World Physique

Interviewed by Tammy Renee'
Photos by: Ken Snow

Toni is a 30 year old, stay at home mom, residing near Pittsburgh, PA. She does bodybuilding competitions and is proud to boast that she is a 100% natural competitor!

She was on bed rest with her first pregnancy and gained over 65 lbs! It took a long time to get her pre-baby body back, but she did it. It was hard work and it took serious focus to put her first again. “Becoming a mother pulls you in many different directions”, she says.

She found great joy in being a Mom, and now, she has an even greater joy knowing that she is providing a model role in health and fitness for her daughter.

WP: Toni, What has been your stepping stone to get where you are today?

TW: Consistency. I have kept with lifting, cardio and a basic clean eating diet for many years, and all of the structure has kept me in great shape.

WP: What has it been like to maintain your physique? Have you done anything different lately?

TW: I competed before my first child and believe me, it was a lot easier to get into competition shape then. My motivation, about a year after having my daughter, was getting rid of all of the baby weight. I knew that I needed to set a goal with a show to really commit to getting back to where I was pre-pregnancy! Diet has always been the key to my success and I have found a pre-contest diet that really works well with my body type and lifestyle. Finding a balance is important. This past season, I decided to compete with only the mirror as my real evaluation stage, and I did not worry about my weight or measurements. As a bodybuilder, there were things I wanted to work on and make bigger and/or smaller, so I could not rely on a specific weight range or amount of cardio to get the look. I had to get there by doing things different and It paid off. I was a lot less of a head case a few weeks before my show since I was not worried about a “weight” goal, etc.

WP: That does sound logical. I can understanding the meaning behind that. Where do you reside now?

TW: We live in Washington, P.A., just south of Pittsburgh.

WP: I understand you have been competing since 2003. Can you tell me you placings?

TW: 2003 NABBA WV states 1st place Women’s heavyweight BB AND Overall

2007 NPC Pennsylvania Championships 3rd place Figure tall

2008 NPC Pittsburgh Women’s Middleweight BB 4th place

2009 NPC Natural Lakewood Ohio 1st place Women’s heavyweight BB and Overall winner

2009 INBF Natural Buckeye Classic, Columbus, OH: 1st place Women’s Heavyweight BB and Overall Winner

2009 NPC Pittsburgh 2nd place Women’s Middleweight BB

WP: That's really good! Are you planning to compete again in the future?

TW: I plan on doing a National level NPC show this year, as well as compete in the INBF/WNBF natural federation. Great athletes and competition! I can’t wait to bring my best package ever to the stage.

WP: We will be waiting to hear the results! Good luck! What other sports or activities did or do you enjoy?

TW: In High School, I ran track, played volleyball and soccer. I went on to play soccer at West Virginia University on their Junior Varsity team.

WP: Tell me about your family. In addition, are you married, single, or dating?

TW: I am married to a very supportive husband who is a competitive tri-athlete and we have one daughter. Allie who is 4 years old.

WP: I bet you are so proud of them! What has competing taught you thus far?

TW: What I have learned about myself through training for a show is that it is mind over matter. You set your mind for greatness, and your body will follow. I get into a certain frame of mind where I can stay focused and centered, and everything falls into place. A healthy balance in my life, a healthy and active lifestyle and surrounding myself with like-minded and supportive people has made all of the difference. Going to the gym is easy for me, lifting heavy and being sore is expected, and doing 2 or more hours of low intensity cardio is not fun, but I can manage. Getting a hold of my diet and fueling my body properly is the hard part. Trying to not feel guilty for taking time to myself is hard. I feel a great sense of accomplishment after walking on stage, at my best, for what I have worked so hard for, and looking back to see that I am taking fitness to the next level. I have not sacrificed my health, my family time, or anything else. It only feels overwhelming during the hard weeks leading up to a contest. In the end, healthy living is something that I am instilling in my children and family, and setting the example for others that it can be done. I want my daughter to know that it is a great thing to be an athlete, powerful, fast, and smart. Living healthy only adds to self esteem, and a girl who is comfortable with herself has the world at her finger tips.

WP: What was the hardest thing for you to overcome when you first started?

TW: When I first started, the hardest part was getting enough rest between workouts. I had to learn how to split up body parts and workouts to get enough recovery and “growing” time. Then after, having the baby the hardest thing to overcome was finding time for myself again and not feeling guilty for doing so!

WP: What was the hardest thing you had to deal with when it came to your diet?

TW: It is actually still OTHER PEOPLE that make it hard. Ha-ha! I absolutely hate hearing neighbors, friends, and family telling me, “Oh! I bet you can’t eat this on your diet”; or something like that. I don’t really like that others point it out, as if it is any of their business. I do my best not to impose my pre-contest diet on anyone. I prepare all of my food in advance and have it with me at all times, so it is never a big deal to me to go out to eat or picnics and enjoy socializing. But it never fails that someone will always make a point to let me know that they are eating something that I can’t have. Oh, well.

WP: That is so true! Other people can sure put a strain on things! But, that dedication comes into play. What are the key factors that dictate the way you train today?

TW: I have been lifting consistently for 10 years, so my muscle maturity has been a key factor. I can now really work on my overall conditioning and strength, as to when I used to be obsessed with certain body parts like my abs! My muscles are not going anywhere and I can do more athletic training with my lifting and keep an overall muscular look.

WP: How has your training changed over the years?

TW: I have learned how to switch things up every 3 weeks or so to get the best results. I lift heavy for a few weeks and then lighter for a few weeks. I do specific body part training as well as total body conditioning. I vary my cardio as needed and try to keep my muscles recovered and fresh.

