Chris Gurunlian
I always wanted to compete. After stepping on stage for the very first time, I fell in love with the sport and I have been competing ever since.
Alex Liska
Do it for fun.You train super hard all year round so you deserve to showcase your hard work on stage and feel proud! Don't do a show expecting to place high cause you never know what the judges are looking for, so just try your best and have a great ti
Alicia Neasmith
Fitness Model
What do you call a 5'8 130 pound competitive fitness model, full time student, personal trainer, life guard, and supplement rep. Who has recently conquered two first place finishing’s at the Fitness and Model expo (Fame) Eastern Canadian Championships in the fitness model and bikini model division, where she earned her pro card?
Believe it or not this stunning beauty is nicknamed the "beast". Alicia earned the moniker by the way she trains in the gym, you can definitely believe with a moniker like that Alicia can definitely hold her own with the big boys.
Why Compete?
After swimming and playing soccer at the national level for 6 years I tore multiple ligaments in my knee. The rehab brought me into the weight room for the first time and from the second the iron touched my fingertips i was hooked!
I got my personal training certification and learned as much as I could about training and nutrition, but I missed the thrill of competition. I had bulked up quite a bit, a little too much for my liking, at my heaviest I was 160 pounds, but I was strong! I thought about competing in power lifting instead.
Only in January 2007 did I start training more for bodybuilding/ fitness modeling. I had built a strong foundation of muscle in a very short period of time but never thought I would stand a chance in a fitness modeling competition; the shoes and the glam were not my forte. It just wasn’t me, I had always been too busy training and competing in sports to think about this stuff! But I decided to give it a try, and over the course of 3 months I learned how to pose, hold myself and walk the walk and I loved it!
Most Notable Competition History
Fame WNSO Eastern Canadian Championships April 21st 2007: 1st place fitness model
Fame WNSO Eastern Canadian Championships April 21st 2007 : 1st place bikini model and Pro Card
Fame WNSO Maggie Diabauldo Classic May 6th 2007 : 2nd place fitness model
Fame WNSO Canadian National Championships June 9th 2007: Awarded an honorary Pro Card in the Fitness Model category (I was unable to complete the competition due to illness)
MVP Quest June 16th 2007: 3rd Place
What was your most memorable moment while competing?
At my very first competition on April 21st, 2007 at the Fame Eastern Canadian Championships. I wasn’t even expecting to make top 10 looking around at all the beautiful women on stage with me. I had no idea what to expect…and then when the judges announced that I had placed first in both my categories and won my pro card I was shocked, I actually thought they had made some sort of mistake; I couldn’t believe it! And…I just can’t leave this out; that first glorious sip of water after the judging was over!
What word of advice would you give to any inspiring competitor?
Make sure you love what you are doing, or else why are you doing it? I like to live by these words; you never know how much you can do until you try and do more than you think you can. Competing is one of the hardest things I’ve ever tried; you have to be disciplined not just in the gym but 24 hours a day with your nutrition, that’s why so few people actually make it to the stage. And when show day is over, be proud of what you have accomplished no matter what you placed; what you have done is extraordinary and you are an inspiration to many!
Describe your first time on stage.
I was shaking like a leaf in my 5 inch heels! I thought my legs were going to collapse at first, but after a few callouts on stage I started to relax and I loved every minute of it, and wanted to stay on for longer!
What would you like to say to those women out there who avoid weight training like the plague in fear they may get too bulky.
This question drives me crazy; I get it all the time. Women don’t naturally produce nearly enough testosterone (the dominant male hormone) to gain “bulky muscles”. If picking up heavy weights made a woman bulky…let’s just say I would look like the incredible Hulk.
What does your training routine look like?
I am a training maniac…I train pretty much every single day often twice a day unless for some reason I can’t make it to the gym or I am sick. I have never followed one of those strict training splits like the 3 days on, one day off type; I go by how I feel. I like to focus on one body part at a time and blast it from every single angle! I will hit the body parts that I feel are lagging behind twice a week. I get asked what my training split is all the time and my response is usually this; I train what is not sore! But I always make sure to give each muscle group 4-7 days to recover from the last training session.
