Three Kelowna women posted excellent results at the B.C Amateur Body Building Championships June 30 in New Westminster, propelling each one to the national championships next month.
Angelique Kronebusch placed second in Master Bikini A (short height) and Susie Hall won ‘Figure B (medium height).
Laura Dyck, 40, placed first in Master class Figure A, and took second place in the open (all ages), short, category. It was an outstanding result for Dyck as she only took up the sport 10 months ago in August 2011.
Dyck admits there is an element of genetic luck when it comes to developing her five foot tall frame, but the secret even more than lifting weights has been diet.
“It really comes down to diet. I eat five to seven meals per day, a lot of high protein like chicken, halibut, and egg whites,” explains Dyck. Processed foods and refined sugar have been eliminated. “Most of my carbs come from vegetables, including sweet potatoes.”
Dyck is a physiotherapist at Kelowna General Hospital and a mother of two. She does find time to train six days per week, mostly from home with two sessions with a trainer at One Life Gym in Kelowna.
“I work with the trainer who really pushes me. When you think you can’t do one more lift, the trainer is there, encouraging you to keep going and you find out you can keep going,” says Dyck. The trainer is also a safety measure for the days when she is lifting heavier weight.
Dyck was inspired to take up the sport as she watched a close friend compete. As she watched her friend with three children develop definition and achieve her goals, Dyck became convinced it was something she should try.
“When I started last August my goal was to train and eat like I was going to step on the stage and if at 11 weeks I had progressed enough I would think about competing at week 12,” recalls Dyck.
When it came time to make a decision about competing after the first 11 weeks, Dyck was pleasantly surprised with what she had accomplished, so she decided to enter her first competition, The Sandra Wickham Classic held Nov. 12, 2011, where she placed sixth in her category.
It was a great start, but Dyck pulled back from training so hard over the winter and didn’t reconsider further competition until this spring. Eight weeks before a show in May she decided to recommit and picked up her intensity and training schedule before the Western Canadians.
To my absolute shock I went out and won my category,” says Dyck. The win spurred her to compete in the June 30th provincial championships where she qualified for nationals in her two categories.
The Canadian Bodybuilding Federation Nationals are scheduled to take place in New Westminster in three weeks on Aug. 11. Dyck has her training program dialed in and she plans to follow the same healthy food and training regimen. “I don’t do diuretics, I am the product of clean healthy eating. This is more about being healthy and strong,” says Dyck. “For me weightlifting is empowering, I feel strong and on top of my game.”
