When LABAN Martial Arts and Fitness Studio instructor Maria Cecelia "Mitch" Nicolas heard her named called as the winner of her height category of the bikini competition at the Manitoba Amateur Body Building Association's (MABBA) provincial qualifier in Winnipeg on March 31, emotions almost got the better of her, but the poise that has served her well in past beauty pageants helped her keep them in check.
"I was almost crying but I didn't want to ruin my makeup," says Nicolas, whose win earned her the right to compete at the May 31 provincials.
This was Nicolas's first bodybuilding competition, but she has plenty of experience with posing and being on stage, having been named Miss Congeniality at the 2012 Miss Universe Canada pageant. She said she didn't know what to expect before the competition, but, once she knew she had finished in the top five in her category, she resolved to be happy with the result because she knew how much hard work had gone into it.
Nicolas started training for the competition in September, doing cardio exercise in the morning and strength training in the afternoon, while following a diet plan devised for her by her partner and LABAN owner Chris Byrne. In January, she turned to Linda Machado and one of Byrne's former taekwondo students, Tracy Suru, for help sculpting her physique. Betty Ann Weselak, a former national and international bikini competition winner, advised Nicolas as well.
"She knows how to build muscle," Nicolas said of Suru, saying that success in the competition requires great muscle tone. "You need to really be lean and look good."
Nicolas admits that the training regime, combined with her regular duties as a fitness instructor, was a lot to handle.
"By six months, I was already exhausted," she says.
Members of LABAN have been happy for their instructor since her return.
"They congratulated me," said Nicolas. "They're happy for me."
But taking the title hasn't changed her, she said.
"Everything is still the same," Nicolas said.
Following her successful competition, she and Byrne took a holiday in Florida and Nicolas took advantage of having some time off to enjoy things she couldn't during training, though some habits are hard to break.
"I enjoyed the food there," said Nicolas, but she took early morning runs because she couldn't get out of her routine of awakening at the crack of dawn. "I'm used to waking up at 4:45 a.m."
Nicolas said she first got the idea to compete in the bikini competition after watching Byrne's brother competing at a MABBA event two years ago. Then, after not going in any beauty pageants last year, she decided that the time to had come.
Now, following her holiday, Nicolas said she's motivated to do her best once again, while also leading a busy life.
"It's good to be back, actually," she said. "I teach, we work on our house, I train. Everything is good. I'm doing double hard work right now because I want to win again."
She also recommends bodybuilding competitions for other women.
"The girls should try it because it's a really good experience," said Nicolas.
