WHO IS PHIL GRAHAM?

I’m currently 28 years of age, live in Ireland and have been living with Type 1 Diabetes for over 12 years.

I accepted my condition long ago and understood that all I can do is try my best to work with it.

Like many other people with diabetes, I take the odd hypo, get grumpy when I go high, run late for the occasional hospital appointment, run out of needles, forgot to double check my blood sugars — the list goes on [Sound like you?]

Anyhow, I’ve made radical changes to my health, physique and performance over the last 12 years.

Picture this – 16years of age, 17 stone, 5foot 11, extremely overweight with a fasting blood sugar so high the reader said ‘HI’ – see your doctor

Fast forward to the present day I’m currently sitting at 18.5 stone, just under 11% body fat with a fasting blood sugar of 4.2 mmol/L (80 mg/dl). I can lift double, and more my body weight on all the core lifts squat, bench and deadlift and also run 100 meters in 19.8 seconds. All of these achievements make me particularly proud, considering the fact I started out as an inactive BLOB.

This most certainly didn’t happen overnight. It took years of hard work, study and commitment but I’m much better off than where I was!

I GAINED A THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE & BETTER CONTROL

I knew control was in my hands – I had a choice – either ignore it or ACT.

The best solution for me was to learn and grow my knowledge.

I wasn’t happy with the general BS cited by health care practitioners working a 9-5 who didn’t show any evidence of keeping up to date with their knowledge nor practising what they preached (esp nutrition and exercise).

Don’t get me wrong there are some incredible health professionals out there, doing some great work behind the scenes. However, they are few and far between.

The reality is (same for you), the only person you’re accountable to (in the long run) is yourself.

After diagnosis, I quickly morphed my lifestyle, from an obese, highly inactive, inflamed and depressed diabetic into a much healthier, leaner and stronger diabetic with an undying passion to learn more.

I questioned everything in the chase to achieve optimal health, body composition and performance.

I can’t remember a single day since my diagnosis where I haven’t had my head stuck in a physiology/strength training textbook, research paper or been questioning an authority on all things diabetes, nutrition, exercise and mindset.

The first few years of my health and fitness journey were rough. I look back in anguish at some of the approaches I perused. Excessive training, highly restrictive eating and an empty wallet after trying every supplement under the sun.

But, like everything in life, I evolved. I look back and accept I was misinformed, made mistakes and wasted a lot of time, money and effort. I learnt from my mistakes and acquired the necessary feedback that was essential in helping me refine my approach to where I am today.

^– Throw back when I was 20 years of age competing in Mr Universe!

My deep fascination with human physiology, nutrition and exercise, in an attempt to better myself got me to where I am today.

A prime example of turning my adversity into opportunity. In fact, I am very grateful for everything diabetes has encouraged me to pursue.

My love for training drew me into bodybuilding where I completed and won to a very high level in my early teens and 20s in many national and international comps Mr Universe, Mr World, Mr Britain, Mr Ireland, etc

Fast forward a good few years; I have now stepped away from competing and serve my role in the UK fitness industry.

I coach and educate 1000s of personal trainers each year through seminars and coaching workshops on nutrition and training. Plus do a small amount of private personal training just for my love of coaching and helping people. I regularly speak at many fitness exhibitions and symposiums across UK, Ireland and Europe. Plus write regularly for most of the major fitness magazines. My most recent feature was in Muscle and Fitness alongside The Rock! (see below)

MY NEW BOOK – THE DIABETIC MUSCLE AND FITNESS GUIDE.

Having spent the last 12 years of my life dedicated to understanding the iron, the science and the lifestyle that goes with I’ve finally decided (after many requests) to sit down and put pen to paper and write my first book THE DIABETIC MUSCLE AND FITNESS GUIDE.

To be honest, I’ve put the idea off for years! I hate reminding myself that life mightn’t last as long as I would like it to or the fact I was at a marked disadvantage on the competitive stage and didn’t reach my full potential.

The book goes into depth on my personal journey, mistakes and discoveries living with Diabetes. It truly is my life’s work!

It’s not your typical run of the mill diabetic exercise guide, more so a full on evidence-based guide for Type 1 (and Type 2) diabetics serious about building muscle and losing fat.

Here’s a video of me receiving my first ever printed copy.

Check it out and see what’s inside!

NO ONE UNDERSTANDS HOW TOUGH IT IS TO BUILD MUSCLE AND GET LEAN WITH DIABETES.

You work so hard, but fail to see any real progress, just swinging blood sugars, crappy performance and consuming unwanted confectionary to treat hypos.

The problem is worsened by weak advice dished out from people with next to zero training experience, nor the respect for evidence based science behind diabetes, exercise and muscle growth.

Having coached and trained 1000s of people with diabetes, the same BIG problems re-occur;

Failure to lose body fat and get those highly sought after deep cut abs.
Next to no visible muscle mass or definition
Lack of strength
Blood sugars that bounce all over the place and cut training short due to fatigue.
Consuming unwanted food to treat hypos
and more…

I’M ON A MISSION TO END THAT!

My mission is to be at the forefront of diabetic bodybuilding and fitness by educating and empowering a community of super healthy, super strong diabetics!