I do 12 to 24 sets for each body part… here is an example of my current training split:
Day 1: Hams/Calves
Day 2: Shoulders/Lats/Traps
Day 3: Chest/Tri’s
Day 4: Off
Day 5: Quads/Back
Day 6: Shoulders/Calves
Day 7: Bi’s/ Tri’s
On my off days I will usually train abs and do some form of cardio. I train abs about 3 times per week. During contest prep this year I would do low intensity cardio for 45 minutes every morning and 30 minutes post workout. But next season I am going to try and minimize the cardio and do HIIT training instead. During my off season I am getting my cardio from different sports like swimming, boxing, waterskiing and soccer and other activities I enjoy.
The one thing you hate and love about competing?
I love the challenge, waking up everyday and watching my body change, being on stage and meeting new people every time I compete. What I don’t like is having to get my nails done, fix my hair all pretty and cake on the makeup before going on stage!
What do you advocate HIIT or Low Intensity Cardio?
HIIT CARDIO. Although I did the low intensity stuff preparing for my competitions… I hated every minute of it; those early mornings walking on the treadmill before the crack of dawn..it was too boring for me! HIIT allows me to get more done in a shorter period of time! But for my clients…it’s up to the individual, any form of cardio is better than nothing!
What type of diet do you follow or believe in?
Nutrient timing has been very important for me to achieve my physique goals. When dieting for a competition I followed a very low carb, moderate fat and high protein diet. I had carbs post workout only, the rest of my meals were lean proteins, fibrous veggies and healthy fats (mainly fish oils). I eat 5-6 meals a day, making sure I never get too hungry and eat every 2-3 hours. In the off season I have carbs for breakfast, pre and post workout. I like to eat pure foods with the fewest ingredients possible… the way nature intended! For my carb sources I will eat oats, sweet potatoes, fruits and vegetables. For my protein I eat chicken, fish, horse meat, bison, egg whites and any other lean meats. For my fat sources I have nuts, ground flaxseeds, egg yolks, coconut, natural peanut butter and almond butter and fish oils.
What does it take to develop an aesthetically pleasing physique such as yours?
Heavy lifting, clean eating, consistency and planning!!!!
What would you say is your favorite body part to train?
Shoulders and Back. In my opinion, aesthetics wise, there is nothing more impressive than a wide V Taper with nice capped delts being the icing on the cake!
After a contest the first thing you want to eat is?
Give me a jar of natural peanut butter with a spoon and I am the happiest girl on the planet!
If you weren’t in the fitness industry what would you be doing?
I would probably be getting into trouble partying like most 18 year olds do! Other than that not much would probably be different, I would probably simply be lifeguarding and going to school like I do now.
What are your favorite Movies?
I have lots! Lord Of The Rings, Remember The Titans, Dirty Dancing, Friday Night Lights, Fast and The Furious, 300, Old School, and Pumping Iron!
What was one of the goofiest things you have ever done?
I was sharing the squat rack with another guy in my gym, he wasn’t squatting very much more than I was; about 20 pounds more only. I was getting tired of taking off the weights between each set for him and I wanted to show off a bit; so I decided to do the same weight as him. All I can say is…thank god the safety bars were on when I squatted that first rep…I bottomed out and fell flat on my face.
If you won the lottery, you would…
Buy a RED Ferrari, an Olympic sized pool, travel around the world, and share it with family and friends.
What do you enjoying doing for leisure?
Going to the beach, playing sports, shopping and going out with my friends.
Your idea of the perfect getaway...
Beach, sunshine, ocean, pina colada in one hand and surfboard in the other!
Some of your pet peeves include...
Jealousy, complaining, and the words “I can’t”.
What is you favorite cheat food/meal?
Definitely breakfast at Chez Cora’s or Sushi!!!
What does the future have in store for Alicia Neasmith?
Right now I would like to take a year to train and build as much muscle as I can so that when I step on the pro stage next year I will be ready!
To contact Alicia via email alicianeasmith@hotmail.com