Before he puts on his Air Force uniform, every morning from about 5:30 to 7 Tech. Sgt. Llewyn McFarlane makes some time for himself.

No shoptalk or socializing, just him, the weight bench and the barbells.

"It's my drug," he said of his time at the base gym. "If I don't get it, I'm out of whack."

And with less than two weeks until the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Bodybuilding Championships May 29 at the American Lake Community Center, the 29-year-old 62nd Communications Squadron airman wants to be at the top of his game for his first foray into competitive bodybuilding.

The airman is experiencing "a whole bunch of emotions; nervous, anxious, hungry (for victory)," said the 6-foot-1, 214-pound McFarlane, who will compete in the heavyweight category.

McFarlane, who was born in Jamaica and came to the United States in 1993, got interested in weightlifting after working out a couple of times with the football team as a high school junior in West Palm Beach, Fla. But what started as just a way to look good has turned into a way of life for McFarlane.

"Fitness is my lifestyle," he said.

It's also a lifestyle he helps other airmen embrace. McFarlane, also a certified personal trainer, recently helped a couple of airmen in his squadron lose weight, tone up and pass their Air Force physical fitness test with flying colors.

"They were committed to me helping them, so I felt a real sense of accomplishment when they passed their test," McFarlane said.

The bodybuilding championship stands as McFarlane's next test. He prides himself on the work he's put in building up his entire body.

"I try to achieve balance," he said.

But that's not to say McFarlane doesn't have favorite areas he's especially proud of.

"My triceps," he said with a wide grin. "It really defines your arm."

And his experience playing on the squadron's intramural soccer team and running track events during base-wide fitness events have helped build up his calves. He even went as far as diving into the marathon scene to further develop his lower body, recently running the Capital City Marathon in Olympia, a half-marathon.

"I won't do that again," he said with a laugh.

Although McFarlane isn't going to make drastic diet changes for the contest ("I'm a fool for ice cream," he said), he has added another hour of evening workouts to his training regimen.

"(Competing) is something different," he said. "I thought ‘Why not? What do I have to lose.' If I get top five, I'll be happy. All I can do is train my best."