AN ACCRINGTON dad-of-three is taking the bodybuilding world by storm.
Steven Taylor, 34, who has just moved from Canal Street, Church, to Burnley, has won major bodybuilding titles in all three of the professional competitions he has entered, the most recent being Mr Britain in October.
He was also crowned Mr Pendle Valley in May this year and Mr North West in September.
Steven said: "I got into bodybuilding 16 years ago as a way of getting off the streets and out of trouble.
"I decided to enter the competitions this year after being egged on by all my friends.
"To start with I was a bit unsure about entering, as it is embarrassing standing on stage in your pants showing off your best body parts but now I’m really proud and pleased with what I’ve achieved."
In preparation for the competition Steven had to diet vigorously, cutting out carbohydrates almost completely and replacing them with proteins.
He said: "The dieting is the worst part of the whole thing. For the 12 weeks prior to the competition I was just eating a small bowl of porridge in the morning, and seven meals of turkey and broccoli combined with four cardio-vascular workouts.
"I’d better thank my wife Joanne for putting up with me as I wasn’t the easiest person to live with."
During the competitions Steven had to show off his muscles to be marked by judges.
As each of the titles he won got bigger so did the winner’s trophies which are proudly displayed at the home he shares with Joanne and three children Tyra, 10, Tia, seven, and Rio, three.
On winning the newcomers’ category of Mr Britain, Steven has gained an automatic place in next year’s main Mr Britain competition due to take place in October 2009.
Steven, who trains at Accrington’s Central Gym and at the Fitness Bank in Oswaldtwistle, said: "I am looking forward to competing in Mr Britain next year but I am not looking forward to the dieting.
"I am going to enjoy eating normally for the next eight months before I have to start my diet again."
