A Brisbane woman who gave birth just 12 months ago is set to compete for one of the world’s most prestigious body building titles, Miss Olympia.
Alicia Gowans stormed the field at the recent Queensland and Australian International Natural Bodybuilding Association events, finishing as state and national winner in the Fitness category.
“It was so out of my comfort zone, the 33-year-old said of competing for the first time in May this year,” she said.
“The concept of ‘you’ve just given birth, in four months you’re going to be onstage in front of thousands of people in a g-string bikini’ is daunting.”
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Ms Gowans always had a focus on health and fitness, which only increased three years ago when she turned her back on the corporate world to open her Design Your Body training studio in Camp Hill.
“I went from monkey suits to sweat pants ... I wanted to get more balance back into my life and focus on what was important, like family,” she said.
But Ms Gowans had never competed in an organised bodybuilding tournament.
The goal was set in the lead-up to the birth of her second child in September 2012, and after eight weeks off with new daughter, Calla, Gowans incorporated regular training back into her routine.
“It was really important to me to show my clients what could be achieved, and that I was practising what I was preaching with them,” she said.
Bitten by the bodybuilding bug, she increased her training for the state and national competitions on September 28 and October 6, where she ended up with the title of Miss Fitness Australia.
Now she is looking for sponsors to help raise the $5000 needed to get to San Diego to compete in the Miss Olympia contest from November 7-10.
“To go and represent Australia is one of the most amazing things that any athlete could hope to achieve, but unfortunately in this sport you have to pay for it yourself,” she said.
Ms Gowans said bodybuilding was becoming more popular due to a renewed focus on healthy lifestyles and strength.
“It’s all about getting to understand the body – how best to nurture it, how to feed it, how to train it, how to let it recover in a way that completely changes the way that you look,” she said.
“It’s quite amazing to wake up week by week towards the end of a comp process with incredible, dramatic changes in the physique, and that’s really cool.”
Alicia Gowans s top three tips for would-be body builders:
Nutrition
“The more prepared that you are with your meals and what youre about to eat, the better the result you will get. Nutrition is responsible for a very large portion of the results that youre going to achieve.”
Training
“Find a really good coach or trainer to work with someone that is credible and knows their stuff.”
Support network
“You really need to be open with family and friends about your goals; enlist them to support your journey, because it is a journey and it doesn’t happen overnight. Otherwise it becomes quite lonely and hard.”
