Personal trainer and men’s physique competitor Nic Proctor isn’t shy about why he enjoys his line of work.

“The reason why I like this is because I get to sell myself,” he said. “I have control over the product. I know my product works.”

The co-owner of X-Perience Fitness Gym in Overland Park tells a story about graduating business school and being the top salesman at several companies he worked for until one day he’d had enough.

“I had one boss just tell me, after being the top salesman of the previous month he didn’t believe in my ability to sell. So I told him that I didn’t believe in his ability to lead.” Proctor said.

Soon, after Nic left that sales job and an opportunity opened up for him at X-Perience Fitness. It has been a learning experience that his business partner Kelsey Ngeh helped him to adjust to. They both agree, together they have become a good fit.

“Nic is just a very hard worker. He loves what he does and he’s very good at it.” Ngeh said.

The former Olathe South linebacker and Missouri Southern cornerback current plans are to continue to pour sweat and blood into X-Perience Fitness and to expand his youth training program, where he helps athletes age 12 and over, take their game playing skills to the college level. Nic has a simple philosophy that discipline will continue to take him far and he looks to a higher power for inspiration.

“We keep God first at all times,” Proctor said. “But we want to be successful as possible while doing that and help as many people as we can.”

Nic, who is certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, also promotes healthy eating and weight loss with Xperience Foodness, a cookbook that he co-developed with Kelsey. The cookbook includes a 4-6 week personalized food plan with original recipes for his clients. Many of the recipes Nic has tried himself when he was training or shredding (burning fat to make your muscles appear more defined) before a competition. He admits hungering for bacon cheeseburgers, but knows too much of the wrong types of high calorie fatty foods can ruin all the hard work and training and, he can’t afford too many off days.

“When I’m training for a show, I can not take off here or there,” Proctor said. “If it hurts on that third set, I don’t care. I have to get that fourth set done.”

Nic, 36, has been lifting since he was 14. Now, he often averages above 50 hours each week- training and lifting weights. He counts his twin brother Nate as his biggest supporter and motivator. About three years ago, Nate cheered him on when Nic decided to step on the Men’s Physique Competitor Novice’s stage. The prep time involved 6-8 weeks of dieting and dedicated weight lifting, 5-6 days a week and, it was not without its challenges.

“The main thing was just trying to get information,” Proctor said. What poses are they going to ask me to do? What are the different things that I have to do on stage? What do I eat to look stage-ready?”

Nic eventually found a friend who helped answer his burning questions, but recalls he was still a little anxious the day of the Big Event.

“So when you see other people back stage that look like you it’s a little intimidating,” he said.