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Spotlight On IFBB Figure Pro: Shala Renae Singer
Category you compete in: IFBB Figure
Date of birth: 1/23
Hometown: Carmel, Indiana
Career: Training manager at LA Fitness, Personal Trainer, and Owner at Shalasinger.com Competition and Nutrition Consulting.
How does your family respond to your competing? This is a complicated question for me. First of all they have definitely been supportive. They were a little confused about why I found it fun to weigh all of my food and wake up at 4am for cardio 7 days a week, but none the less they backed me 100%. The complicated part comes when I started to obsessed about the entire process. Our sport takes a lot of dedication but there is a difference between dedication and obsession, and I definitely took it to the point of obsession. I expected everyone to understand when I was carb-depleted and grumpy. I started to act like their “normal” life was a burden to me, and I expected them to cater to my schedule of eating 6 times a day and going to the gym when it was convenient for ME, never taking their feeling into consideration. Eventually my husband began to despise the sport of Figure. To him, it was taking me away. Time I could have been spending with him I was spending with my other love…the stepmill. My parents felt the same way. I wouldn’t go visit them because it would mess up my schedule. I was pretty much a fitness diva and it was not pretty. All that obsession stopped when I was knocked on my butt with a serious stomach condition. You can read my story here http://www.shalasinger.com/you-havent-seen-the-last-of-me/ I now approach my training and diet with balance. I workout early before my husband wakes up and am always sure to make time for my friends and family. Nothing is more important than your loved ones. I am still 100% dedicated to my goals, and now I have even more support from my family. Anyone planning to make this a life style…BALANCE is key.
What kind of goals have you set for yourself, short-term and long-term? My short term.JPG)
goals are to continue to get stronger physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I currently set weekly goals for everything from my workouts to what I want to read that week. My long term goals include continuing to build my online training business. I plan to one day have a team of national level figure and bikini competitors. I would also love to be a sponsored athlete from one of my favorite supplement companies, and what Figure competitor doesn’t dream of a top 10 at a pro show. :)
What's currently on your iPod? Currently I am doing the “K-Love Challenge.” Nothing but Christian music for 30 days. I am on day 22 and I must say, it is pretty inspiring. Before this it would not have been surprising to find anything from Johnny Cash to Tupac Shakur.
What are your hobbies and interests outside of the bodybuilding world? I love to go to our farm with my family. My favorite things to do there are ride 4 wheelers and shoot. My dad says I’m a pretty good shot….hmmmm, competitive shooting maybe? ;) I also enjoy cooking. I love the challenge of making fattening dishes into healthy alternatives. I’ve actually perfected quite a few of them.
Do you have a favorite exercise? Definitely shoulder press of any kind. Shoulders are a weak area for me, so constantly challenging myself to set new personal records on this exercise each week lets me know that these little shoulders are getting closer and closer to the “boulders” of my dreams!
Competition History:
2009 Southern Indiana Class A 4th place
2010 Kentucky Muscle Class A 1st place
2010 Arnold Amateur Class A 6th place
2010 Jr. Nationals Class A 4th place
2010 Team Universe Class A 2nd place
2010 Border States
2010 Kentucky Pro
Next competition: Not sure yet but God willing, you will definitely see me in 2012 :)
Favorite Fitness Tip: You cannot out train a bad diet! I have clients tell me, “I ate a pizza and 2 candy bars last night, should I just do extra cardio today to erase that?” SORRY… it doesn’t work that way.
Who would you like to thank? First and foremost I would like to thank God. Cliché or not He is the only reason I am able to do what I love. I also want to thank my family, especially my husband Brandon for all of their continued support and understanding. A big thank you to Kim Oddo and Layne Norton for my training and nutrition, and ALL of the competitors in the NPC and IFBB, for inspiring me. Also, I would like to thank RX Muscle for giving me the opportunity to share a little about myself. :)
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