You might think you’re hiding your stares, but I can see you checking me out and wondering how I got into the shape that I’m in! There’s no need to wonder. I’m happy to tell you how I maintain my figure competitor shape””and I’m also happy to share my fitness and nutrition tips with you.
Here are 5 things about me that will probably surprise you.
- I’m not always looking this “cut.” I have a good 9-10 pound difference between what I weigh when I’m competing and my off-season weight.
- I’m a reformed cardio addict. From 1987 until 2008, I was a step aerobics regular and put in major mileage on the treadmill. Then I got interested in weight training””and the rest is history! I entered my first National Physique Committee competition in 2011.
- Working out does burn a lot of calories, but that doesn’t mean I can eat whatever I want. When I have a photo shoot or appearance coming up, I weigh and measure everything and track what I’m eating. And even the rest of the time, I eat clean and pay attention to the amount of calories, protein, carbohydrates and fats I am putting into my body.
- I’ve got a cheating heart”¦not on my husband of 24 years, but on my clean diet. Once a week, I enjoy steak and (gasp) bread. Mmmmm!
- I might not look the part, but I am really just your typical stay-at-home-mom. I home-school our 12 year-old daughter, take care of our home, meal plan, and am there whenever our 23 year-old son, who is in college, drops by. Of course I also spend a lot of time training and planning out the competition schedules for myself and my husband, who is a bodybuilder. But I am proud that I’ve achieved a great home-work balance, and my family is happier because of it.
Southern States Championships top contender Melissa Transou, a figure competitor, wife and mother, blogs about the unique sports nutrition needs of female athletes exclusively for Vitacost.com.