Monique Cormier, who has overcome obesity and severe depression en route to becoming a world class amateur bodybuilder, joins Dave [ ... ]
Spotlight On NPC Figure Competitor: Colleen Brennan
Category you compete in: Figure Tall
Date of birth: 12/06/1973
Hometown: Jersey City, NJ
Career: Species Nutrition, LLC (Sales/Marketing, Show prep, travel)
If you could change into a superhero for a day who would you be and why? I am more of a Lara Croft from Tomb Raider kinda girl. I am an “IN YOUR FACE”, high energy, kick ass chick! No special powers or weapons needed…my strength and agility is all I need…and I don’t mind getting down and dirty!
What made you begin dedicating your lifestyle to this sport? I always trained and trained hard. I was asked many times throughout the years, “do you compete?” The answer was always “no”. I was always told I should give it a shot. After thinking about it and going to shows to see what it really entailed, I realized…hey…I can do this! I started training harder to put on muscle and changed my diet accordingly and the changes were amazing. I didn’t want to stop training. I look forward to the gym everyday because I am excited to see the end result!
What approach do you take to dieting...carb cycle..keto? Car cycling is where I am currently at right now and it seems to be working for me.
What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about competing? The biggest misconception is if a woman lifts heavy weight, she is going to have the muscles of a man!!!! I hear this all the time and I laugh.
Another is in order to lose weight you need to starve yourself. What most people don’t understand is that with proper eating habits, i.e portion control, healthy clean eating, you WILL lose weight. Competitors do not starve themselves…..we actually e
at 6 meals a day!
What is your most embarassing childhood memory? Walking into a highschool dance, thinking I was the hottest thing since sliced bread only to find out that a bird had just flown over and decided to relieve itself all over my hair and dress. I had no idea, until the guy I liked was cracking up and pointing at me. Soooo gross!
What is the biggest lesson you have learned about YOURSELF during your contest prep? I realized that I am only in competition with myself….I can only strive to be a better “me” in all aspects of my life.
Who do you look up and admire and why? I look up to my parents……if it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be half the person I am today. I certainly didn’t have an easy life, we struggled in many ways, but its for those reasons I have the strength to barrel through any brick walls life puts in front of me.
Competition history: Eastern USA’s November 2011
Next competition: Gold’s Classics October 20, 2012
East Coast October 27, 2012 and Eastern USA’s November 3, 2012
Favorite Motivational Quote: When life knocks you down…calmly get back up, smile and very politely say…”you hit like a bitch!”
Who would you like to thank? My parents….my brother Tom RIP (I miss you), my son Thomas, my trainer Maz Ali, my Coach Fakhri Mubarak, Joel Goldberg and Dave Palumbo for seeing the potential in me to take me under their wings at Species and Brian May…for the motivation, support and kick in the ass to do my best and force me to do my cardio!
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