded "Confessions of a Gym Junkie" event at the Shangri-La EDSA Plaza Mall.

Joe Ladnier demonstrates various exercise moves with event host Chinggay Andrada using the big ball,which can be done in the gym or at home.

Some of the bodybuilding myths discussed by Ladnier were bodybuilding as being unhealthy; the need to have a certain body type to be a bodybuilder; the need to be of a certain age to be a bodybuilder; that only men can be bodybuilders; that women who lift weights will become too muscular; that the more one trains, the better results one achieves; the need to have a lot of money to be a bodybuilder; and that muscles are just for looks.

"You can actually injure yourself by overtraining," Ladnier mentions as a form of reminder. "The key to bodybuilding and physical fitness in general is recuperation."

The show addressed not only hardcore bodybuilders and powerlifters but also beginners and fitness enthusiasts, men and women alike, in general. Ladnier tackled the ins and outs of professional bodybuilding, how he started, the obstacles he had to overcome and anecdotes of other bodybuilder who went to similar experiences.

According to Ladnier, bodybuilding and powerlifting are two totally different types of body training.

"Bodybuilding is sculpturing the body muscles, losing the body fats and actually building the muscle for maximum capacity for symmetry. Everything needs to flow – shoulders, arms, chest, back, legs… All needs to be symmetrical together. It has a lot to do with genetics. It also follows a very strict diet of higher protein and low fat, which is majority of the work. So, a bodybuilder need to be very disciplined," Ladnier explains. "Powerlifting, on the other hand, is lifting weights to demonstrate one’s strength."

He adds, "When you’re bodybuilding, you’re displaying the body or the physique itself and the results from the gym. When you’re powerlifting, you engage more in a mental sport because you have to be mentally prepared to handle the heavy weights."

Ladnier likewise quashed stereotypical notions that a great physique is not for anyone. He, together with Sacks, featured and discussed the benefits of the best Universal Nutrition products – exclusively available at Healthy Options – for various stages of bodybuilding ranging from best products and routines for beginners, intermediates and advance level. Among the Universal Nutrition products displayed were Animal Pak 44, Gain fast, Super Cuts 3, Real Gains and Lava.

To unlock the ideal physique, Ladnier unveiled the proper tools to the guests through a workout demo, together with Chinggay, that can be done at home or at work, bringing them one step closer to the body they been dreaming of.

Another equally interesting highlight of the show was "Joe’s Health Bar" on stage, wherein Ladnier and Sacks invited the guests for a healthy treat of protein shakes and nutrition bars, proving that healthy and nutritious products can taste good.

With the successful staging of "Confessions of a Gym Junkie", Ladnier and Sacks gave the public a new perspective on bodybuilding with a proper sports nutrition that inspires, as well as educates Filipinos, be they bodybuilding practitioners, those who would like to engage in the sport, and the ordinary "Juans" dreaming of an ideal physique.