A desire for good health mixed with a dash of competitive flair and a shot of goal setting make up a lot of Evan Gyurkovits' bodybuilding success.
The 23 year-old Castlegarian has recently placed second in his weight class at the Western Canadian Bodybuilding Show held in Kelowna.
"There were over 300 competitors this year," informed Evan by phone on May 26.
Gyurkovits is accustomed to competing in the middleweight division but he missed that classification at the weigh-in, carrying a little less than half a pound extra on his toned frame. He competed instead in the light heavyweight division which welcomes those weighing from 176.1 to 198 lbs. The difference did not amount to much, according to Gyurkovits.
"As long as you bring the best package to the stage that you can," he related, "it shouldn't matter too much which weight class you're in."
About four years into his pursuit of bodybuilding excellence, Gyurkovits can't imagine giving it up.
"I love it," he says, "I love to go to the gym every day, eat healthier."
The routine of a bodybuilding competition is very straightforward. It's fairly immaterial who else is involved as long as the entrant is well prepared and feeling their best.
"I never really know who I'm going to be up against," said Evan. "There's nothing I can do to affect how they're going to look. I just have to bring the best package that I can bring, and not really worry too much about the other competitors."
Good showings, as in so many other fields, are rewarded in bodybuilding. With Evan's second place finish he qualifies for the provincial level, earning him a spot in next summer's BCs.
"Then, if I do really well there I qualify for nationals," he said.
Climbing the ladder is always an exciting prospect, for instance, a strong presence on the national stage can translate into a progression to the professional ranks and all the potential rewards that come with it.
Evan wanted to make it clear that these are drug-tested events he takes part in… an important point to make.
Good health is his number one consideration and it's something he's aware of for every waking moment.
Evan is a recent graduate of the Selkirk College nursing program, and has landed a job at the Nakusp emergency facility.
His physical training is ongoing, with no extended down time.
"I kind of go through phases," he explained. "I'll do a couple of months of a certain type of training then I'll switch it up a bit, just so my body's not getting too used to anything. I'll change up the reps, length of rest periods… that kind of thing."
Evan is in for the long term, and is very happy with the whole scene.
"There's kind of like, a fitness world, that you get into," he revealed. "There are all kinds of people you can follow with social media. I'm inspired by a lot of people through that and I think what I've done here, competing in Castlegar, I think some people are catching on and may be getting inspired by what I'm doing."
For Evan Gyurkovits the path he's chosen is not a tough one to stick with.
"It's something you never really get away from," he concluded. "It's like 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You're not eating a bunch of fast food all the time. You're prepping your meals… eating clean… year round."