Monique Cormier, who has overcome obesity and severe depression en route to becoming a world class amateur bodybuilder, joins Dave [ ... ]
Spotlight on: Dina Al-Sabah
Category you compete in: IFBB Bikini. I also competed in IFBB Figure from 2003 - 2006 and as an amateur in Fitness and Bodybuilding! I covered all four divisions.
Date of birth: Feb 28th
Hometown: Las Vegas by way of Washington, DC, but I am from Kuwait.. born in Beirut, Lebanon. I say I am a global nomad and citizen of the world.
Career: IT Consulting. I have two engineering degrees and an MBA
Sports background: Equestrienne and Varsity Track, Volleyball and Basketball
Why NPC: No one else compares! My very first show in 1998 was an NGA show. After I decided that I liked competing and did my research I realized that no other organization had the reputation the NPC did. Though there are countless organizations out there, my home is with the IFBB/NPC until I retire.
What do you like best about competing? I love the discipline and the bejeweled suits! Sometimes I compete just to have an excuse to get a new suit.
Competition history: Too long to list, so I will note my highlights:
As an amateur in 2002, I won all the major shows in Figure (Debbie Kruck, Bev Francis, Body Rock). As a rookie Pro in 2003 I won the Jan Tana Figure and was 5th in the inaugural Figure Olympia. As an IFBB Bikini Pro I competed in the 2010 Inaugural Bikini Olympia and the 2011 inaugural Bikini International. I am the only IFBB athlete to have been in both inaugural Figure and Bikini Olympias! Also, I am still the only Arab female athlete to have competed at the Olympia.
Next competition: Muscle Contest in Culver City
Competitors you look up to: Monica Brant for being my idol! Her layouts got me into the gym and when I finally got to meet her I was in heaven. She has always been an amazing person and truly helped me out my first year as a Pro.
Favorite cheat food: rib eye steak, medium rare
Favorite diet food: sweet potato with cinnamon
Favorite body part to train: Legs!! I used to throw crazy weights when I trained legs before competing. I had to tone it down as I have very dominant quads. In Bikini, I barely lift any weights in the leg department, which makes me sad.
Least favorite body part to train: Biceps.. I call them my noodles. I used to not be able to pick up the 10lb dumbbells, Now I use 20s for my Bikini training, but they will always be my noodles.
Hobbies: Reading, cooking, wine tasting, snowboarding (badly!) and traveling. I LOVE to travel all over the world and am so fortunate to be able to do so. I have explored most of the places I find interesting in SE Asia and am looking forward to heading to South America next!
Words to live by: I like to operate under the assumption that I can have whatever I want out of life . I feel that nothing should hold us from doing whatever we want to do. I had to petition for my Pro card as an amateur as my country of citizenship, Kuwait, was not in support of female IFBB athletes. I never gave up once in that quest and look at me now. I am having a blast and the journey has been fantastic. I lead the rest of my life the same way..
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