Three ladies at Elite Fitness in Gray, Stevi Pinnell, Kristy Andrews and Ashley Scott, compete in bodybuilding bikini competitions and shows throughout the U.S., showing how far they have come with their fitness and becoming role models to others.
The ladies currently live in Jones County and visit the gym.
They enjoy the competitions and showing off their progress.
Andrews, who is a member of Elite Fitness, said once she started doing the competitions, she didn’t want to stop. She said it’s been a lifestyle for her and something she thinks about a lot. She said she definitely plans to do more shows.
“We do bodybuilding competitions, and the three of us competed in the bikini division. Bikini is the least muscle building,” she said. “I started here at Elite in 2018 and came after doing triathlons. I’m very competitive, so I wanted to compete here at the gym. That’s when I got into bodybuilding. I’ve done seven competitions, and both of these ladies wanted to join me.
We did our first show together in April.”
Scott, a group fitness instructor at Elite Fitness, said it is fun to compete with women of all ages.
She said her weight has always been up and down, but weightlifting changed her body. She said the shows give her a goal and keeps her accountable.
“I’m a group fitness instructor here at Elite, and then I met Kristy and Stevi. We started talking about shows and lifting weights, then I started training with their trainer.
I did my first bodybuilding show in Birmingham, and really enjoyed it,” she said.
Pinnell, a member of Elite Fitness, said her first competition was an adrenaline rush, and she was excited to be there. She said she was nervous and was apprehensive about competing with women younger than her, but she said it ended up not being like that. She said they are regular women who just enjoy fitness.
“I was really into fitness in high school but started a family after and lost myself in motherhood. I came back to the gym after having kids,” she said. “I learned a lot from Kristy and was prepped for our show we did in April. It’s definitely a lifestyle.”
She said her husband is supportive, and she said she will continue to do competitions. She said the ladies at the shows they compete at are supportive of each other, which is something she didn’t expect. She said she loves that the ladies encourage each other in a positive way.
“I track what I eat all the time even though I don’t have to during off season. It makes me a better mom and keeps me on track. My kids look up to me, so I want to stay strong and be healthy for them. I want to keep setting a good example for them,” Pinnell said.
Andrews said they look forward to after the competitions, so they can relax and eat what they want.
She said they spend a lot of time beforehand monitoring what they eat and doing specific exercises to build muscles.
“All of this will keep me healthy.
We aren’t cutting out any foods, but we are eating the right amount for our bodies,” the gym member said. “Leading up to the shows we have to do a little more cardio, we weigh in daily and take pictures daily. Right now we are in maintenance season, so we aren’t doing any of that.”
The group fitness instructor said Elite Fitness has been very supportive of the competitions they do, and everyone she has gotten to know them at the gym has cheered them on. She said everyone is excited for them, and it’s like being surrounded by family.
“It’s not so much about the number on the scale anymore. I always try to instill in my girls that it’s not about being thin,” Scott said. “I want to set a good example of what being fit looks like. I also found I love lifting weights, so doing these competitions helps me stay fit and be a good role model.”
