By Eric and Chris Martinez (DDT)
August 2012-
Alrighty DDT audience, back at it again with trying to inspire you through all of these amazing diverse professionals that we are interviewing. This month’s interviewee is IFPA Figure Pro Joy Anyanwu. Fasten your seat belts ladies and gents!
DDT: Could you give us a little background info on who Joy Anyanwu is?
Joy: I was born on Nov 16, 1979 in Trenton, NJ. My parents are from Nigeria and I am the oldest child of 4 sisters’ and 1 brother. When I was about 8 years old, my family moved to Bensalem, PA where I have lived up until High School. I was always a very athletic child. I started running track in 4th grade. Started Karate in grade school with my brother and my middle sister for 2 years until my father did not want my mother to spend the money at that any longer. During the summer months my parents placed me in softball, tennis, volleyball. I continued doing track until the 9th grade and started field events where I threw shot-put all four years and started javelin and discus my junior year. In High School and College I was a cheerleader. I was awarded the “Outstanding Senior Award” which is given to a senior that is in more than 5 activities and have a high b average. I joined the US Army in 2000 and started basic training in 2001. I graduated from the Army Medical Center & Schools as Pharmacy Specialist top 4 in my class with an A average. When I returned home I started working as Pharmacy Technician sat for my boards and became a Certified Pharmacy Technician and worked in various settings retail, mail-order and hospital.
DDT: What got you started or inspired to get into the (Health, Fit, Athletic, Bodybuilding) Lifestyle?
Joy: I received orders for “Iraqi Freedom” in Jan 2004 to my delight, my duty station would be in Germany instead of Iraq. When I lived in Germany all my friends would go to the gym and lift and I started doing what they were doing so I wouldn’t be in the barracks by myself. So I started downloading training programs from bodybuilding.com. I started competing because of a female by the name of Sylvia Guise. She was the coordinator for all the European gyms and she came up to me and asked me if I ever competed and basically told me that I had the structure and build for the sport. I have heard this before back in the states but I wasn’t interested in lifting weights until now. She was a Bodybuilder and showed her contest pictures and I was in awe. I had to look like that. I was amazed how feminine she looked and asked her how she looked like that and she told me because she competes naturally and as long as I am natural I will never have masculine features.
DDT: That is awesome you chose to go all natural. Can you please help us out here for our wonderful female audience and explain that lifting weights will not get a woman big and bulky. We have been preaching this since day one.
Joy: It’s definitely a urban legend.. you have to work hard for every ounce of muscle gained. Genetically I have more muscle then most but I also have been an athlete since 4th grade took years to build. Women will not look like men unless they use steroids..these girls need to get over it..and themselves.. end of story case closed…NEXT..LOL!
These girls need to get over it..and themselves.. end of story case closed…NEXT..LOL!
DDT: Lol. Well said. Do you have any nicknames or any slogans that you go by on a daily basis?
Joy: “THE MAYOR!” I know everything about everyone. I can go anywhere and I know someone. I could be in another state or country and I know someone it’s kind of spooky… but true.
DDT: Love the nickname! Can you please elaborate a bit and tell us more about this gift you have?
Joy: Well apparently I first received this nickname when I would go to my local nutrition store and talk for hours and everyone that came in to buy supplements I knew them, then the owner of the store called me “the mayor “ because I knew everyone. Another story, I was in posing class with Joe Franco and I was talking about a female that didn’t make it that day but I knew what show she was doing, etc. He asked me how did I know her so well, you just met her last class, I said yeah so…I been in touch with her since.. then he called me “the mayor “ as well.
DDT: Cool, we will be hollering Joy “The Mayor” at you from now on. What has been your biggest obstacle or challenge in life?
Joy: My father had a stroke in Sept 9th 2012. My biggest obstacle to face was should I compete in my first pro show or stay with my father. I decided last minute I would compete. I saw my father fighting to regain strength on his right side and he never gave up. He would get up early before rehab and do all his exercises. I didn’t want to give up my father inspired not to quit. I decided last minute I would have my pro debut in CapeCod in Oct a tribute to my father.
