Nia Ceidiog, former TV producer, began bodybuilding in 2016 “just to see how far a 63 year-old body could go”, she told BBC.

Her interest in the potential of her body was sparked years ago when she dropped 4 dress sizes before her son’s wedding lifting weights.

When she decided to take up bodybuilding seriously, Nia began an extreme diet, eating 3000 calories per day with a large proportion of protein. But as might be expected, her body could not handle such a diet- it exacerbated several of her health issues such as psoriasis, which caused pain in her hands due to over production of skin cells.
The issues forced her to change her approach. She curtailed heavier weight training and rethought her approach to diet. She decided cut out alcohol and processed foods and went dairy free. She also added yoga to her regimen.

“The whole thing has taken 10 years off me – the way I look, the way I think and the confidence it has given me.”

With the more prudent approach dropped 4 more dress sizes, from a size 12 to a size 6 in preparation for the Physical Culture Association’s Xplosive Ape Grand Prix competition.

After months of prep, Nia accepted her spray tan and donned her dazzling bikini and heels to line up against much younger women, even in the over 35 class. Still, she was one of three to medal, and was ecstatic about the entire experience.

“My family were there to cheer me on and I got to see an amazing world and working within that world was a very pleasing and humbling experience,” she said.

“I consider myself as a winner as it was very important to me that I reached that stage and I have grown so much through the process.”

It’s truly inspiring to see a woman of her age set aside vanity and ego to use bodybuilding practice and competition as a vehicle of self- improvement.

“What an amazing journey it turned out to be – transformational physically, spiritually and intellectually.”

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