WP: Where do you see your career and life in 10 years from now?

TW: I will still be a mother first, and my husband and I may have more children in the next 10 years. I see myself still training and competing in bodybuilding, and creating a healthy image for my family. Instilling a healthy lifestyle early on is my goal.

WP: What other accomplisments have you accomplished, other then the competitions?

TW: I have been competing in Pump and Runs for the past 2 years. I love them because it shows my athletic ability beyond lifting weights. A pump and run is usually a bench press and 5k together. You bench first, women 70% of their weight for reps and men 100% of their weight for reps, and for every rep you get 30 sec off of your 5k run time. So you have to be strong and in great cardio shape. I have won my age group in both the amount of reps and overall run time, as well as winning the overall pump reps for men and women last year, and then finished 2nd in my overall run/pump time.

WP: To have the stamina it takes to run 5k's, you must take supplements. What supplements do you currently take?

TW: I do take supplements and they mostly come fromBeverly International. They are: Chocolate Muscle Provider, the Super Pak, Ultimate Muscle Provider in Cookies 'n Creme and Lean Out.

I also take Gaspari’s supplement which is: Mitotropin - 30 day Pre-Contest Prep

In addition, I take About Time Natural Whey Protein; all flavors.

I also use Dandelion root and Uva Urs.

WP: You'd been in magazines and have modeled clothing before. Can you tell me more about that?

TW: Yes, I have done a shoot for Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness magazine, and House of Pain Ironwear Clothing.

WP: Can you tell me any photographers you’ve worked with, or someone you’d like to work with?

TW: I have worked with Ken Snow and Michael Eckstut, and I’m looking forward to working with Chris Zimmerman of Reflexion Imagery and Dan Ray this year.

WP: What are your pet peeves?

TW: Right now, my biggest pet peeve is wet toilet seats in the gym after the water aerobics class is finished!

WP: That sure would be on the top of my list, too! What do you consider to be important in life and why?

TW: My family is the most important thing in my life. Healthy living for my family is the next most important thing.

WP: What are your stats such as height, weight, biceps, and waist?

TW: Height: 5’6"
Weight: 135 -138 on season around and 147-150 off season.
Arms: 13.75 inches
Waist: 26
Chest: 36
Hips: 35
Calves: 14


WP: Any shout outs?

TW: I want to thank my husband and daughter for putting up with me through some hard dieting and rigorous training. Also thanks to my parents who are “sponsoring” me for my fall shows. I would also like to shout out to my training partner Arthur Williams, Mr. Pittsburgh 2008.

WP: Give me an example of your workout. I would love to display this in the interview.

TW: Sure! I do a 5-6 day split with different body parts each day.

Mon: Heavy legs
Tues: Back and abs
Wed: Chest
Thurs: Bis, Tris, Abs and calves
Fri: Shoulders and abs
Sat: Legs again emphasizing hamstring/butt
Sun: Off

An example of my 2nd leg day is as follows:
Hamstring/glute/butt
Smith machine lunges: 5 sets of 10 each leg.
Weighted (dumbbells) step ups to a bench: 5 sets of 10 each leg.
Weighted (dumbbells) Walking lunges: 5 sets of 10 each leg.
Butt Blaster machine: 5 sets of 20 each leg.
Single leg hamstring curl machine: 5 sets of 20 each leg.
Reverse Hack Squat: 5 sets of 10.
Wide plie squats while holding plate: 4 sets of 10.
Pulley kickbacks, attached to ankle: 3 sets of 15.
Weighted Butt/glute bridge raise: 3 sets to failure.

WP: I guess that is why you are the champion around here! We also recommend that before you attempt this workout, be sure to you are physically able to so without injury, you have talked to your Personal Trainer and/or your doctor to be sure this work out is right for you.

Give me an example of your diet. What do you normally eat each day?

TW: This is just an example of what I might eat on a normal day:

MEAL #1
6-10 egg whites with salt

MEAL #2
25 grams protein shake

MEAL #3
6 oz. chicken with 1-cup asparagus or steamed broccoli

MEAL #4
6 oz. protein (tilapia/chicken breast/turkey breast/ extra lean ground beef) with a raw spinach salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

MEAL #5
6 oz. chicken with 1-cup asparagus or steamed broccoli or 10 egg whites with salt

Meal #6
25 grams protein shake

Every other day, I take in extra fats in the forms of natural peanut butter (2-4 tbsp. a day with protein shakes) and 1/4 cup of raw unsalted almonds or cashew. On those days, I do not add extra salt to foods. I vary this diet every 2-3 days: high fat and high protein days with days of high fibrous carb vegetables/high protein. I eat one cheat meal, for whatever I am craving, once a week up until 4 weeks out from a competition.

WP: Thank you so much for that information. I am sure there are readers that enjoys learning what bodybuilders, such as yourself, eat. Before it's time to wind down this interview, could you tell me about your future projects?

TW: I have a couple of shows planned for fall of 2009, and then a well needed rest through the holidays. I might be getting a website together this fall, and I plan on doing a couple of photo shoots around my shows.

I would love to do posing classes and help expedite shows. Being a competitor you see how things backstage can get chaotic and rushed and how much help is really needed behind the scenes to make shows run smoothly.

WP: Good luck in everything! Keep us updated on what you are doing and how you are doing it. And thank you so much for taking this time to interview with us! We will be seeing you in the hard copy magazine pretty soon!

TW: Thank you! I enjoyed everything.