Retro fit issue xii by RETRO-FIT Online Magazine

ISSUE XII JUNE 2018. RETROFITMAG.COM

ISSUE XII JUNE 2018

SPORTS AND FITNESS MAGAZINE

KIMBERLY EPHRAIM KENDI GRIFFITH

KIERRE BECKLES JERMAIN HINDS SHANE MASSIAH TIFFANY FAUBLAS TONYA NERO KAI MILLER

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ISSUE XII JUNE 2018. RETROFITMAG.COM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

RICHARD BOYCE SUB EDITOR

KOELLE BOYCE WRITERS

KOELLE BOYCE NICOLE SUE MONICA TEIXEIRA PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOGRAPHFLAIR DESIGN / LAYOUT

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Â© 2018 RETRO-FIT MAGAZINE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED OR STORED IN ANY FORM BY ANY MEANS WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF RETRO-FIT. FOR ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES e: retrofit.info@gmail.com

ISSUE XII JUNE 2018. RETROFITMAG.COM

EDITOR’S NOTE

Let’s Talk The only constant is change and the sport and fitness industry is not immune, having gone through a number of changes in the past year. The separation of the amateur and pro leagues of the IFBB sent shockwaves through the industry, with none more affected than the Caribbean federations. This particular shift has created a void that will be filled with opportunities for those willing to step out of their comfort zone and enter the world of the new IFBB Elite Class. Another casualty of the perpetual state of change was FLEX magazine. The loss of one of my favorite publications was a hard pill to swallow, and I am sure many of you, like me, would have grown up flicking through its pages. The consolidation of FLEX with its parent company, Muscle and Fitness, is a clear indication of the changes that are happening not only in the fitness industry but in the consumption of content and its impact on the mainstream media. Continuing to capture change across the sport and fitness landscape, this issue looks through the eyes of Olympic hurdler, Kierre Beckles, who shares her tips for successfully navigating the switch from amateur to professional athlete. Tonya Nero, Trinidad’s most decorated distance runner, varies between the laid-back life of her hometown, Maracas, and the rigours of training with her team at her university in the US. Sprinter, Jermain Hinds, explains how strength training helps him to shift into high gear out on the track, while Tiffany Faublas recounts powering up on soca for her transformation from body-conscious wallflower to bold masquerader to NPC Bikini Fitness athlete. For many athletes, change is the result of challenge – sometimes posed by an unexpected threat or external force, but often self-imposed. If Shane Massiah’s hypertension diagnosis is a case of the first – motivating him to remarkable weight loss – then Antigua’s first Bikini Fitness champion, Kimberly Ephraim, is a prime example of the last. Her dreams of regaling her grandchildren with stories of her ‘awesomeness’ inspire her to keep improving day-by-day. We count on Kendi Griffith to explain the transformative power of that external push. Her entry in the Suga Apple challenge drove her transition from a snack-loving foodie’s diet onto a strict, clean meal plan.

6 Kendi Griffith Winner of the 2017 Crossfit Bassa Bassa Suga Apple Body Challenge.

Kierre Beckles

Jermain Hinds

Gives us a window into the life of a professional track and field athlete.

Shows us how he powers up his sprints.

Cheese Burger Kebabs

Kimberly Ephraim

Selena “REBEL GLAM” Dodson gives us the recipe.

Stays motivated as she works toward a Pro Card.

Shane Massiah

Tiffany Faublas

A journey from 260lbs to 174lbs.

Trinidadian NPC Bikini Fitness Athlete.

Tonya Nero

Kai Miller

Trinidad & Tobago’s star long distance runner.

Bermuda’s Bikini Beauty.

This issue is dedicated to all our fans and readers, who continue to support us as we, too, at RETROFIT, continue growing and changing, and to all the contributors who have been driving our own metamorphosis. 5

ISSUE XII JUNE 2018. RETROFITMAG.COM

KENDI AND THE SUGA APPLE BODY CHALLENGE

12 women challenged themselves to 12 weeks of group classes, personal coaching sessions, meal planning and nutrition coaching, including supplementation, at the Bassa Bassa CrossFit Box in St. Michael, Barbados. Kendi Griffith, winner of the 2017 Crossfit Bassa Bassa Suga Apple Body Challenge, takes us along on her journey towards body transformation. PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHOTOGRAPHFLAIR

BEFORE THE CHALLENGE

Why did you start exercising? KG: I was always pretty active growing up. During secondary school I played netball and was part of the netball team for the five years I spent at the school. I started really being devoted to exercising in 2015 when two of my friends created an exercise challenge for us to lose weight and get in shape. What drew you to CrossFit to begin with? KG: Before joining Surfside, I was obsessed with running and training for 5K runs. I made that my form of exercise. I used the Nike Run Club app and would run daily to train. I started my exercise journey in October 2015. I joined a gym and while there I tried many different classes including, spin, circuit, Zumba and personal training classes. The class that really captivated me was WOD (workout of the day) class. This class was CrossFit based and I spent themajority of my time there. I think I became addicted to CrossFit then and was determined to work on all my CrossFit moves. I felt like I needed a dedicated CrossFit Box (gym) to do that and therefore moved on to Bassa Bassa. What was it about CrossFit that has kept you coming back? KG: I love the camaraderie in CrossFit boxes. During self-training, if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m performing a move incorrectly, there is always someone chipping in to offer their suggestion on ways to improve. That is something I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find at other gyms. I love the competitive nature of CrossFit. The workouts are all geared towards fastest time or most reps. You are always trying to do better with each workout to be on top. Striving to be fastest and most efficient during a workout has become my overall drive.

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TAKING THE SUGA APPLE BODY CHALLENGE

What motivated you to take part in the body transformation challenge? KG: I joined Bassa Bassa 2 months prior to taking up the Challenge. I moved there to improve my CrossFit moves, but saw the [ad for the] Challenge and could not resist. I joined the competition to help with my overall discipline. I was involved in regular exercise but my diet and nutrition were lacking. I knew I needed to tighten up on my meals in order to see results. I saw the program as a structured way for me to do that. My two friends were also taking part in the program and encouraged me to do so. Tell us about your training. KG: The challenge incorporated 6 days of training per week for 12 weeks with some sessions lasting as long as 90 minutes. It increased in intensity with time. Initially our workouts took about an hour. When the intensity gradually increased, it was difficult at first, but my body was able to adjust to the gruelling work. I went in with a goal in mind and knew the work had to be done. The 6 weekly workouts were divided into 3 days of class and 3 days of self-paced workouts. Some days were harder than others but, with the motivation from some of the others in the program, I made it through. We formed small groups and coordinated exercise times on the selfpaced workout days.

