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Guardian Life & Style (US) • Jan. 18, 2026, 12:23 p.m.
‘I looked exceptional but I was out of breath’: the bodybuilder who switched to mindful movement
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Ten years ago, Eugene Teo was obsessed with lifting weights. But, gradually, he realised his extreme mindset was making him unhappy.
So he changed his outlook Eugene Teo, 34, began lifting weights at the age of 13, looking for validation. “I was short, skinny and I thought it would give me confidence,” he says.
“Bodybuilding for me was the ultimate expression of that.” Now living on the Gold Coast in Australia, with his partner and daughter, the fitness coach spent from age 16 to 24 training and competing. At times, he lifted weights for up to four hours a day, aiming to get as muscular and lean as possible.
So he changed his outlook Eugene Teo, 34, began lifting weights at the age of 13, looking for validation. “I was short, skinny and I thought it would give me confidence,” he says.
“Bodybuilding for me was the ultimate expression of that.” Now living on the Gold Coast in Australia, with his partner and daughter, the fitness coach spent from age 16 to 24 training and competing. At times, he lifted weights for up to four hours a day, aiming to get as muscular and lean as possible.
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