Get the 2016 SA Natural Bodybuilding Ladies Physique Champion to flex her muscles in Brussels

Many of us would admit, without hesitation, that we believe we can improve our health and eating habits. Three years ago I weighed 75kg. I was not happy with how I felt, what my body looked like, how often I got sick, or the amount of fast food I was consuming in the space of a week. For my own health and wellbeing, as well as my mother’s, I decided to make an appointment with a dietician for us both. After having worked with the dietician, along with very basic workouts I could do at home (while playing with my dogs in the yard or while brushing my teeth), I managed to lose 7kg in six months.

At that point I decide to get into contact with an old school friend of mine who had started to provide online training for persons who wanted to begin competing in bodybuilding or generally who wanted to shed a few kilograms. I would submit pictures of myself in order for her to gage progress and adjust my training and eating program. At that point all I wanted to do was get fit and increase my lean muscle mass. After having worked with Annelize Dohne, I managed to lose a further 4kg in six months and dropped my body fat percentage from 27% to 19%. I also managed to drop my cholesterol and sugar counts without medication.

Last year on 1 April 2015 I decided to prepare myself for competing in amateur natural bodybuilding competitions in 2016. My first competition was in March this year (weight at 63kg with 16% bodyfat), where I was pleasantly surprised by winning my division of Ladies Body Form/Physique. It is very rare that a new comer wins their very first competition.

Since my first show in March I have competed in various shows and as a novice competitor I was chosen to compete as part of the Western Province Natural Bodybuilding Association (WPNBB) development team at the SA Natural Bodybuilding Development Championship in July this year. I won both my divisions and was named the SA Natural Bodybuilding Development Champion for Senior Ladies Body Form/Physique and Champion for Senior Ladies over 52kg Bodybuilding.

At the WPNBB Provincial competition on 24 September 2016, I won both my divisions again to hold the Western Province titles for Senior Ladies Body Form/Physique and Senior Ladies over 52kg Bodybuilding. I was chosen as part of the team to compete in the South African Natural Bodybuilding Association (SANBA) National Championship at Grahamstown on 1 October 2016.

At the National Championship I competed in and won both my divisions (at 64kg and 15% bodyfat) and am now the current holder of the SA titles for Natural Bodybuilding Senior Ladies Body Form/Physique and Senior Ladies over 52kg Bodybuilding.

Here, our athletes were then selected to represent the country in the UIBBN Natural Bodybuilding World Championship to be held from 25-26 November 2016 in Brussels, Belgium. I have been selected as part of the team to compete in the Senior Ladies Body Form/Physique.

Our SANBA National team promotes natural bodybuilding in a drug free competitive environment and our athletes are subjected to random drug testing.

I am honoured to have been chosen to represent South Africa in the world championship and would like to thank my friends and family for their continued support leading up to this point in my bodybuilding career. I hope and trust that the team and I will secure enough sponsorship to attend the world championship, as the costs are estimated to amount to R20 000 each athlete or 1300 euros.

My year has been memorable because I decided three years ago to change my life. I hope I can achieve one more milestone by stepping onto the international amateur natural bodybuilding stage in November in Brussels.