How did you fit all of that into your schedule? KG: I am a medical doctor but my schedule allowed me to fit in my daily workouts. I’m able to do my ‘on call’ from home, which gives me more leeway when it comes to working out. However, I missed a few of the workouts due to work constraints. If I missed a workout, I tried to make it up on another day. This was not always possible. What was the most challenging part of the program? KG: The Challenge included athletic components, such as sprinting and box jumps, Olympic Weightlifting, standard bodybuilding and flexibility and cardio components The most challenging part was the cardio component. I had a love/hate relationship with rowing and running. Cardio takes endurance and getting used to, which took me a while. I also found some weight lifting moves to be challenging. For example, getting into position for front and back squats remained difficult for me for some time. However, the hardest part of challenge was definitely the diet.

the

What made the diet so difficult? KG: The correct nutrition is key to any successful athletic endeavour and this challenge was no different. The nutrition component progressed in difficulty from week 1 through to week 12. It took me a while to get used to eating strict and clean. After about 2 weeks into the program, I settled into the idea of clean eating. Once I was there mentally, there was no turning back. 9

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So, were there many changes to the way you ate? KG: Yes. Before the Challenge my diet was lacking. I joined the Challenge to help in that aspect. I can be a foodie and I love to snack. The Challenge helped me to curb that. What exactly did you change over the 12 weeks? KG: The diet was largely based on measuring and weighing portions. I was not used to having specific portions for different food groups. I cut out all of my junk food snacking and stuck to the diet as given. Initially we were allowed a cheat meal/snack but with time that was taken away. The most challenging change to my diet was decreasing the amount of carbs/ starch I use. I did not realize the majority of my diet was formed of carbs. By following the regimen outline, I learned to incorporate more protein and less carbs. Have you been able to keep up the diet? KG: I’ve stuck to the diet for the most part. However, I’m not as strict as during the program. I’ve learnt appropriate portions and therefore do not need to weigh my food as before. I still struggle with my junk food habits but I am doing much better. Did you use any supplements as part of your daily diet? KG: During the program multivitamins and protein supplements were provided. AFTER THE CHALLENGE What’s next on your fitness journey? KG: I plan to work on my CrossFit moves a lot more. I would love to compete in CrossFit competitions and will spend my time training for that. I also have a dream of competing in a fitness show one day.

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TAKE IT FROM A PRO WRITTEN BY KOELLE BOYCE PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHOTOGRAPHFLAIR

Barbadian hurdler, Kierre Beckles, gives us a window into the life of a professional track and field athlete.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be paid to follow your passion? Ah, the sweet life of a professional athlete… Could it really be that great? Kierre Beckles has been a professional hurdler since 2014. According to her, once you turn pro, you get to…

ISSUE XII JUNE 2018. RETROFITMAG.COM

EAT WHATEVER Kierre swears, “I honestly don’t have a diet plan… No set diet. Honestly, it depends on my mood and how I am feeling.” We are definitely down for this one, although so much honesty in just two lines is beginning to sound a bit suspect… She goes on, “Sometimes, coach might suggest backing off on certain things and adding more of something else.” Well, that still seems reasonable enough. If you have a meet coming up, you could live with a few adjustments. Then Kierre adds, “I really don’t eat ‘bad food’. Every night I do think about what I would like to eat the next day.” Right. Ok, so the truth is, you can eat whatever, as long as it’s healthy and in line with what your body needs most for your upcoming event. That takes bit of forethought and planning. And Kierre is reminding us to write down one more thing, “Traveling to different countries, you don’t always find things you usually eat at home so I just make sure I eat good.”

The real truth emerges in the end: Eat whatever, as long as it’s healthy, and provided you can find it.

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LIVE STRESS-FREE We are convinced that it must be quite a heavy responsibility to represent your country at the highest level, and say so. Kierre disagrees, “I wouldn’t say it is stress.” She has been wearing national colours as far back as age ten, when she competed at the 2002 Hampton Games and earned silver in the 100m and 200m hurdles. At age twelve, she won her first regional medal at the 2004 Carifta Games in Bermuda. She has also competed at the 2006 CAC Junior Championships (winning two gold medals) and at the World Junior Championships of that same year, where she made it to the semi-finals. Of course, you don’t get to the professional level without having done your time. The result is a very stoic approach to competition. Rather than stress, she explains, “It is more so ‘self-pressure.’” And that requires a few coping strategies. “I usually turn to others on the team and my close friends. Basically, keep the routine you usually have all during the season. I tend not to change up anything before a major championship.”

Strikethrough, then: No stress, except for the pressure you put on yourself to perform.

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WATCH THE MONEY ROLL IN “Pay day” – as Kierre puts it – is, of course, the big difference between amateur and professional athletes. As a pro, you can be paid for things like having your photo in magazines and event appearances, apart from races. And, she says, it’s actually “not hard to go pro in track and field”. But getting to pay day is not without its challenges. For Kierre, the first off-track hurdles were finding a good agent to represent her and landing a sponsor. She recalls, “Coming out of college without a contract with a shoe company made the transition to the next level even harder.” Once she had those covered, she found that, in order to have a steady stream of income, she would need to be equally consistent with her track-readiness. “The most surprising thing was the training and being ready to run at my best on the circuit every 3-5 days.” For the upcoming 2018 season, Kierre’s calendar includes several regional championships, including the Commonwealth Games, CAC (Central American and Caribbean) Games and NACAC (North American Central American and Caribbean) Championships. Added to that, she explains, “It is an off year from World Championships so the professional circuit might go longer and there will be more meets leading into those championships I mentioned earlier. 2018 will be the foundation for the next 3 years to follow, with World Championships 2019/2021 and PanAm games and Olympic Games 2020.” As the season or event changes, you also have to be prepared to switch your workouts. Kierre says: “For me if I am doing a hurdle workout, it takes me about 2 ½ hours. If I am doing a sprint workout, it would be 2 hours. Weight room usually lasts about an hour.” Workouts involve exercises to help her become more powerful and explosive and to enhance her flexibility.

