I go to the gym every day – my kids say I look better than the other mums at school
A BODYBUILDING mum who hits the gym every day has told how her kids say she looks better than the other mums from their school.
Katarzyna Szumielewicz, 35, gets up at 4.30am as part of her strict exercise regime and has landed medals at several bikini fitness events.
The mum of two, of Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders, is chuffed that her son and daughter are proud of her and she hopes they take inspiration from her journey.
She says: “My kids are proud of me, I think it's important especially for girls to know that you can have a job, a family and still follow your dreams.
“My daughter keeps telling me that I look better than other mums from school.
“I know I look good but stage image is also scored so hair, make-up and skin condition is important.
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“I have to care about how I look.”
But Katarzyna, whose hubby fully supports her lifestyle, has also received some nasty comments from folk.
She first got into fitness after going from a size 12 to size six when she felt like she was out of shape.
And now she doesn’t care what the haters say because she’s so happy within herself.
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The mum says: “Around 20 weeks prior to competition l start to lose a lot of weight.
“During this time, l am on strict diet and intense gym training and this results in me looking tired and underweight.
“And that is when the most of negative comments are made.
“People say that I look tired all the time and like I’m not eating enough.
“One of the stereotypes is that women should not lift heavy weights, people often ask me if l take steroids to achieve my physique.
“People say heavy lifting will make me look like a man.
“But I am far away from someone who looks like a man and I am training five times per week.”
She adds: “The biggest misconception about bodybuilding is that all the work is done in the gym.
“This is not true, my performance in the gym depends on diet.
“I have to prepare six meals for the following day and this is very time consuming.
“The main obstacles are the funding of diet, supplements, personal trainer, coach, clothing, competition fees and bikini fitness suits that cost around £500.
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“I was working two jobs to cover expenses.
“But what attracts me to this sport is continuously improving myself.”