Nataile Waples

Meet Natalie Waples a Human Resources Officer,  this 5'7 124lbs figure competitor is taking this sport by storm. Natalie will be competiting in the OPA provinicals this june 17th in London, Ontario which HYPEMUSCLE is proud to be sponsoring.

She also will be competiting in the OPA National qualifier August 15th in Toronto, Ontario. Natalie is currently sponsored by Interactive Nutrition and Passion Fruit Designs. Watch out for Natalie as she is destined to make some big waves in this industry.

 Notable Competitions

2006 FAME Nationals - Fitness Model 2nd Place

2005 Eastern and Western Ontario Regional Figure Champion, Tall Class

2005 Miss Molson Indy Sportsmodel Search - 2nd Place

2005 FAME World Championships - Advanced Fitness Model - 8th Place

2005 Sportlab Model Search - 3rd Place

2005 FAME Sunshine State Fitness Model - 3rd Place

The Stats

Competitive Season: 124-126lbs 
Off Season: 132 lbs
Height: 5'7
36-25-34

Why Compete?

I started competing after reading about fitness modeling and figure competitions in women's health magazines.  I had been training for a while, but wanted to take my training intensity and physique to a whole new level. I started out in Fitness Modeling, but then met IFBB Fitness Pro Mindy O'Brien, and she encouraged me to try Figure - I competed at, and won my first two shows.

 What word of advice would you give to any inspiring competitor?

 Just go for it.  Not everyone has the genetics to make the pro ranks, but just training hard, dieting and pushing yourself to your physical limits makes you feel accomplished, amazing and self-fulfilled.

What was your most memorable moment while competing?
I would have to say that meeting the industry pros, such as Mindy O'Brien, Margaret Diubaldo, Monica Brant and Sylvia Tremblay have been the most memorable moments for me. They have provided me with so much inspiration and make me want to push myself further ot succeed in this industry.

Describe the first time ever you stepped on stage. Where you nervous?
 Very! It felt like every musle was screaming because of the mandatory posing rounds. Trying to control every muscle in my body, in front of hundreds of people, while maintaining a smile is very difficult.

 What does your training routine look like?

 I train 5 days a week - two days lower body and three days upper body. 

On the lower body days, I work quads, hams and calves.  Usually 3 sets, 8-12 reps, with the exception of 15-20 reps for calves.

I split my upper body training so that I am able to train my back and shoulders twice a week, while chest and arms are trained once. 

Again, I shoot for 8-12 reps and 3 or 4 sets per exercise.  I used to train my abs a lot in university, so they are well developed and I only train them lightly, twice a week.

  What do you advocate HIT or Low Intensity Cardio?
 I like to sweat, so low intensity cardio isn't my favourite.  I enjoy running hill sprints, long bouts on the elliptical and cross training on the step mill.

 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. 

Doing cardio will only make you a skinnier version of your fat self.  If you want to change the shape of your body, in a feminine yet strong way, you have to fatigue the muscles with weights and then let them rebuild with 24-48hrs of rest - pound per pound,  muscle takes up less room than fat, so start lifting those dumbbells.

 What type of diet do you follow or believe in?

 I eat 6 or 7 small meals a day and eat mainly fresh produce, lean proteins, nuts and some dairy. I try to avoid eating things that come from a bag or a box.  Food the way nature intended is usually what I try to focus on.

 What does it take to develop an aesthetically pleasing physique such as yours? 

First of all, thank you for the compliment.  I work very hard at what I do, and love training, so the phyique shaping aspect is something I enjoy. I have always strived for a feminine, but strong physique and do not believe in the use of performance enhancing drugs.  If I cannot get my physique to look a certain way through the weight training, cardio and diet, then it is just not meant to be. From an aesthetics stand point, I used to take some modeling classes and have had some training in makeup application, and my sister is a hair stylist, so the preparations to go on stage usually run pretty smoothly.

 What would you say is your favorite bodypart to train?

I love training my biceps. I have worked very hard to get more definition in my arms and am now quite satisfied with the results.  Besides, they are the one muscle that you can show off at the office.

After a contest the first thing you want to eat is? 

 Pizza and wings - my favourite.

 The one thing you hate and love about competiting? 

 I hate the tanning creams!  It takes forever to scrub them off. On the other hand, I love meeting other competitors and going through the posing rounds on stage - for those few minutes, you feel like a star.

  What does the future have in store for Natalie Waples?

I will be competing in the Ontario Physique Association Provincial level, and National Qualifier competitions in June.

 These two competitions will set the stage for my summer 'Figure' competition schedule. I am also attending Camp Savage (a fitness camp run by Cathy Savage in Boston) with my sponsor Berns Bedard of Passion Fruit Designs. In August I will be competing at Miss Hawaiian Tropic Canada and then in the fall I plan on heading to LA for the FAP Miss Bikini America contest. So there is lots in store.  Throughout the year, I will also be doing promotional events with my sponsor Interactive Nutrition.

 If you weren’t in the fitness/bb industry what would you be doing?

 I guess I would just have more time to relax.  I would still be pursuing a career in human resources. Fitness is important to me, but I am university educated and have a full-time job with the federal government in addition to my competing, so it is only one aspect of my life. If injury ever ended my competition career, I would miss it, but would still feel fulfilled in my career.

What is you favorite cheat food/meal?

 That's easy - pizza with pepperoni, bacon and feta.

  What are your favorite Movies?

 I love movies that get you pumped up, such as Speed, SWAT, Gone in 60 Seconds - films with lots of adrenaline. 

 What was one of the goofiest things you have ever done?

 My sister and I were at a restaurant once and the waiter was kind of cute, so before he took our desserts away we wrote our number in the chocolate sauce that was left on the plate - how cheesy is that!

 If you won the lottery, you would…

Build a house, travel to Greece with my boyfriend, give money to my family and invest for the future.

 What do you enjoy doing for leisure?

I love playing volleyball and also love to watch movies at home on the couch.

 What is one of the wildest things you have ever done?

 I tried out as an amateur 'cage' dancer at a nightclub and I won - I never went back.

 What are some of your pet peeves?

 Procastination, people who stand on escalators instead of walking, the word 'like' peppered through conversation

 Your idea of the perfect getaway...

 sun, sand and surf.  Anywhere I can scuba dive, get a tan and enjoy a pina colada or two. 

To contact Nataile via email info@nataliewaples.com or check out her site at nataliewaples.com