In short: Staring at the money in your mind’s eye may be good for a start, but it takes support, sponsorship and a lot of your own sweat to get and keep it rolling in.

ISSUE XII JUNE 2018. RETROFITMAG.COM

Think running is all about speed? Barbadian track athlete, Jermain Hinds, shows us how he powers up his sprints. WRITTEN BY NICOLE SUE PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHOTOGRAPHFLAIR

ISSUE XII JUNE 2018. RETROFITMAG.COM

Jermain credits his strength training programme for his success as a sprinter.

ISSUE XII JUNE 2018. RETROFITMAG.COM

For most people track and field is usually limited to their time at school. Jermain Hinds, however, has been able to develop his skills into a successful athletic career. At twenty-nine, he can comfortably tick off the boxes for athlete, fitness instructor, entrepreneur and personal trainer. For the moment, he plans to focus on the last role as it gives him the opportunity to share his knowledge of fitness and support his clients’ transformations. He owes his own transformation into a successful athlete to the keen eyes of his Physical Education teachers, who noticed his sporting abilities at a young age. As a teenager, he competed in the Barbados Secondary Schools interschool sports as well as junior competitions at the regional level. At 19, after taking a three year hiatus from track, Jermain found himself longing for competition, and he eventually joined the track and field club at the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI). This decision would lead to the start of a career that would include travelling around the world and the opportunity to train with and even compete against a number of Olympic athletes. With the 100m being his preferred event, Jermain’s competition history includes the Barbados Nationals Track and Field Championships, the Hampton Games and the Allmax Fitness Challenge (a Crossfit type event, which tests participants’ speed, endurance, power and strength).

Jermain credits his strength training programme for his success as a sprinter. When he restarted running, he was 6’ 3”, and considered heavy for a sprinter. He was told (by his coaches) that,, because of his form, he needed to generate above-average force on each stride in order to be successful at the 100m sprint. He was introduced to a strength and conditioning coach, who incorporated unconventional training methods and completely transformed his gym routine. Jermain points out that good strength and conditioning are critical to consistently generate the forces needed to explode out of the blocks and have a good start in a race. His gym workouts (which he did three days a week) included Olympic weight lifting and high intensity interval training (HIIT) routines. This combination of gym work and track training allowed him to control his weight, which is important for a sprinter. Stretching after each work out session was a must to prevent any negative impact on his flexibility. He also had to be mindful of the possibility of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) which could affect his performance.

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Jermain’s training programme consisted of 5 to 6 days of track and field and 3 days of gym. Next is a sample of his strength training workout and his views on each exercise. For cardio, Jermain preferred 200m sprints with minimal rest between each run. He refers to this as “the best and worst type of cardio” since you need to relax and run with form and technique while fatigued. DIETING FOR SPEED AND STRENGTH

1. SQUAT 5-10 REPS The squat is the foundation of any good strength and conditioning training routine. Sprinting requires strong glutes, hamstrings and quads (quadriceps). The squat helps to strengthen the quads and glutes once there is good form and technique.

While he only drinks water preworkout, Jermain’s post workout meal usually consists of an “antiinflammatory” shake with turmeric (which he detests). He also uses Omega 3 supplements. Although he doesn’t follow a specific diet he avoids processed foods, eating mostly lean protein, ground provisions (complex carbohydrates), and vegetables and drinking lots of water. Cheat meals usually include some form of chocolate.

2. BARBELL STEP UPS 10 REPS EACH LEG Works the posterior chain and strengthens the hips.

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3. CLEANS 3-5 REPS Helps to overcome inertia in the starting blocks. The hips are engaged from a neutral position whilst in the starting blocks and during this lift. You then have to explode out of each position to move a considerable amount of weight (i.e. bodyweight or the barbell).

6. SUPERMAN PUSH-UPS 5-10 REPS This movement helps to recreate the starting reaction speed which is needed to overcome inertia and catch yourself as you leave the starting blocks. This is a skill that must be mastered within a fraction of a second.

4. BOX JUMPS 10 REPS A sprinter has to get off the ground as quickly as possible, so plyometrics are an essential part of the training routine.

7. SLED PULLS 5-10 REPS This simulates the drive phase in the 100m and also helps with quadriceps development.

5. KNEE UPS 20 REPS A strong core is especially important in sprinting where it is needed to minimize energy wastage. A stronger core means a more efficient running technique. 25

ISSUE XII JUNE 2018. RETROFITMAG.COM

CHEESE BURGER KEBABS ........................................................................................................................................

by Selena “REBEL GLAM” Dodson

Cheese Burger Kebab Ingredients 1 lb minced beef (grade B) 1 small onion, grated 1 clove of garlic, grated finely 1 tsp salt (or to taste) 1 tsp black pepper (or to taste) 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese Chopped fresh herbs to taste (optional) Method Preheat your grill to a medium heat. Mix together all ingredients thoroughly. Divide into 8 large meatballs and roll between the palms to make a compact ball. Insert a wooden or metal skewer and press the meat into a sausage shape on the stick then flatten the sides slightly so that it will lay down flat on the grill like an oblong patty.

Are you one of those normal people who wants to eat healthy food but feels like they cant do without the flavors they love? Well this recipe is for you! It is possible to eat healthier food and still retain some of the flavors that we miss so much while dieting! If your aim is not just a quick fix, but a healthy lifestyle, then it is essential that you figure out ways to fit in your favourite foods periodically. After all, food is one of the simple pleasures of living. Who doesn’t love a good burger? Here we eliminate the bread and reduce the sugar but still offer big burger flavor!

Grill with the grill open about 3 to 5 minutes per side and watch carefully to avoid flaring due to fat in the meat. (Most of the fat in the meat will melt away but it will improve the flavor.) Serve with your favorite salad leaves. To continue the cheeseburger trend you could use ice berg lettuce, tomato, onions, cucumbers and even pickles! Here is a great dressing to add. Salad Dressing Ingredients 3 tbsp. mayonnaise 2 tbsp. ketchup 1 tbsp. brown mustard 1 tbsp. olive oil 2 tbsp. wine vinegar 1 tsp. salt

CHEF’S TIP To avoid whisking - place all ingredients for home made salad dressings in a storage jar. Cover and shake.

