Dan Ray / M+F Magazine
IFBB pro League classic physique competitor Charles Donaldson is doing a good job of not letting work get in the way of, well, work.
In between weekday 6 a.m. fasted cardio and late-night weight-training sessions, the 2017 NPC Masters Universe Classic Physique winner spends his nine-to-five hours holding down a successful—and stressful—career in corporate finance.
Along with long hours come the innumerable client lunches and dinners at some of New York City’s top restaurants, which, if mismanaged, can wreak havoc on anyone’s waistline—especially treacherous if you’re an athlete hell-bent on qualifying for 2020’s Arnold Classic and Olympia.
Yet Donaldson manages to keep his diet in check nearly year-round, which in turns helps him maintain his microscopic waistline. (“Good genetics” is how Donaldson explains a waist that’s dipped to as small as 26 inches onstage.)
A two-career lifestyle isn’t for everyone, and even the 38-year-old Donaldson can’t pinpoint why he put himself through two grueling careers. He just knows it’s what works best for him.
“We all chose this life knowing what we were getting into,” says Donaldson, who was prepping for October’s…