Bodybuilders work hard
What’s the hardest part of her body to work? Her brain. Bodybuilder Diana Dumas said overcoming exhaustion and tired limbs takes willpower some just don’t have.
Diets, weights and motivation become a part of everyday life, Dumas said.
“Not everyone can do bodybuilding. It’s a lot of work,” she said Saturday at the 2012 Fouad Abiad Open — a Windsor competition that judges bodybuilding, muscularity, body condition, stage presence and personality.
The 45- year- old Dumas hasn’t competed in a competition since 1998 but said this year she felt like the contest was calling her.
For almost two months prior to the contest, Dumas cut dairy, salt and sugar from her diet. She trains two hours a day, lifting weights for one and doing cardio for the other.
She eats half a cup of oatmeal in the morning, six ounces of chicken, half a cup of white rice, half a cup of broccoli, two protein shakes throughout the day and a tablespoon of peanut butter at night.
Dumas said the hardest part of her diet is eating flavourless food. To cope, she adds mustard. A lot of it.
“I don’t know how many jars of mustard I bought. Every time I went to the store people would stare at me carrying all this mustard.”
“People think there’s something wrong with you,” said Paul Lauzon, who promotes the show with professional bodybuilder Fouad Abiad, and has been competing in the industry for 21 years. “I think a lot of people think that bodybuilders are very vain people because it’s a selfish sport, but to excel at it you have to have that selfish kinds of outlook. I think people don’t realize how much dedication and discipline goes into this sport because it’s everyday. There’s no off-season.”
Dumas said the month before competition is emotional.
“You kind of isolate yourself. You can’t go out, you can’t drink, you can barely keep your relationship alive.”
But despite the episodes of tears and wanting to quit, Dumas finds the end result worth the effort.
She said being in the best shape of her life is her reward.
“That’s the reward I think because from that you might continue it as a lifestyle,” said the 114-pound brunette who had not drunk water for the past 35 hours.
Sometimes bodybuilders dehydrate themselves a few days before a competition to show maximum muscle definition.
This is the second year in a row Lauzon and Abiad have put on the Windsor show. More than 70 competitors and a crowd in the hundreds attended the Chrysler Theatre Saturday for the one-day event.
The two Windsorites also work as trainers at Lifestyle Family Fitness on Central Avenue. For information, go to fouadabiadopen.com.