Method Whisk all ingredients together and store.

..................................................................................................................................................................................... Selena “REBEL GLAM” Dodson Author - “Love Yourself More”; “Meals and Ideas for Shape Shifters” Chef, Poet, Writer, Artist, Event Host, Self Love Advocate. “If ‘Glam’ is defined by society’s warped standards for beauty then I must be REBEL GLAM because I define myself as beautiful, with or without society’s permission.” - REBEL GLAM

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K I M B E R LY EPHRAIM Antigua & Barbudaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first regional Bikini Fitness Champion, lets us in on the reverie that keeps her motivated as she works toward a Pro Card.

WRITTEN BY KOELLE BOYCE / PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHOTOGRAPHFLAIR

ISSUE XII JUNE 2018. RETROFITMAG.COM

Kimberly Ephraim conjures up a vision of her future when she needs a little inspiration to reach her present goal. She has already had the honour of becoming Antigua & Barbuda’s first regional Bikini Fitness Champion, having copped first place in Bikini Fitness Class F at the 2016 Central American & Caribbean Championship. Now, she says she has her sights set on earning her Pro Card in her class and, pulling her towards that accomplishment is the thought of herself, decades into the future, “sitting on my verandah with a full head of grey hair, telling my grandkids of how awesome their grandma was back in her day.” 2011 2012 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 2016 2016 2016

Torturer’s Classic Figure Tall class Torturer’s Classic Bikini ABABWF Nationals Championship Bikini ABABWF Nationals Championship Bikini Central American & Caribbean Championship Bikini Class F ABABWF Nationals Championship Bikini Central American & Caribbean Championship Bikini Class F ABABWF Nationals Championship Bikini Central American & Caribbean Championship Bikini Class F Darcy Beckles Classic Bikini Tall class We can imagine her running through a long list of competitive outings, beginning with her first bodybuilding competition in 2011 – the Antigua and Barbuda Amateur Bodybuilding and Weightlifting Federation’s (ABABWF) National Championship, a show at which she never set foot on the stage but sat in the audience alternating between being impressed by “the ladies on stage all glammed up showcasing their hard work” and kicking herself for “not having given any serious consideration to all the not-so-gentle nudging I was receiving to try it out.” At that point, she might pause to explain that fellow members of the gym she attended at the time had tried to convince her to compete at that show. She will nod to each of those children seated at her feet that, yes, it’s true: sometimes people see potential in you before you see it in yourself. By the time she gets to the end of the list, she will have covered a string of local, regional and, she anticipates, international outings and, if she stays on her current track, the children will be amazed that she had always managed to place in the top three.

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That will be the perfect time to fill them in on just what it took to be in form for all of those events. She will resist the temptation to delve into the detail of how she and her coach worked out her diet – not by specifying what or when she should eat, but by allotting “a specified number of calories and macronutrient breakdown” that she would consume, however she chose, during a twentyfour hour period. Instead, she will settle for watching them roll their eyes, as she tells them about her diet of chicken breast, sweet potatoes and vegetables and will chuckle as they shudder at the thought of rice cakes and peanut butter as any kind of snack.

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Then she will let them into her little secret for keeping on track with a strict diet: sleep. Their incredulous stares will lead her to explain how, leading up to a show, her hours of sleep would “go up to as high as 10, maybe even 12, hours, if you count naps”. “Yes,” she will wink, “at a certain point in my preparations I [would] have to get to bed extremely early to avoid feeling hungry at the end of the night when [I would have] already had my allotted meals for the day. So I [would] sleep to escape the cravings to have a midnight snack.” She might pull out a few pictures, not just the ones of her in winners’ row, holding her trophies, but the ones she would have taken in between shows. If any of the children doubt her past awesomeness, those will definitely convince them. More importantly, though, she will use those photos to pass on a valuable lesson in motivating yourself towards a goal, explaining that she always aimed for progress – “being better than the last time I was on stage” – and how her strategy for getting over a bout of laziness or getting through an off day involved “going back to my old progress pics and working my way forward through the years, then [imagining] the changes I want to see”. This, she will insist, “always [helped] me to push through.” She will have to be careful, though, not to give them the impression that self-motivation is everything. Remembering her own early struggles, back when she “had not yet gotten a handle on the training and dieting technique that worked for me” and felt like she “was spinning my wheels”, she will let them know that, without that experience, “I would have never thought of seeking guidance from someone more knowledgeable”. That someone turned out to be Addingpins of Stackingplates.com. The name will raise a few eyebrows, so she will explain that she is referring to Annalisa D’Ornellas, who, in 2014, rescued her from two years of getting things more wrong than right, took her under her wing and eventually became her “very good friend and coach”. She will let them know how important it was to have had that support, not only from her trainer, but also from her family and friends. She will repeat her long-held conviction: “Believe it or not the people closest to you who truly love and care for you will always understand and support something you are passionate about”. Then she will tell them all about her “squad”, who were very understanding when it came to her strict diet and exercise regime and who became so used to her lifestyle that they wouldn’t “do a double take if they [saw] me pull a mini scale out of my handbag at the dinner table.”

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If they ask her how it felt to be her country’s first Bikini Fitness champion, she will keep it real. Most days, she will tell them, she managed to forget that there was a bull’s eye on her back, but at other times, she would “feel the pressure for sure”. That helped to keep her on her toes. She will recall telling herself: “There is no time to become self-absorbed and complacent… if I did it someone else can too so I have to stay dedicated and continuously work at improving on myself to have a fighting chance.” By then, they will be completely enthralled and beg for more stories, like the one about the time she wore the wrong cut of swimsuit to a show or how, in the beginning, she mistakenly believed that getting ready for a show meant doing “hours upon hours of cardio while consuming a menial amount of food.” She must remember not to get carried away. Any attempt to get up to demonstrate a jumping jack or do a squat will only send them scampering to warn their parents and break her perfect spell.

