We are thrilled to feature the stunning Garrett Anderson this month. He is a fitness model from Green Bay, Wisconsin, US, which he thinks is a good place to raise a family. It is a small town but thanks to his parents being very cultured well rounded individuals, he was able to get a broad world view so he is very thankful to them for that.
Click on the photographer's names to see more of their work
Garrett has an extensive and varied portfolio, having worked with many great photographers.
He began working out about 10 years ago. His father has always been into fitness and eating healthy so that rubbed off on him. So as he got a little older he decided he wanted the abs and arms like most young guys want. But, the more he got into it he wanted to develop the whole physique so he began reading bodybuilding magazines and that really inspired him to live the whole lifestyle.
Over the last year he decided to come down in size to appeal to a more commercial, fashion market for modelling. But he wasn’t happy letting go of what he loves in life and living the fitness lifestyle is his passion. So, he’s got back to training the way he loves to train which is brutal and heavy but he loves it.
Garrett was quite good at skating and was sponsored. He won multiple contests as well before he moved on to other things. He’s still a fan of skating but he knows his body couldn't handle that anymore. But he did compete in one bodybuilding show where he placed second in the middleweights. It was a blast for him and a ton of work. Garrett still trains with that same mindset but he focuses on staying in shape for photoshoots.
Garrett has had the pleasure of working with some very talented photographers and has even travelled quite a bit for modelling as well. He’s worked with are Osvaldo Rivera in Puerto Rico, Michael Sutton in Milwaukee, Claus Pelz and Dave Ouano both in Chicago, Michael McCloud in Maryland and Jeff Sygo in Michigan. In a few weeks he flies out to San Francisco to work with Mark Jenkins, which he is very excited about.
Garrett is not sure what the future holds but there are a few photographers who he wants to work with before he throws in the towel. That I do know. Also, he is trying to decide with his wife, where they want to move next. The winters in Wisconsin are horrific!
Many thanks to Garrett for accepting to be featured and to give us this insightful interview
Vital statistics:
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 165lbs
Chest: 42”
Waist: 32”
Eye colour: blue
Hair colour: brown
Skin colour: tanned
Please check out Garrett’s ModelMayhem profile and his blog The Accidental Fitness Model!
You can follow Garrett on twitter too!
Here's Garrett's interview in full
Garrett, a warm welcome to Stunning Men and many thanks for taking the time to do the interview.
Thank you for having me. I appreciate it.
Could we start off with talking a little about yourself and your background? You were born and bred in Green Bay, Wisconsin, right?
Sure. Well, yes I grew up here in Green Bay which is a very blue collar mid western town in Wisconsin. People here like their football and beer! Hunting is very popular also. I didn't end up like the "normal" Green Bay guy though which may be fairly obvious. Growing as an only child did have an effect on me though. I think it taught me to be creative and self reliant to a degree. My parents did a great job raising me to be a well rounded and cultured person.
In your facebook profile, you state that you are a puppeteer at Former Hot Guy. Could you tell us a bit about this?
Ah yes, well that's just me being a clown. Numerous people have tried to shape me into what they view as the "perfect" version of Garrett. But, I decided to be me and if that means I'm not "hot" or anything like that, that's fine. I’d rather be the puppeteer than the puppet I guess. Kinda vague and odd. I know.
Well, it’s definitely an interesting view of oneself ... You have a stunning physique. How do you maintain it and keep healthy? Do you do any sport?
Thank you. I don't do any sports these days. I just do my cardio and weight training. For me maintaining my condition is all about knowing my body and giving it the food and training that is required for it. Also, having passion and keeping the whole lifestyle fun and interesting is key for the long run. Doing a diet for a few months of the year is one thing, but doing it year rounds is a whole different thing. Hence keeping it fun.
What’s your gym/training routine like?
My training these days is pretty brutal. I do brief workouts but the sets are very intense using one all out set to stimulate the muscle damage that will stimulate the repair and growth I'm going for. I like to use rest-pause for most of my body parts. Which is usually about 10 reps to failure. Then I take 15 deep breaths and try to get another 3-4 reps to failure and then get my breaths and go for another 1-2 reps to failure. It's very taxing. To make it easier, google “DC Training”.
How do you keep motivated?
