The Campus Voice

Issue date: 3/16/10 Section: Student

Media Credit: Jamie Halstead Student body builder [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Dan Ray [Click to enlarge]

Obsessed is often the word that lazy people use to call the dedicated. It's a fueled term more often used when people hear about a bodybuilder's daily routine.

Can you imagine, for 16 weeks, doing over two hours of treadmill exercises a day?

Well if that is not that much, how about doing rigorous weight workouts daily that would leave even the strongest person's body aching.

Then to add to that regimen a diet that consists of no sugary foods and mostly chicken breast, rice, and other food selections that have personalities of rocks.

No need to imagine for De'Mario Forest. That is his life.

De'Mario Forest has been a student at Florida State College at Jacksonville for 3 years. He is 22-years-old and is majoring in sports medicine.

One of his career goals is to work with athletes, helping to prepare them for competition and athletic events. His real enthusiasm and passion lies within pushing himself to the physical limit through bodybuilding. He is what some would call, obsessed.

"The gym is the only place where I can feel selfish. It is an addiction where I have no limits to pushing boundaries and pushing the envelope," said De'Mario. "The drive for more and to feel myself grow and get bigger" is what Forrest said motivates him to be a bodybuilder.

De'Mario didn't always have 20 inch biceps and start off with such an impressive physique though. He has been training hard for 6 years and competing for 3. Before he ever lifted a weight, he admits he was a chubby kid growing up. But that experience only helps in his drive to be the best today.

Outside the gym, he is one of the greatest guys you will ever meet on campus. When he is not in the gym, he enjoys watching movies, eating sushi, and reading.

He's a reminscent of the DC Comic character Superman because outside the gym he is Clark Kent; a super nice guy who loves to help others. But once he enters his "phone booth" or the weight room, he becomes superman. It's almost like he becomes inhuman.

When preparing for a bodybuilding competition, his daily routine would be seen as a bit crazy to the average weekend weight-lifting warrior.

He doesn't eat any food that isn't healthy and maintains a super strict diet. Although the food is very healthy, bodybuilders must eat at least 6 meals a day to maintain muscle mass while losing fat simultaneously.

De'Mario's monthly then eats over 20 dozen eggs, 50lbs of chicken breast, and goes through 10 lbs of whey protein powder as well.

That's enough to feed a huge family for weeks.

To be one show away from being a professional bodybuilder, it takes more than sheer will alone. A strong support structure is needed as well and De'Mario surely has one.

He gives much credit to his loving parents and grandmother as being his biggest supporters as well as FSCJ employee, Latricia Ledet.

De'Mario is the oldest of all his siblings with 4 younger brothers and 1 sister. He takes his role of being a role model to them very seriously.

Where will De'Mario Forest be in 5 years?

Will he be on the cover of muscle magazines and competing as a professional bodybuilder?

Will he be training and teaching athletes how to compete to the maximum level like he does?

It is safe to say that whichever path he takes will be a successful one. Success is something that De'Mario Forest isn't just committed to, but he is obsessed with it.

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