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JBC Nutrition can be contacted on (246) 827 2219. Owners, Jeremy and Nicola Brathwaite, are available to offer help and guidance with individual & personalized supplementation, helping to ‘Fuel the Athlete in You’. 40

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Fuel the Athlete in You about us We are the UK’s no 1 sports nutrition provider and in July 2017 we launched our first Caribbean branch in Barbados. Since then, JBC has rapidly become the fastest selling and largest brand on the island. You can find our store in the One Accord Plaza in Warrens and our products are also stocked in several gyms across the island. The JBC series offers a range of leading sports nutrition supplements, which have been designed and developed specifically for elite athletes to support them at all stages of their sporting endeavors. proven performance At JBC, our passion is sport and our products are backed and endorsed by some of the best athletes and clubs in the UK. We are dedicated to supplying products of the highest quality through regular LGC Testing, one of the world’s leading independent drug surveillance laboratories. LGC operates within the strict legislative standards of the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA). This has built trust and reassurance in the JBC brand amongst individuals and clubs alike that compete at elite level. The word is spreading fast and many athletes in Barbados are talking about the JBC brand. Individuals and clubs have become strong believers since beginning to use our products. Athletes from the BABBF are seeing remarkable results with JBC supplements and clubs such as the West Indies and the Barbados National Cricket Teams are avid supporters of the brand as the results have been proven and can be seen. IS THIS A FACT?? Bodybuilder, Alex Ifill, has become an avid believer in the brand, after seeing results in his body transformation and in his performance at the gym and on stage. West Indies Cricketer, Ron Hoyte, has seen remarkable improvement in his performance and recovery since switching to JBC. engineered for elite athletes; priced for you Our products are reasonably priced as we want our brand to be accessible to athletes; so you can get the highest quality supplements, developed for elite athletes, at affordable prices. We cater for athletes’ individual needs and our products are developed to cope with their demands. This ensures that athletes are getting exactly what they need to support them, helping them to maximize their professional performance, delay muscle fatigue and achieve faster recovery. Our Amino Pro was developed for Olympian Chris Walker–Hebborn to cope with his demand whilst training four hours a day, to avoid muscle breakdown.

ISSUE XII JUNE 2018. RETROFITMAG.COM

Barbadian Men’s Physique contender, Shane Massiah’s journey from 260lbs to 174lbs has been as much a mental as a physical challenge. We follow his mission to first discover, then peel away, the layers of labels that have been hiding his true potential.

“BORN THAT WAY A double-take in the mirror. Maybe even a triple. When you have made as much progress on your weight loss as Shane Massiah has, you could be forgiven for needing a little more time to believe that it’s really you staring back. Especially since it is a completely new image – not a version of yourself that you used to know but lost for a while. Literally, a brand new you that you barely even thought possible. For more than half his life, Shane had been able to reassure himself that there was no point in trying to be slim or trim. His mother had explained that, weighing in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces, he started life as a big baby. It was something in his genes, just the way he was. Add to that the two seizures that he suffered as a young child and the medicine prescribed for his recovery, which, his relatives believe, caused him to gain weight.

and left him dreading some everyday scenarios like “[making] phone calls to conduct business for myself”. Back then, he would have described himself as “introverted” and having “a very low selfesteem and little to no self-confidence”. It took the pulling and tugging of a few good friends to loosen a label that had been stitched so firmly into his psyche. During his final year at secondary school, a few of them convinced him to train with them at the gym at the National Stadium on evenings after school. Shane remembers, “After my first couple of weeks training, I was hooked on the gym.”

“HYPERTENSIVE So far, so good at the gym then? Not quite. Shane admits to having less-than-ideal eating habits from as far back as he can remember: “I was actually a picky eater; there weren’t many things I would eat but what I did eat was definitely not healthy. I ate a lot of fried foods, fried chicken and chips being one of my favourite dishes. I also indulged in many pastries, well, anything that was made with flour, my favourite being jam puffs and horse shoes, which I would eat by the twos.” Once he started working out regularly, he believed that (1) he could “eat whatever I felt like” and (2) he needed to “eat more to gain more muscle mass.” He sums up the result in six words: “My eating habits got even worse.”

SHANE MASSIAH

Now, that isn’t to say that Shane let his weight stop him from being a normal, active child. “In fact,” he makes the point, “I used to sneak out of the house while my parents were sleeping to WRITTEN BY KOELLE BOYCE / PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHOTOGRAPHFLAIR go and play cricket and With hindsight, he can see other games with my friends. Growing up, I was that the outcome was inevitable - he found himself very interested in cricket and I represented my gaining, instead of losing, weight. At the time, primary school.” Seeing his weight as a fact-of-life though, the link between his diet and his size was would eventually have an effect on his confidence not immediately apparent and he puts this down though. Sometimes, he would talk himself out of to “my lack of knowledge on basic nutrition”. He certain activities, believing that he was “too fat to starts by explaining, “I viewed dieting as giving up be involved”. Take that passion for cricket: “As I got all of your favourite foods and eating only meat to secondary school, my interest in the sport faded and salads, which I would try to do. But I wouldn’t in first form, because I could not make the school be able to complete two days without falling off team and it was made clear that the reason for the wagon. When I did fall off the diet wagon, I this was my size at the time.” But, believing that fell and kept rolling by indulging in the foods being overweight was not something he could I had missed for the two days...” He ends with a change, he didn’t fight for his passion. “Cricket shake of the head, “Ridiculous, I know.”Eventually, was the only sport I was interested in and to not though, he grew weary of the names and told have that opportunity to represent my school himself that things needed to change. That and develop my skill in the sport due to being thought turned into a firm decision when he overweight really crushed my spirit. After that, found himself threatened by yet another label. At I wasn’t really interested in sports of any kind.” age 23, he was diagnosed with hypertension. His He resigned himself to “[playing] cricket in my doctor prescribed medication, which he needed neighbourhood once in a while if my friends were to take every day. Perhaps even more than being playing.” hypertensive, he disliked the notion of himself as It was the same thinking that kept him from trying someone living on pills. to strike up a conversation with someone new

A JOURNEY FROM 260LBS TO 174LBS

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He links his first major weight loss – 30 pounds in the first three months – to his drive to be match-ready: “I remember it well because when I weighed in for my first amateur kick-boxing match, I weighed 231lbs.”