Staying motivated is easy for me. I just love the whole fitness lifestyle. It's my passion so living any other way would be odd to me. But I buy bodybuilding magazines and frequent the bodybuilding websites also just to stay in the grape vine in terms of what is going on in the fitness industry.
How do you fit bodybuilding and fitness into your life? Is it a difficult thing to achieve?
Well, bodybuilding and fitness have been my passion for over 10 years now so I've learned to cook my food and do my training when I can. Cooking my food is a huge thing though. Before I go on trips I get my food prepared and bring my cooler and eat in the airport, plane or car. It doesn't matter. Food is a tool for me. That's how I look at it. I just got back from California doing some photo shoots and when I told the photographer that I weigh all my food, he looked at me like I'm crazy or obsessed. But it's normal to me. Or else I wouldn't look the way I do and we wouldn't be having this conversation (Garrett laughs)
How do you approach a challenge?
I look at challenges as things that are placed before us to make us better people. For me, I have to have the vision of the big picture and the result. Then I look at what it will take to accomplish goal and then I simply do it. To me, there is no easier way to do something than simply getting at it. I'm not a "tomorrow" person I guess.
What do you eat in a normal day?
When I get close to a shoot my diet is as follows
meal 1: 1 cup oatmeal and 1 cup egg whites
meal 2: 2 scoops whey protein isolate with water
meal 3: 8oz turkey breast and asparagus
meal 4: same as meal 2
meal 5: 8oz chicken breast and asparagus
meal 6: same as meal 3
meal 7: same as meal 5
Do you allow yourself a cheat day? If so, what is your guilty pleasure?
I don't really like having a whole cheat day. One cheat meal is fine for me. If I can handle a few more during the week I'll have them but there is no set day. But when I do, I like to go out to eat with my family and enjoy some chips and salsa and pretty much everything else in the building. My favourite thing is the chips I think. I find that I like salt more than sugar.
How did you get into modelling? Is it something you always wanted to do?
I did look into modelling but never took the idea serious because I'm a bit short for the industry standards. But one day a model friend of mine insisted I do a photo shoot. She said that height is not an issue in Wisconsin. So I gave it a shot and didn't think it would be a big deal. Little did I know that I would be going overseas and shooting a magazine cover in a few months!
What do you enjoy the most about modelling?
The creative process and the relationships I've gained have been the greatest joy to me. When it's all said and done, I won't value the images nearly as much as the people that I've gained through modelling. I love so many people that I've met.
What advice would you give a new model?
The best advice I could give someone trying to get into modelling is do your homework on the people that are going to come at you. Remember, trust is the biggest concern between a model and photographer. One great shot can make you and one terrible one can damage you. There are tons of people with cameras but a select number of them should be called "photographer" those are the ones you want to work with and listen to.
What do you do in your down time?
I haven't had any true downtime since I started modelling so I don't really know. But I love spending time with my family. They keep me grounded.
Do you have any role models? People who inspire you?
I am inspired creatively by people like Johnny Depp. He does take risks for the love of the art of acting and pulls it off with style. I love that. But people like Bob Marley, Haile Selassie I, and Malcom X inspire me to be a better person with vision. I feel that people should be striving to live at their fullest potential possible while we are here on Earth.
Now a few quick fun questions if you are game? Do you think you are a good date?
Honestly, I know I'm a good date! (more laugh) Seriously though, I am very comfortable in social situations and I love to laugh and entertain. Plus that means I get to go out to eat. Having said that, I haven't been on a date in a long time so who knows?
Are you a brief man or a boxer kinda guy?
Briefs all the way
What do you listen to on your iPod?
Mostly reggae and dance hall. But I love punk and trance music also.
What kind of movies do you like?
I like them all. Horror, comedy and epic adventures have the edge though. My favourite movie is Annie Hall by Woody Allen
This is mine too! Now what three words describe you best?
Stubborn, passionate and faithful.
One last question Garrett, where do you see yourself and what would you like to be doing in 10 years time?
God only knows! I would love to live in California or Miami being involved in the fitness industry. But I would be content living in the mountains of Jamaica as a recluse living a simple communal life.
Garrett, it was great to do this interview with you! Thank you for your time and for being a good sport. All the best for the future!
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