Slim pickings build rewards
JILL Futcher’s flex-appeal hasn’t come without commitment and a very disciplined, if not bland, diet.
The Geelong bodybuilder ate only chicken and lettuce for a month before last weekend’s national bodybuilding championships, but her sacrifice paid off.
Ms Futcher, 47, won the over-52kg physique award and was runner-up in the overall Miss Australia Bodybuilding title.
‘‘I’m really happy. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet but I’ve got plans to get better and go back again next year,’’ she said.
That means another year of what Ms Futcher described as a difficult training regime requiring much dedication.
‘‘The diet and lifestyle are fairly restrictive and it’s hard to socialise when you can’t eat and drink much,’’ the mother of one said.
‘‘I ate lettuce and chicken for breakfast, lunch and dinner . . . it’s a bland and boring diet.’’
Ms Futcher said she had been desperate for a cafe latte but managed to hold out until after the contest.
‘‘ We didn’t finish the drug testing until 10.30pm, and by the time we found somewhere to eat, I could only get a pizza,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s something I wouldn’t normally eat, but it was quite nice.’’
‘I ate lettuce and chicken for breakfast, lunch and dinner . . . it’s a bland and boring diet’
– JILL FUTCHER
The event included posing displays to assess the symmetry of competitors’ bodies and one- minute routines to music.
‘‘I used Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer . . . it was choreographed so I could go through all the different poses to show off my muscles,’’ Ms Futcher said.
The Alcoa shiftworker took up bodybuilding about two years ago, having previously concentrated on cardio exercises.
‘‘I just started training at a gym and I noticed that I gained muscle fairly easily,’’ she said.
‘‘I enjoyed the sport, so I decided to have a crack at a competition.’’
Ms Futcher said she trained four times a week and enjoyed meeting people who lived a similar lifestyle.
‘‘ It’s something really positive that you can put a lot of energy into,’’ she said.
‘‘I work long hours but I make sure I have the time to do it, because it’s really enjoyable.’’