So, he tried to remove that particular label himself: “Eventually, I stopped using the medication because I am not a believer of having to take a pill every day and I definitely hate visiting the doctor unless I really have to.” His medical condition was, of course, a bit more sticky than that. “As time passed, I began to feel the effects of being hypertensive. I had constant headaches, always felt dizzy; I was forced to visit the doctor. I went in fully expecting to be put on medication once more but this doctor did not believe that I needed to be on medication. In fact, she told me that I should be able to control my condition through a healthy lifestyle and working out.” Offered the chance to live pill-free, Shane grabbed it with both hands and planned to paste it on hard. There was just one little thing….

“CARDIO HATER Shane needed to change his notion of ‘working out’. That meant coming to terms with another pre-conception he preferred to deny. In secondary school, when he first joined his friends at the gym, he admits, “My idea of cardio at that time was to walk on the treadmill for a maximum of ten minutes before I started with the weights. I absolutely detested doing any form of cardio.” Now, it was a necessity, so he found creative ways to build a sweat: “The forms of cardio I chose were sports-oriented because I still was not fond of the typical walking on the treadmill or riding a stationary bicycle. Instead I took up kick-boxing and, later, boxing…. It was from these two sports that I saw the most fat-loss.” Kick-boxing, in particular, gave Shane much more than he had bargained for. He began competing at an amateur level and what started out as an alternative way to do cardio soon became the end rather than the means. He links his first major weight loss – 30 pounds in the first 44

three months – to his drive to be matchready: “I remember it well because when I weighed in for my first amateur kickboxing match, I weighed 231lbs.” As he reasons, “in a full contact sport such as boxing or kick-boxing, of course your fitness levels had to be above average.” Ever more motivated, he found himself adjusting his target. “Originally my goal weight was to get to at least 220lbs. However, as time passed and I started to see my abdominal muscles taking form, my goal was to try to get that look that most fighters had; the lean, chiselled look.” From cardio-hater to competitive fighter. Of course, working out had to go handin-hand with healthy eating. Shane remembers: “My body had become accustomed to the amount of work I had been putting in and had plateaued. I literally could not add any more to my training because I was training every day and twice on some days. I still had trouble with the thought of not eating my favourite foods so what I did in the beginning was to cut back on the amount and the frequency of what I ate [instead of] totally changing what I ate. I would also reward myself with a larger meal at the end of the week.”

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;My body had become accustomed to the amount of work I had been putting in and had plateaued.

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“MR. BODYBUILDING AWESOME Shane has now has progressed to attracting a few new labels. He doesn’t mind hanging on to some of these recent nicknames. For instance, the younger children at his school have taken to calling him “Mr. Bodybuilding Awesome”. He admits, “I never thought that my transformation would have an influence on the students at school but it did. The students are always inquiring about my muscles. Common questions are: ‘Sir, how can I get big muscles like you?’ or ‘How did you get your muscles so big?” to which I would tell them, ‘You have to eat well and keep active’. Many of the students in my class have become interested in competing in the Inter-School Body Building Competition and have tried out for the team. Others have begun to eat healthier, bringing to school fruits and salad for snack and lunch.” Like his students, his family members and friends have also been inspired by his transformation and he has become their go-to guy for advice. He counts his mother, sister and brother among this group, as well as some of his close friends and school mates with whom he lost touch, but who have started getting in contact with him for tips. Another title he can definitely live with is “competitive bodybuilder”. He surprised himself with his own determination to earn this one during a chance conversation with his father after he had resumed training seriously at the gym. “One day my dad asked me, ‘Why do you train so hard? Do you plan on competing in bodybuilding?’ and, without hesitation, I told him, ‘Yes, I plan on competing.’” That self-assurance seemed outof-character in that moment, but on reflection Shane found that he had been piling it on as fast as he had been shedding the weight. Once he had got his hypertension under control through exercise, he remembers, “I began to feel more confident in myself and it wasn’t due to the whole ‘I am looking better so I feel better about myself’; it was more [a case] of, ‘I put my mind to it and got it done’. Next on his to-do list? Refining that title of competitor into one that reads “Men’s Physique Champion”.

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Trinidadian National Physique Committee (NPC) Bikini Fitness Athlete, Tiffany Faublas,makes an annual visit to Barbados to get her pump on â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that sweat-breaking, sweetly satisfying, soca-induced kind of high. Between the fetes and Grand Kadoooment, she finds some time to answer a few of our questions.

Tiffany Faublas

An Interview w/

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHOTOGRAPHFLAIR

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GETTING STARTED AND GETTING ON STAGE

How did you get started in bodybuilding/ fitness? TF: The beginning of 2013 was an emotionally draining period due to personal and work situations. Day in and day out, the social, outgoing Tiffany everyone knew was constantly waking up and going to bed in tears – feeling unappreciated, belittled, and overall depressed. I needed a kick-start in my life and met a trainer whom I assisted with marketing her business. You see, for almost 3 years, my weakness was never saying “No!” and always being the last to leave work (at times 3 hours later than the end of the workday). Well, that just wasn’t going to work anymore with a 5:30 p.m. training session. It took some time but I then felt the joy of the clock striking 5:00p.m. It didn’t mean “YES! I’m out of here.” For me it was a sigh of relief; time to get in my zone and meet others who were on the path to living and loving a fit lifestyle. Do you train outside of the gym? What do you do? TF: Plyo! Plyo! Plyo! If it’s not fun, then why do it? I see quick results doing drills and utilizing my own body weight. Sprinting up hills, jump squats, various lunges and beach workouts, which are great for resistance. How long had you been training before you did your first show? TF: 5 months.

having body image issues. The only time I wore anything close to a bikini was during Carnival because I imagined myself taking on a different persona. But [I discovered that] my body had another layer. With each week of working out, self-love, empowerment, and the realization that she could DO better, HAVE better, and NEEDED better were becoming ever more a part of her life. From attending shows and seeing competitors, I thought “Why not?!” and gave it a shot. Why did you choose to do the Bikini Class? TF: My coach at the time figured that my personality would fit more with Bikini. What was the most surprising thing about competing in the NPC? TF: I didn’t have many expectations moving forward with this journey. I think the post-competition eating was the most surprising to me. Water weight is an interesting concept. What do you enjoy the most about the Bikini Fitness division? TF I enjoyed the flair and sass. What are your top three tips for contest prep? TF: Pick a show Be in the right mind-set Stick to the plan (meals and workouts).

