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Interview With Natalie Waples

The Questions

Q:: What drives you and keeps you motivated to stay on track, workout hard, and eat healthy?



A:: Feeling healthy and fit is primordial to me — if I am feeling lousy it is usually because I have neglected my body either in terms of training or nutrition.  I have been very conscious of being athletic and eating well since a young age, so really it is a state of mind for me.



Q:: What advice do you have for anyone looking to get started in Body (body what?) competitions & earn their Pro card?



A:: The first step is watching a show to see which category you admire most and also which suits your body type.  Various organizations have pro or elite levels of qualification, however if you want to win an IFBB Pro card, you need to do so via the approved national amateur governing body (provincial organizations and NPC in the USA).  Just getting on stage is enough for some people and others want to make competing pat of their life, so it depends on your perspective, priorities, etc.



Q:: When did you decide bodybuilding was the life for you?



A:: I started competing in fitness modeling and figure in 2005 and have never looked back.  I’ve met amazing people, travelled the world, and been published in over 40 magazines to date, so for me it has given me a whole other life outside of my regular line of work and an avenue to pursue fitness. 



Q:: What made you decide to compete in your first comp?



A:: I had seen a poster for the Canadian FAME organization and thinking I may have what it takes for fitness modeling, convinced my sister to travel with me to Miami to compete in the FAME Sunshine State competition. I placed 3rd and I was hooked!

See Her Photos

Q:: What do you think is your sexiest body part?



A:: I think having a genuine, healthy smile is what people notice first about me. Looks and bodies age with time, but I think projecting a genuine smile will always be sexy.



Q:: Which female celebrity body do you admire the most?



A:: I’ve always been a fan of pro volleyball player Gabrielle Reece (I loved volleyball growing up and also coached Gabrielle’s cousin Amanda through her first figure competition!). Gabrielle is athletic, professional and seems to be well balanced when it comes to balancing sport and family. That is what I strive for.



Q:: What is your goal as an IFBB Pro – not just this show but in general?



A:: My goal as a professional athlete is two fold. An an athlete I hope to compete at the Olympia against the best in my sport. As a consultant and trainer I strive to help as many people as possible become fit, healthy, motivated individuals.



Q:: How long do you plan to participate in competitions for?



A:: I think I will compete until I decide to have a family, and then would most likely return when my kids are old enough, and when I feel I cannot be away from the industry any longer.



Q:: What lead you into the gym and on the path to earning your pro card?



A:: I originally started weight training as part of the program for my varsity cheerleading squad. We were required to training with weights three times a week and I’ve never stopped training since. I was a skinny kid so being able to shape my body through muscular development and conditioning was a ray of light for an otherwise ‘scrawny’ me.



Q:: How many competitions have you competed in?



A:: 25 — 8 of which were IFBB Pro shows



Q:: What is the most memorable part of your career?



A:: I have two. When I won my class on the international stage at the 2008 Arnold Amateur Figure Championships, and then again later that year when I beat out 120 other women across 6 height classes to win my pro card at the IFBB North American Figure Championships in 2008.



Q:: Did your life change when you became an IFBB pro?



A:: Winning a pro card had been a dream of mine since I started competing in the Ontario Physique Association (feeder for CBBF and IFBB) in 2006 so yes being able to call myself a professional athlete in an organization that is recognized worldwide was a huge step for me.



Q:: Do you listen to music when you work out and if so what’s on your iPod to get you amped?



A:: I always do when I am not working with my on-site trainer. I cannot stand being interrupted during a set so the music helps me focus and deters others from coming over when I am in the middle of an exercise. I love anything by David Guetta, Eminem, Jay Z and Kanye.



Q:: You’re one of Nutrabolics’ main athletes. Does that help motivate you or add more pressure to your
contest prep?



A:: I think it does both. As a sponsored athlete for Nutrabolics and the spokes model for Hemodrene for Her, it is important for me to showcase a conditioned, healthy physique at events and while competing. The company supports me as an athlete and I make the best effort possible to represent them in a professional manner at all times.



Q:: Many bodybuilders don’t have sponsorships. What do you feel is your best asset that keeps you on the
Nutrabolics’ roster?



A:: I think that being a Canadian athlete and Canada’s Top Ranked IFBB Figure Pro is a factor (as they are a Canadian company) as well as my active participation in industry events on their behalf, as well as recommending their products to my own clients as well. I also write blogs for them regularly and promote their products wherever possible.



Q:: What Nutrabolics’ product can you simply not live without?



A:: There are so many! I use Vitabolic, Hemodrene for Her, Glutabolic, Anabolic Window, Hemorush, Fighter’s Food and Isobolic regularly. If I had to pick just one it would be a toss up between the best fat loss product ever Hemodrene for Her (accelerated fat loss minus the jitters!!!) and Cinnamon Oatmeal Isobolic, as I supplement fairly heavily with whey protein.



Q:: What can your fans look forward to for 2011?



A:: I plan on competing in Louisiana, California and Toronto at the IFBB Pro Figure shows in May and June of this year in hopes of attaining an Olympia Qualification and I am also working on several new endorsement activities, one of which being the sponsored athlete and spokes model for Florida-based Sunlove Athletics. I am also in talks with Skechers to become a Skechers Brand Ambassador. I also have several magazine features coming out this year in Oxygen Magazine, Inside Fitness and others, and will of course be representing Nutrabolics at all the key industry events.


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