GRAND FALLS-WINDSOR, N.L. — For Krista Sharpe, a registered nurse, and Amy Glavine, a social worker, preparing for their upcoming fitness competition is a matter of self-discipline and perseverance.
“This is a mental challenge, it’s most self-disciplined I have ever been,” Glavine said. “I have really had to test myself and discipline myself.”
“It tests my determination and my physical limits. I just want to do a bit better every day,” Sharpe added. “I like the challenges, seeing physical changes, seeing how far I can push myself to reach a certain goal I have in mind.”
The women are near the end of a 16-week prep session, a rigorously planned food and exercise regimen that will sculpt and highlight their muscles for the bikini category competition with Ultimate Fitness Events on July 7.
“You have to know your why - why do you want to do this? For me, getting up on the stage, that’s success in itself.”
-Krista Sharpe
Sharpe is also competing in a Canada Physique Alliance show July 14. The events, which also include categories such as body building, physique and figure, will both be held in St. John’s.
While Sharpe competed last year, winning third place in a Bikini Masters event with the NLABBA, this is Glavine’s first experience in fitness competitions.
“I learned that the competitions are actually a sport, it is about the sculpting of the body,” Glavine said. “I don’t have a natural figure for this. I had to learn what exercises to do to sculpt specific muscles.”
Sharpe and Glavine have another partner-in-training, Dominique Connors of Gander, and all three of them encourage each other, and attend workshops and trainings together.
The training schedule is intense. Sharpe and Glavine do an hour of weight training every lunch time, and a cardio session daily. They follow a very strict diet that is designed to fuel their work in the gym and maximize their results.
Sharpe cautions that anyone interested in participating in fitness competitions has to know what they are getting into, physically, emotionally and time-wise.
“For 16 weeks, your social life is kind of put on hold,” Sharpe said, “You are eating five-six meals every day. You schedule your meals in such a way so you are working around your gym, too.”
It’s also important to have the support of family and friends, and to be clear on your own motivations and goals.
“You have to know your why - why do you want to do this?” Sharpe said. “For me, getting up on the stage, that’s success in itself.”
Glavine uses her training as a social worker to maintain her resolve to stick to the plan.
“I’m an addictions counsellor, so I know that I might have that craving, that urge but if I ride the wave of the feeling, it will be fine,” she said. “I just have to think about my goal, about the bigger picture.”
The judges evaluate each competitor on a variety of criteria. The most important factor is body symmetry — if the competitor worked all muscles equally and how conditioned they are for their body type and height. Other factors include more subjective elements like their overall look, and whether the competitor chose a complimentary suit colour.
Since both women have young daughters, they have been careful to frame this competition in terms of goal setting, strength and fitness, rather than about meeting a beauty standard.
“I had to be really thoughtful about how I was approaching it with her,” Glavine said. “I explained that this is not something I would do forever, it is like any other challenge. This is not maintainable for the long term, there are too many other things to enjoy in life.”
Sharpe’s emphasis has been on the health choices involved, eating healthy food and increasing fitness.
“She sees me setting my goals and then doing the work to achieve them — going to the gym, and making healthy food choices,” Sharpe said. “Making healthy lifestyle choices is something we practice as a family every day.”
No matter what happens on the stage in July, Sharpe and Glavine have gotten a lot out of the effort they have put into their training.
“It is about physical and mental strength, it gives me a lot of confidence,” Sharpe said. “Anyone who can do a 16-week prep can do anything.”
Glavine agrees.
“This has really been about me proving to myself that I can do anything if I put my mind to it.
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