What made you decide to do that first show? TF: I honestly never saw this world of fitness. I wish someone had introduced me to it a long time ago, but it came when it was supposed to. I grew up 49

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TRAINING

NUTRITION

What does your weekly training schedule look like? TF: During my bikini prep I trained 3 times a day (5 times a week) a month prior to competition: Morning fasted cardio for 15 minutes, then weight training. 45 minutes of cardio during lunch. Weight training after work. Bootcamp on Saturday mornings.

What does your diet look like when you are trying to get lean? TF: Breakfast: 2 eggs or 1/4cup of oatmeal. 1 rice cake with fruit.

Give us a sample of your leg work out. TF: To tone up my legs I like to do my “500” which consists of 100 reps of squats, leg presses, deadlifts, leg extensions, and leg curls. It’s a complete burnout but the results are amazing. Utilizing the Stairmaster for 30 minutes afterwards brought it all in. What kind of cardio do you like best and why? TF: While sprinting is indeed the most beneficial, the aches just outweigh the benefit. Using a spin bike is the most fun for me. It allows for an intense workout and a full body workout. I like transitioning between resistance. With a good soca mix, my 45-min workout can develop a puddle of sweat! What are your top two tips to stay motivated at the gym? TF: 1. Soca – I do not know what I would do without it. Many times it serves as my pre-workout. 2. Accountability – Whether it’s a trainer or a friend, knowing that your time affects someone else’s time puts a level of responsibility on you. It made me want to go just knowing that I didn’t have to do it alone. What are some of the biggest training mistakes that you have made? TF: 1. Lack of stretching leading to immobility. 2. Insufficient water intake leading to cramping. 3. Inadequate sleep leading to inefficient recovery time. 52

Lunch: 4oz chicken with 4oz sweet potato. 4oz fish with 4oz sweet potato. Dinner 4oz chicken with greens. 4oz fish with greens. Favourite cheat food? TF: A burger with all the fixings. Do you take any supplements? TF: A multi-vitamin. What do your pre- and post-workout meals comprise? TF: Currently …. Pre: 6oz of beef or chicken with a baked sweet potato and a cup of green vegetables Post: 6oz chicken with a cup of green vegetables. Tell us about your biggest bodybuilding/ fitness influence? TF: Carnival was my ultimate influence until I began to love the person I was becoming. Now my physique is crafted depending on how I feel or the goal I want to achieve - mean and lean, soft and curvy… Who has your favourite physique in the fitness industry? TF: Latorya Watts. What does the future hold for you? TF: I intend to move forward on accomplishing my goal to compete as a figure competitor. This is going to be exciting! If you could give somebody only one fitness tip, what would it be? TF: Do it for you!

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Competition History 2013 Dayana Cadeau Classic 2013 Florida Gold Cup 2014 Diamond Classic 2014 Bill Wilmore Classic 2014 NPC Southern Classic 53

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TONYA NERO WRITTEN BY KOELLE BOYCE PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHOTOGRAPHFLAIR

If, as a stranger, you venture up to Maracas, Trinidad on a sunny, midweek afternoon, coast along the winding roads and through the still, sleepy atmosphere, then suddenly stop your car at one of the bends in the road for two, maybe three minutes, before starting up to get going again, you will probably be followed by amused eyes and assumed to be a lost would-be hiker.

NATIONAL RECORDS 2011 5000m - 16:01.69 10,000m - 33:11.71 2012 Half Marathon - 1:15:13 Marathon - 2:43:14

Maracas Valley welcomes visitors to follow the trails that lead to the Maracas Waterfall, Trinidad’s highest fall. If, like us, you’re not a hiker, and are searching instead for its star longdistance runner, Tonya Nero, chances are you won’t be lost for long. The family is well known in these parts. Tonya comes from a long line of runners that stretches back to her grandmother and includes aunts, uncles and her mother and father who were both accomplished enough to earn athletic scholarships to Jackson State University, Mississippi, where they met. If you get to her house and find her cooking or baking, or even doing someone’s hair, it means she can spare some time to chat, or show you her impressive medal collection, starting with her first prized piece, earned after completing the NEMWIL Schools’ 5K at age nine. If you find her mopping or dusting, then better to arrange to return some other day, as it’s likely to mean she is getting into her zone for an upcoming race. Tonya is known for cleaning the house furiously as a means of calming her nerves.

But chances are you won’t meet her there at all. She may be out training for an upcoming event - either on her local track or overseas (she has previously trained in the US). Among her extensive range of distances – “I run the 3000m, 5000m, 10000m, half marathon, marathon and any other distances in between those” – Tonya’s favourite, by far, is the marathon. She describes it as a passion: “It is not my most competitive race but it’s the one that has captured my heart.” As with all passions, it has not been without its pain. We’re not talking about the sacrifice of gruelling training or disciplined eating, which Tonya takes in the stride you would expect from someone who, from age five, would watch her mother prepare for races and eventually start training with her siblings. But imagine missing out on your longheld dream of representing your country in the Olympic Marathon by a mere 14 seconds. Tonya recalls the disappointment of the 2012 Rotterdam Marathon, when she had hoped to qualify for that year’s Olympic Games. Pushing past that setback, she says, “That experience has motivated me to keep working hard to accomplish my dream.” It is definitely still within sight. In 2016, she pulled off an astonishing defeat of two Canadian Olympians, Lanni Marchant and Natasha Wodak, beating them to the finish line at the Barbados Marathon in December. In 2017, she followed that up with victory at the UWI Half Marathon, second place at the NACAC Half Marathon Championships and Run Barbados 10k, third place at the Run Barbados Half Marathon, and first place at the Plaza 10k in Kansas City.

