Monique Cormier, who has overcome obesity and severe depression en route to becoming a world class amateur bodybuilder, joins Dave [ ... ]
Spotlight On NPC Womens Physique Competitor: Rosela Joseph
Category you compete in: Women Physique 
Date of birth: 4/6/74
Hometown: Lake Worth, Florida
Career: Cake Decorator
Competition history: 4th place in 2010 Maria Bellando Southern States, 2nd place in 2010 NPC Amanda Marinelli Gold Cup, 4th place in 2011 Maria Bellando Southern States, 1st place in 2011 Florida Gold Cup, 6th place in 2011 NPC Nationals
Next competition: 2012 NPC Pittsburg Championship on May 5th
What do you feel is the WORST part of contest prep? The worst part about preparing for a competition is a tie between the early morning cardio workout and the weightlifting waiting for me later in the evening.
Would you please tell us a little about your workout schedule? My workout schedule is a bit intense. My trainer doesn’t take it easy on me.
I start off with 45 minute cardio session at 4 a.m. before work 5 days a week. This is followed by 40 minutes of super sets later in the evening at 5 p.m., also 5 days a week. On 3 days out of the week I get to really enjoy another 35 minute cardio session after my workout.
If you had to lose one of your 5 senses, which one would you prefer to lose and why? If I had to lose a sense, it would be my sense of smell. We all know when competitions come around, were usually on a strict diet; enjoying things like DRY chicken and broccoli. Every day it has less and less taste to it. Being around all the desserts at work and so many home cooked aromas makes it hard to keep the diet. In that case, losing my sense of smell wouldn’t be that bad.
If you could change one things about this sport what would it be? I feel like contestants’ stage times are short-lived. Many of us are preparing for 12-16 weeks for a single competition, yet were on stage for a brief moment. I remember my first competition; I was so nervous when they called my name. I went out, posed, and before I knew it they had called us back stage. I was only on stage for 2 minutes! After so much time preparing, we should get more time to shine; to show everyone all the hard work we endured.
If you had a time capsule what would you put inside it and why?
I would put my iPhone 4s into a time capsule because of how essential it is to me every day. Really, my life is in that phone: present and future workout schedules, diets, day to day schedule etc. It keeps me on time and up to date. I don’t know if I’m strange for this but I feel a bit uneasy if it’s not with me or I don’t know where it is.
What is your favorite vacation spot? That’s an easy question: Haiti, simply because its home and it’s like my very own vacation paradise.
What advice do you have for women who would like to get involved in and compete in the sport of bodybuilding?
I’m not particularly good with advice. But, if asked I would tell her that there are times when it is not going to be easy. You’re preparing for such a long period of time that it becomes easy to lose focus. Because of this you truly need a motivation; an exact reason you want to compete in this sport. Once you find that, you can really love it like I do.
What is a day-in-the-life of Rosela Joseph like? Wake up at 4 a.m. for early cardio. Eat breakfast then I’m decorating all kinds of cakes and pastries from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. You see where my motivation has to really play a role. I usually go shopping after work, which ends from 2 – 4 p.m. Check my email and update my status on Facebook till 5 p.m. after which I’m at the gym between lifting and cardio till about 7 p.m. I usually call my son whose in college sometime before I prepare tomorrow’s “meal”. I’m in bed early to repeat it tomorrow.
Favorite Motivational Quote:
“It never gets easier, you just get stronger”
It really self-explanatory; the workouts, the diet, the schedule, they really never get easier. It only feels that way because you rise to the occasion; you’re getting stronger.
In closing, who would you like to give a shout out to? My son, Benson. He’s believed in me since the day I told him I wanted to step on stage and compete for real even though I had no clue what I was doing. It’s been more than five years since and he’s been a more big help.
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