"I picked up magazines and flicked through them and saw Mr Olympia on YouTube too, and I admired his physique.
"My goal is to work towards a physique like that," says the former Karamu High School pupil who receives coaching from Jetts Fitness Napier club manager Sarah Parr.
Tracey Webster is Parr's other winner from the Bay champs, prevailing in the novice figure category while Napier Girls High School pupil Hannah Churcher, of Infinite Fitness, was third in the novice shape division.
Howlett, who dieted for seven months, says shedding as much body fat as possible a month before the competition is equally important.
"My body-fat percentage went down from 10 to 7 on the competition day."
He found the posing component much harder than he had anticipated.
"It's quite physical and you start cramping up the next day because you feel like you've had a full-body workout. You get used to it after a few days although it's still a bit sore."
He binged on a big breakfast the next day at a cafe but attempts to do that with takeaways made him feel sick.
"I had a week of just eating normal food like muesli, fruit and sandwiches."
Howlett switched back to competition mode on Sunday as he prepares for the NABBA Gisborne Championship on August 16.
Parents Angela and Trevor Howlett and girlfriend Louise Edwards are proud of his achievement and determination to succeed.
"It's probably not something Louise would want to do," he says with a laugh but says it helps his parents follow a dietary regime albeit not as extreme as his one.
With the use of steroids these days does he feel he's facing an uphill battle to emulate the feat of Mr Olympia?
"To become Mr Olympia would be great but that's more of a dream."
Howlett accepts drug users will always have the edge but he'll take pride in having got to whatever level through training and natural dietary habits.
"I've looked into what drugs do to your body so it opens your eyes to the damage it can do and how it can shorten your life."
He sees travelling as another motivating factor towards establishing a career.
Churcher, 17, says the figure category requires a lot of hard work whereas the novice shape one allows more feminity and the posing is different.
Infinite Fitness instructor and cricketer Jonathon Hall helped her start in bodybuilding after she had seen many instructors engaging in it at the gym.
"There's a science side to it and how dieting affects you and the way the body moves," says the year 13 pupil who is adapting to a different lifestyle in an intense sport.
It can become difficult hanging out with friends but socialising in new circles negates that problem.
She has no intentions of straying on to the drug-users' path but feels it's everyone's personal decision.
She'll join Howlett to the Gisborne champs before the nationals in Palmerston North in October.
Bodybuilder pumped after novice figure title
Having completed the Iron Maori (half ironman) last December Tracey Webster yearned for something more.
"I wanted to see what I could do with my body and get it to a point where I can compete with hard work and dedication," Webster said before jetting off to the South Island for a holiday yesterday.
She entered bodybuilding on New Year's Day and six months on the 30-year-old IT project manager from the Eastern Institute of Technology has won the novice figure title of the NABBA Hawke's Bay Championship in Napier a fortnight ago in her first competition.
"I set a big challenge and worked towards getting on to the stage," the Hastings bodybuilder said.
Having moved here from Wanganui six years ago, Webster always engaged in fitness and exercising but has been open to different challenges to strengthen her body.
She is preparing to compete at the Wellington regionals in October before heading off to the nationals at Palmerston North later that same month.
"I'm training with Sarah [Parr] so I hope to peak for the nationals," she said, lauding the Jetts Fitness Napier club manager as well as Bay champs organiser Andrew Murray.
Ditto parents Sue and Rob Fargher, of Hastings.
Webster's husband, Jamie, who did the Iron Maori, also joins the support network.
"I couldn't have done it without him because he's my No 1 supporter," she said, adding it was imperative for competitors to surround themselves with good people.
She isn't shy to add a bit of red meat to her diet.
Webster engages in the post-comp ritual of getting stuck into "cheat meals".