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DIET FOR THE DISTANCE I do not have a set diet but I make sure to eat foods that are nutritious and beneficial to my body. My competition diet usually consists of pasta, chicken, and a garden salad or ground provision with salt fish. The week of a race, my mileage goes down and my carbohydrate intake goes up. 55

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Her Olympic dream keeps her focused and motivated to train. Tonya says she sets herself a specific goal each day. On some days, though, she faces an extra difficulty: “The biggest challenge I’ve had to overcome is running with asthma. It can be very challenging at times, mainly because I don’t know when it would act up.” That potential handicap is outweighed by what Tonya considers a significant advantage: her genes. She is very clear that her skill as a long-distance runner is a special gift, an acknowledgement that has propelled her further in the sport. “Running came naturally,” she says. “My family always did well at the sport… I’ve always wanted to run long distance. The more I competed, the more I realized that I had a talent and I fell in love with it.” That sense of being blessed commits her to always do her best and to appreciate every aspect of her journey in the sport, an approach that she recommends to all runners: “You have to love it to get the most out of it. Treasure all the steps you take and all the memories that come with it. Some days are going to be harder than others, but do the best you can. If you fall down, get back up and start walking until you can run again.”

2008 2009

2010

2011

2012,2013,2014 2015,2016 2013,2015

RACE HISTORY Cross Country - 4th Place Six-time NJCAA All American (Outdoor 1500m) - 8th Place Outdoor 5000m - 3rd Place Outdoor 10,000m - 3rd Place Indoor 3000m - 7th Place Indoor 5000m - 3rd Place NCAA All American (Cross Country) Missouri Valley Conference Champion (Cross Country) Indoor Mile Indoor 5k Outdoor 5k Outdoor 10k NCAA Second-Team All American (Indoor 5k) - 13th Place Indoor Mile Outdoor 10k NCAA All American (Outdoor 10,000m) - 7th Place Outdoor 1500m Trinidad and Tobago Female Road Runner of the Year Trinidad and Tobago Female Cross Country Athlete of the Year

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. e ir f e h t n i t s o l e r a n e m o w e ” . t i m o m o “S r f t l i u b e r a n e m Som e wlle oK. - Mic h e

Bermuda’s Bikini Beauty IFBB Pro Kai Miller WRITTEN BY MONICA TEIXEIRA

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When Bermudian bikini athlete Kai Miller first started training and competing she felt way outside her comfort zone. This lifestyle was completely new to her, having never been involved in any type of sports or fitness training beforehand. In fact, she originally had no idea she would ever step on stage, she had simply started training with Carmichael Bryan at Positive Results gym on a recommendation from her former co-worker and friend, Kimberley Cumberbatch. “I had never been involved in any type of physical activities before, so this lifestyle was a bit of a shock to me. To be honest I wasn’t even interested in competing at first, but my coach Carmichael saw my potential and encouraged me to give it a try and I guess you could say it all worked out!” All worked out being an understatement, as Kai has made history as Bermuda’s very first IFBB Bikini Pro. Having never trained as an athlete or had to follow a nutrition protocol before, Kai had a huge learning curve ahead of her when she first started competing. “Everything about my journey was challenging in the beginning but once I started to see results, I began to love the process. Every now and then I still have my low moments, and when I do I just try to visualize my goals and what I am working so hard for.” Since gracing the stage the first time at the Bermuda Night of Champions in 2014 Kai has enjoyed a very successful stage career within the Caribbean circuit before winning her IFBB Pro card at the Ben Weider Legacy Cup in Toronto. The prestigious Legacy cup brought top notch athletes from around the globe and was the biggest stage Kai has stepped on to date. “I was a bit nervous but confident at the same time because I had worked very hard. I had improved physically since winning Ms. Bikini Bermuda and I had polished my stage presentation - practice is everything!” The reigning Bermudian bikini queen left quite an impression in Canada with her elegant stage presence and trademark glutes. “I think what really set me apart from the rest was my overall symmetry and presentation. I tried very hard to showcase my physique as professional, classy, and graceful and tried to bring my own unique style and personality with me on stage. I really think staying authentic to who I am helped me stand out.”

Originally Kai was supposed to compete 4 weeks prior at CAC, which was understandably cancelled due to the earthquakes in Mexico. Luckily opportunity in the form of the Legacy Cup presented itself, but this did mean an additional four weeks of training for a show she didn’t expect. “I believe everything happens for a reason and while I was disappointed about not going to CAC, the Legacy Cup was absolutely everything I could have hoped for. The show was well run and organized, and I met so many wonderful athletes. While I didn’t expect to be preparing for the stage an additional four weeks, I didn’t really think about it. I just focused on one meal, training session, or day at a time. I believe that’s what it means to be an athlete, to continue on despite the obstacles in your journey. Life will always throw something in your way but if it’s important to you, you will make it happen. This means having a lot of discipline, dedication, commitment, and willingness to make sacrifices.” Kai has most certainly left her mark within the bikini division and become a fierce competitor. She stands as a testament of hard work and chasing your dreams no matter where your starting point is. “Looking back at myself before I started training, I never would have thought I would one-day step on stage or that I would have found continued success within the sport. But I truly am proud of how far I’ve come and I would love to see others pursue their dreams of competing. If you’re thinking about stepping on stage just do it! Find yourself a trainer that will keep it 100% honest with you about every aspect of your journey and stay consistent. And for all my ladies interested in the bikini division specifically, utilize tools such as You tube to get an idea on how to present yourself on stage and practice walking in those heels regularly (it’s harder than it looks!).” The future is bright for Bermuda’s latest and greatest IFBB Pro Kai Miller, “I am currently looking to make my first pro debut in 2018 and cannot wait to step on stage again! Lastly, I would just like to express my thanks to all the people who have supported me during my journey to the pro ranks. First of all, I give praises to GOD for allowing me to reach this far. Secondly, to my mother for helping me with prep and taking the time to understand my journey. To the Bermuda Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation thank you for giving me the opportunity to represent my country internationally. To Positive Results and Sergio White (owner) big thanks for all the support you have given me and the countless other athletes who come through your doors every day. To my extended fitness family and ‘Body on Fire’ crew your support and endless words of encouragement keep me motivated to continue chasing my dreams. To Danielle Skeete, a very special young lady, you have been very helpful in every aspect of my journey and big thank you to you as well. Last but not least if the fire chief himself the GREAT IFBB PRO MAKER Barbadian Carmichael Bryan, for all that you have done for me from the very beginning until now- THANK YOU! I couldn’t have done it without your guidance, patience, selflessness, and honesty. Forever grateful. Fireeee!!!”

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