Bikini fitness mom to compete overseas
A Botha's Hill mom is proving that you can look good at any age.
When Shannon Atkinson, a mother of two from Botha’s Hill, decided to get in shape, she didn’t realise how successful her transformation would be.
After watching a friend compete in a bikini fitness novice competition in April 2012, Shannon decided to join Kini Girl, an online training academy, and was thrilled with the results.
In August 2012 she entered her first competition, the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) KZN Champs for Fitness Bikini, over 168cm category – and placed sixth.
“I was looking for a challenge, a way to get out of my comfort zone, and once I got into it I was hooked. I was over the moon with my result and never thought I would do as well as I did.”
Since then she has won the over 35 Fitness Bikini division at the IFBB Fitness SA Champs in September, 2014 and represented SA at the World Championships in Canada at the beginning of October, where she placed fourth.
After winning the Amateur Olympia Africa at the end of October she was awarded her IFBB Pro card – making her only the second SA Bikini Pro to date – and is currently preparing for her first IFBB Pro show in Puerto Rico at the end of May.
“I am excited and nervous about Puerto Rico as the level of overseas competition is amazing.”
Working from home makes training easier, as she drops the children (8 and 6) at school before heading to the Kloof Virgin Active to train. She trains five to six times a week for an hour to an hour and a half leading up to competitions.
Luckily she has strong family support from her husband, Michael, who is also a gym fanatic, and her stepdaughter and sister-in-law have also started competing so it has become a real family affair.
Another important element of preparing for competitions is diet. Foods such as chicken, rice, oats, tuna, sweet potato, egg whites and fish, and an occasional fillet steak, make up the bulk of her eating requirements, with vitamin C tablets to help boost immunity.
“Eighty per cent is diet and 20 per cent is training. I eat every three hours and avoid carbohydrates at night. Just before a competition I cut out salt and cut down my water consumption from five litres a day to one litre a day, and sips of water on competition day.”
Having come from a dancing background, Shannon has the dedication and commitment to achieve her goals and she finds the competitions fun.
“I love the backstage preparations and camaraderie amongst the girls. Comp day is always a blast because you have done all that you can do to prepare so you just have to go out there and enjoy it. Plus, what girl doesn’t like to get hair, make-up and tan done and to see the transformation from the day-to-day gym rat to your ‘bootylicious alter-ego’ on comp day?”
Her advice for other woman wanting to get into the sport is, “Join a proper coach who has the experience to guide you with a diet and exercise plan and can help you prepare for shows. It also helps as you then have someone to be accountable to.”
She added, “The cleaner and greener you keep your diet the faster the results will come.”
Competitive achievements:
Awarded IFBB Pro Card
2014 Amateur Olympia Africa Bikini up to 168cm and Overall – first
2014 IFBB Women’s World Fitness Championships – Bikini up to 169cm in Montreal, Canada – fourth
Awarded Springbok Colours
2014 IFBB SA Champs – Fitness Bikini over 35 – first
2014 IFBB KZN Champs – Fitness Bikini over 35 – second
2014 IFBB H&H Classic – Fitness Bikini over 35 – second
2014 IFBB East Coast Classic – Fitness Bikini over 35 – first
2013 IFBB KZN Champs – Fitness Bikini over 168cm – fourth
2013 IFBB KZN Novice – Fitness Bikini over 168cm – first
2012 IFBB KZN Champs – Fitness Bikini over 168 cm – sixth