DDT: That sounds like a tough obstacle you had to overcome. Do you feel this obstacle has made you a stronger person overall?
Joy: Absolutely I think that anytime your faced with serious illness or even death in your immediate family you have a choice to let it consume you and eat you up alive or… take that grief and spin it and do positive so you don’t have to think about it. Everyone handles bad situation differently I decided to not loose myself because of the grief. I decided to take hold and control of my life it definitely made me stronger!!
DDT: Amen to that! You are a USP Labs Athlete, how did you get sponsored by them and what do you feel is their best product?
Joy: They messaged me about a couple months ago and asked me to be part of the team. I have been a fan of USPlabs as of last year. I used there OEP (Oxyelite Pro) the last 5weeks of my first figure show where I received my pro card. I really believed in conjuction with that and Layne Nortons Guidance helped me get my pro card that day. I believe there top products are OEP and JACK3D. I use the JACK3D on my tranining days and OEP on my cardio days.
DDT: Dr. Layne Norton is the man and we know from experience how his guidance can really help in all aspects of life. If you could go back in time, would you have changed anything during the process of getting your pro card?
Joy: Nope wouldn’t have changed a thing I am so blessed to have had Dr. Norton as my coach it definitely wasn’t always smooth sailing because I made mistakes here and there. I didn’t measure oats right so I was eating 3 times the amount.. thank god I bought a food scale.. Oh and when my best friend got married I went off the diet for 3 days and gained like 12 pound s :).. WOW DR.NORTON was upset…at me yowser.. anywho , I got it together and brought a package he and I were proud to present.. It was not easy I had 24 week prep lost a total of 32 pounds.
DDT: You are a Registered Nurse and an IFPA Figure Pro, How do you balance these two out so well?
Joy: Well very easily… I work 3 days a week 12 hour shifts. I usually train right after work. I also drill as a reservist once a week and 2 weekends a year. When you have so much to do planning is the key. I just make sure I have everything prepared for the 4-5 days’ worth. It makes life that much easier.
DDT: You sound like a very busy and hard working woman. One of our slogans we use is “No Excuses, Only Solutions.” It seems like you can definitely relate to our slogan and you have no excuses even with such a busy schedule. Can you tell our audience the importance of always finding a solution to a problem?
Joy: It’s important to find a solution to every problem.. because once you make an excuse for one issue then you make another excuse and then another… down the hill you go and it’s becomes a snowball effect. Instead find a way to do all that you can. We only have one life to live let’s make the best out of it. Live everyday and as if it’s your last with no regrets 🙂
DDT: Who is your biggest inspiration?
Joy: My parents are my biggest inspiration. They both came to America by themselves. They met each other while attending college. I think it takes a lot of courage to come to another country and speak little English and then succeed. There are a lot of racial barriers in addition their accent would make it hard for people to understand. By far they have seen poverty in Africa but have rose above. My mother is an RN. My Father is a Mechanical Engineer. They both believe education is the key to success and I am glad the raised me to believe so.
DDT: That is very inspiring and we absolutely agree with education being the key to success. With that said, when it’s all said and done, what kind of legacy does Joy Anyanwu want to leave?
Joy: Wow… hmm.. good question.. well I want to be remembered as a fun, loving, and free spirit that wasn’t afraid of what life had to offer, the good and the bad. A person that had strong family values and believed in building oneself character through genuine honesty, experience and education.
DDT: Awesome! Ms. Anyanwu, please tell us what you do for fun and don’t be shy now?
Joy: LOL, well I am sure you want to keep this PG-13… Let’s just say what I do for fun is a bit too spicy for your audience.
DDT: Lol yes have to keep this interview PG-13. But, I am sure we can put the pieces to the puzzle on your spicy fun. We would like to thank you for taking the time to let us interview you. We wish you nothing but success and keep inspiring 🙂
Joy: Thank you so much for the interview Chris and Eric it was my pleasure 🙂
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