Stacey Mercer is dreaming big after capturing NLABBA championship.
After years of failed attempts, Stacey Mercer, age 30, took first place in the bikini division at the Newfoundland and Labrador Amateur Bodybuilding Association (NLABBA) Bikini division.
Mercer explained to CBMCompass that the bikini division is judged are on a much different criteria. Officials are more interested in bikini physiques with a more natural look as opposed to the massive musculature and sharp definition present in other bodybuilding divisions.
“Everyone comes out on stage individually, with the top three called out first. We do all the poses – front, side, and back, and really anything else the judges think they need to see,” explained Mercer. My main goal this year was to get top three again, so I’m very, very pleased with my first place. At my last show, the judges told me that they’d like to see my legs a little bit more lean, so this time around I started my diet a little earlier, and I just really pleased with the results.”
Mercer said that this show was her most difficult yet, as she had to balance preparation with her duties as a mother.
“It was definitely a bit of a new experience, with two small kids. Trying to balance an 18-month-old and a soon to be three-year-old, and still get to the gym, prep my food, and make sure I still get all my workouts done has been a challenge, but it really all paid off in the end.”
Mercer does year-round weight training and cardio, along with a strict diet that begins three or four months prior to the show.
Lean meats, whole grains, vegetables, and healthy fats are the staples for Stacey. In the last month beforehand, she completely cuts indulgencies like fruit and peanut butter.
Mercer is a certified personal trainer and sports nutritionist. She runs an online fitness and nutrition program called Fitmom Fitness.
When a friend introduced her to the gym in 2011, Mercer said she fell in love with training. In fact, she was serious and enthused by her training that she was on-stage for her first show within six months.
Six years later, Mercer is proud of her achievements and plans to take her competitive career to the national level in July 2018, at the Canadian National Bodybuilding Federation. Preparations for the show will begin in March of 2018.
“It’s just a passion for me, and to see it become what it is today makes me very proud. First place is a huge accomplishment for me, and I don’t plan on stopping there.”
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