Fourways resident shares body building journey

Fourways resident, Stacey Shutte shared her journey in body building as she recently participated in the Rand Show Extreme Bodies 2016 and came first, winning the title of the Rossi Extreme Bodies Bikini Champion 2016.

“There is no feeling quite like waiting as they announce the places starting at sixth and working their way up. With each name that is called, there is one less placing available. Having done three shows before and having received two second places and a fifth place, I know the feeling all too well, once they announced second place, the whole audience began shouting my number and the feeling that built up in me was one I have not felt before,” Shutte said.

“When they eventually announced my name as the Rossi Extreme Bodies Bikini Champion 2016, I felt, for the first time ever, that I could cry on stage, less because of the actual win and more because of the immense support I was receiving from an amphitheatre of absolute strangers. It is a feeling I hope to one day experience again.”

Shutte said that as exhilarating and intricate as a show day can be, it is the preparation that is the most essential factor in the life of an aesthetic fitness competitor. From the beginning of the year, she has followed an incredibly detailed eating and training plan which is created for her by her coach, James Miller from Perfect Physique.

She explained that being a female athlete there are a number of other factors that need to be taken into account, which is the overall appearance of a female athlete, especially a bikini competitor, and play a big role in the success of the athlete. This included everything from her hair and nails to her skin tone and makeup.

“I believe that all of these competitions hold equal importance and people who are not in the fitness industry find it difficult to understand as they only see the end result and not the process. Standing on stage is the easy part, the fun part for me at least. It is the months of intense mental, physical and even emotional preparation that is the difficult part. The lifestyle comes with many sacrifices and adjustments, so when the time comes to stand tall for all the hard work done, you want to make sure you are at your best,” Shutte said.

“My first competition was in November 2014 at Body Beautiful, I placed second place in that show and the rest was history. I found something in myself I did not know [I had], which was a passion for competing in body building shows – and I am still as passionate as I was the first time I walked out on stage.”

Shutte is set to compete in another show on 23 April, the Rossi Grand Prix, which will be held at VodaWorld.

Details: Follow Stacey Shutte on the Stacey Shutte – Bikini Fitness Facebook and page