I was born in Croatia in 1961, which was then Yugoslavia. Actually I am Dalmatian. Dalmatia is a region in Croatia that runs alongside the Adriatic Sea. Italy is across and above.
It is in the south east of Europe.
I am thankful to my poor upbringing to what I've become today and what I try to teach my clients.
Fish was cheap. Every morning my grandmother and I went to the Fish Market to get fish. The Fishermen threw Sardines at us for nothing with every purchase of some other kind(Salmon-Flounder-Trout-Tuna-etc.).
Yet, Sardines(Salmon, etc.) are the most powerful in the fish family, especially for us Humans.
Some Athletes actually just eat 80% of Sardines (Vegetables-Fruits-Fiber), because of the energy and protein we get from it and many other powerful ingredients.
Vegetables were cheap as well, so my grandmother and I walked up to the Market to get some, and Fruit
as well.
That's all we could afford. Meat and Sweets were costly and we could buy them only once a month.
I showed muscles at the age of six. As mentioned above, my Nutrition was not a choice.
At the age of nine I was suddenly pulled out of my Country. My Parents were in Germany to make a better Life for us. Meat and Sweets were affordable now, yet I ate very little of it. I was already shaped with my Diet. Of course I didn't call it that back then.
I continued with my Football and found other very interesting Sports as well. Judo, Dancing, Boxing, and Swimming in beautiful indoor Pools which I went to twice a week and became School Champion from eleven to fifteen, Judo Champion at the age of fourteen. I played Football on a high level, went to the German Football Academy, played Semi-Pro and almost Pro, the almost was due to a Car accident I had at the age of eighteen. I broke a lot of bones on the left side of my Body. After my three week Hospital visit I was not able to return to my Team and be the Goalie I was. My Career was finished.
Through a friend I found a Body Building Studio in Wiesbaden, Germany where I also graduated from Abitur(College in Business).
Body Building became my new Love. I improved very quickly and was able to heal my wounds from the accident. I had an amazing coach,Dieter Stabler. which took me later as the years went by to some great Championships.
I continued my Boxing and Judo and found a great interest in Chinese Kick Boxing, which I believe I got really good at.
Not too many were Body Builders back in the early eighties, yet I loved it. I was going to Engineering School, folded and went to get a Nutrition Degree.
My first client at the age of twenty one was a young man in a wheel chair. He just asked me if I would train him, because he thought I knew what I was doing. He had a Balance problem and the Doctors told him to be in the wheel chair, because he got easily startled by his surroundings. He also had Polio and when he got out of the chair he had a hard time walking. His eyes told me he wanted to fight and get out of that chair, so we got on it. Almost a year later he didn't need the chair anymore. He walked strong, yet with a limp. He was aware of his surroundings and didn't get startled anymore.
He was ready. I found what I was really good at. I'm not sure, but I believe I was one of the first Personal Fitness Trainers in Europe.
People wanted to work with me as I was also winning big Titles in Europe(International German Championships-Hessen Meister/Youth & Senior-Croatian Champion-Serbian Champion-Southern California/later)
I went to live in the USA in 1985 and continued. I was done with competitive Body Building in 1987 and dedicated my work to Fitness and helping People to create a Balance in their Lives. I worked for Gyms, I had my own Gym, I went to certain clients homes and would train with them in their own familiar environment.
I was blessed with my upbringing and I'd like people to look at theirs, embrace it and be as strong as they can be.
Learn more about me and my stuntman career here:
http://wildeddi.com/