Taylor Hannon
thannon@uwyo.edu
What would it be like to stand on stage in your bikini and let a bunch of people judge you based on how you look?
Andra Zimmerman, senior studying psychology at the University of Wyoming, knows this exact feeling.
Zimmerman had been training for about six months for a body building competition in Cheyenne this past Saturday.
Her body building desire came from her mother’s trainer, Dan when he said he would only let Zimmerman’s mother join a competition if Zimmerman herself joined as well. Zimmerman said her first thought after being told to enter a body building competition was, “I can do this? This isn’t like an Arnold Schwarzenegger only invite?”
For the past four months Zimmerman had been on a strict diet that seemed to change every week.
To ease her into this lifestyle during her first month of dieting in July, she was given one free meal a day in addition to her required diet of egg whites and oats in the morning and chicken and fish for lunch and dinner.
With 12 weeks until the competition Zimmerman wasn’t given her free meal anymore and instead just chicken, fish and a lot of weigh protein and oats.
Zimmerman said the week leading up to the competition was different; all carbs were taken away until the Thursday before. She was given fewer meals and more carbs during the weekend, mostly rice cakes, Zimmerman said. Zimmerman was required to drink two gallons of water a day and less meals as the week continued.
Zimmerman said it was really hard at first but the diet was easier to stick with when her personal trainer was always on her.
Her workout routine created by her trainer in preparation for the competition consisted of working two muscles a day five times a week.
Zimmerman said the day of the competition was very hectic.
Six months of preparation were condensed into just two minutes of stage time.
“You are willingly subjecting yourself to someone else’s judgment, which is something that our society doesn’t really approve of,” Zimmerman said, claiming her experience as intimidating.
Zimmerman said she found it unfair that the judge’s opinion had to matter more than anyone else’s.
Zimmerman was in the bikini section of the competition and instead of being judged on her appearance, Zimmerman said it felt like the competition leaned more towards who could act better versus who actually looked better.
“I know I looked better than half the girls on the stage,” Zimmerman explained.
Zimmerman said after this experience she doesn’t know if she will participate in a competition again, but said she intends on staying fit and looking good.
Zimmerman said she doesn’t know what the judges were looking for and that she can’t be something she doesn’t know.
Although Zimmerman didn’t enjoy the experience much, she feels the involvement has taught her discipline and self-control.
“The idea that you can work out five times a week and stick to this type of diet is a huge measure of self-control,” Zimmerman said.
Another perk Zimmerman found through training for the competition was having the self-control to sit down and study.
Zimmerman said the experience has also helped her stay extremely healthy, no matter how hard it was for her to watch her friends eat pizza and cookies, she never gave into the temptation.
“I love carbs, but I never felt like quitting was an option,” Zimmerman exclaimed.
Zimmerman said anyone who is considering bodybuilding should try it.
“[Bodybuilding] gives people a sense of community,” Zimmerman said. “Everyone is friendly because they know what you have been through.”
Zimmerman said despite the majority of men in bodybuilding, she didn’t let the fact she is a woman discourage her from becoming the best she could be.
Now that the competition is over Zimmerman intends to continue lifting, but said she will probably only lift three times a week due to the stress of school.
