Nia enters a new world at 63
NIA Ceidiog is wellknown as a presenter, producer and director but she enters a completely new world when she agrees to compete in a bodybuilding competition.
Dim Ond Rhif (Only a Number), on Tuesday, January 9, follows her journey as she prepares to step on to this new stage.
A 63-year-old grandmother, Nia is among the oldest female competitors, with most of them 20 years her junior, and she’s certainly one of the oldest competing for the first time.
“I was looking for a new challenge and at the same time I was intrigued by the idea of body-building because it was a field I knew nothing about,” says Nia.
“I strongly believe in venturing into a world that’s new to you – because you never know what will come from it.
“I don’t see why I should stop – I really don’t want to stop having new experiences and whatever I’m doing, I’ll give it 100%.”
The programme follows her journey for a year from when she first enters a gym in Cardiff and as she faces many challenges, including increasing the number of calories she eats every day and starting to eat meat and drink milk for the first time in years.
Having overcome these practical obstacles, Nia continues to work towards her first competition in Birmingham.
Nia says, “The training was a very mixed experience. I was fairly strong when we started but the heavy weights were a shock to the system.
“My preconceptions about body-building were wrong – it’s a sport and the people taking part are athletes, whether they’re competing or not. It’s a combination of sport and art and of hard work and creativity – that’s what appealed to me.”
The programme presents an inspirational and emotional story that showcases Nia’s determination and perseverance as she works hard to achieve her goal. It will inspire you to try something different and to give it your all.
Nia adds: “I learnt so much along the way. I know now that I can push myself more.
“Unless you try, you don’t know what you can achieve.
“As you get older you begin to think negatively and start saying, ‘I can’t do that’. But my line after achieving this is, ‘I can and I will’ – I’ve proved that’s possible and I’m already wondering, ‘What’s next?’”
Dim Ond Rhif is on S4C on Tuesday, January 9 at 9.30pm (English subtitles).