Turning The Table on Nature
15 Apr 2007
 As we mentioned in last month’s Introducing… feature on Cheryl Mitchell, the new Athlete Communications Manager for the WNSO (World Natural Sports Organization) and FAME, the competition and exposition division of the WNSO and a talent agency representing athletes and fitness models for print, television, radio and personal appearances, the WNSO/FAME people have been super in forwarding us info on their athletes and models. This month, we have yet another FAME personality – Kathy McElroy.
As is typical of the FAME athletes and models, Kathy was very responsive and professional in furnishing us with the requested information for a feature article, including a detailed look at her current nutrition and training. What is not so typical is that while the majority of females experience difficulty losing weight, Kathy had the reverse problem. Due to hyperthyroidism, she was severely underweight. But, with the help of the man who was to become her husband, she turned the table on nature through weight training and proper nutrition. Here, in her own words, is a profile of our April cover model, Kathy McElroy:
 I am a 31 year old married mother of two boys, Christian age 11, and Alex age 9. I was born and raised in Orangeville, where I still reside and work. I have struggled all my life with my weight, having a hyper-active thyroid, I was always extremely underweight and skinny. Just over six years ago, I met the most wonderful man, David, who introduced me to working out to help me put some size on and become healthy again. David, who is now my husband, has supported me and pushed me every step of the way, At the gym we attended I made friends with a woman named Sue Cronwell who was just on her way to training to compete at FAME in women’s bodybuilding. Sue worked hard with me, changing my program, and helping me along the way to put size on and definition. She was the one that got me interested in competing. I owe everything I have, and all I have accomplished, to Sue, my family, and most of all my husband, who has to put up with my dieting, and training, and continuous talk of competitions. I have competed in two Fame shows in 2006, and plan on competing at the FAME March show, and IDFA in June.
This has been the biggest struggle of my life, but I have never in my life been as healthy and strong as I am now. When you hear about people struggling with weight, everyone assumes it’s to lose, but there are a lot of people out there who struggle the opposite and can’t gain and I hope that I can inspire them, to show that with the right dedication and hard work, nothing is impossible. After this year, my goal is light weight bodybuilding, as for now, I will continue with competing in the Fitness Model/Figure levels.
My training right now consists of trying to build up. I have a 6 day program, pyramid based training and I try to go 6 times a week. My program is: Legs,
Back, Shoulders, Chest and Arms.
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Day 1
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Exercise
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set 1
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set 2
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set 3
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set 4
|
set 5
|
|
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LEGS
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Leg Press
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15/90 lbs
|
12/180 lbs
|
8/270 lbs
|
12/180 lbs
|
15/90 lbs
|
|
|
Lunges
|
16/40 lbs
|
12/50 lbs
|
6-8/60 lbs
|
12/50 lbs
|
16/40 lbs
|
|
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Extension
|
12/90 lbs
|
10/105 lbs
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6-8/120 lbs
|
10/105 lbs
|
12/75 lbs
|
|
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Hamstring
|
14/60 lbs
|
12/75 lbs
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6-8/110 lbs
|
12/75 lbs
|
14/60 lbs
|
|
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Day 2
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Exercise
|
set 1
|
set 2
|
set 3
|
set 4
|
set 5
|
|
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BACK
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Bar pulldown
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14/60 lbs
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10/75 lbs
|
6-8/90 lbs
|
10/75 lbs
|
14/60 lbs
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*=per side
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isolated pulldown
|
16/30 lbs*
|
12/40 lbs*
|
6-8/50 lbs*
|
12/40 lbs*
|
16/30 lbs*
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|
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isolated row
|
16/45 lbs*
|
12/50 lbs*
|
6-8/60 lbs*
|
12/50 lbs*
|
16/45 lbs*
|
|
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chin up
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no weights 6-12 reps per set/ doing 5 sets
|
|
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dumbbell row
|
10/30 lbs*
|
8/35 lbs*
|
6/40 lbs*
|
8/35 lbs*
|
10/30 lbs*
|
|
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Day 3
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Exercise
|
set 1
|
set 2
|
set 3
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set 4
|
set 5
|
|
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SHOULDERS
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front raises
|
14/17.5 lbs*
|
10/20 lbs*
|
6-8/25 lbs*
|
10/20 lbs*
|
14/17.5 lbs*
|
|
|
butterfly raises
|
14/15 lbs*
|
10/17.5 lbs*
|
6-8/20 lbs*
|
10/17.5 lbs*
|
14/15 lbs*
|
|
|
arnold press
|
14/20 lbs*
|
10/25 lbs*
|
6-8/25 lbs*
|
10/25 lbs*
|
14/20 lbs*
|
|
|
shoulder press m/c
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14/40 lbs
|
10/45 lbs
|
6-8/50 lbs
|
10/45 lbs
|
14/40 lbs
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|
|
shoulder press f/w
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14/20 lbs*
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10/25 lbs*
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6-8/25 lbs*
|
10/25 lbs*
|
14/20 lbs*
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|
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Day 4
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Exercise
|
set 1
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set 2
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set 3
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set 4
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set 5
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|
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LEGS
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Squats
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14/90 lbs#
|
10/110 lbs#
|
6/130 lbs#
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10/110 lbs#
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14/90 lbs#
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#=plus bar
|
|
Seated Leg Press
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14/90 lbs
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10/140 lbs
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6-8/220 lbs
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10/140 lbs
|
14/90 lbs
|
|
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Inner Thighs
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14/80 lbs
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10/90 lbs
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8/100 lbs
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10/90 lbs
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14/80 lbs
|
|
|
Outter Thighs
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14/70 lbs
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10/80 lbs
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8/90 lbs
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10/80 lbs
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14/70 lbs
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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Day 5
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Exercise
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set 1
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set 2
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set 3
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set 4
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set 5
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|
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CHEST
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Bench Press
|
14/10 lbs#
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10/20 lbs#
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6-8/30 lbs#
|
10/20 lbs#
|
14/10 lbs#
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*= per side
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Dumbbell Fly
|
14/20 lbs*
|
10/25 lbs*
|
6-8/30 lbs*
|
10/25 lbs*
|
14/20 lbs*
|
#=plus bar
|
|
Dumbbell Press
|
14/17.5 lbs*
|
10/20 lbs*
|
6-8/25 lbs*
|
10/20 lbs*
|
14/17.5 lbs*
|
|
|
Chest Press
|
14/45 lbs
|
10/60 lbs
|
6/75 lbs
|
10/60 lbs
|
14/45 lbs
|
|
|
Machine Butterfly
|
14/35 lbs
|
10/45 lbs
|
6/60 lbs
|
10/45 lbs
|
14/35 lbs
|
|
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Day 6
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Exercise
|
set 1
|
set 2
|
set 3
|
set 4
|
set 5
|
|
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ARMS
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Barbell curl
|
14/40 lbs
|
10/50 lbs
|
6/60 lbs
|
10/50 lbs
|
14/40 lbs
|
|
|
Dumbbell curl
|
14/17.5 lbs*
|
10/20 lbs*
|
6-8/25 lbs*
|
10/20 lbs*
|
14/17.5 lbs*
|
*= per side
|
|
Hammer curl
|
14/17.5 lbs*
|
10/20 lbs*
|
6-8/25 lbs*
|
10/20 lbs*
|
14/17.5 lbs*
|
|
|
Cable curl
|
14/20 lbs*
|
10/25 lbs*
|
6-8/30 lbs
|
10/25 lbs*
|
14/20 lbs*
|
|
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Concentration curl
|
14/10 lbs*
|
10/15 lbs*
|
8/20 lbs*
|
10/15 lbs*
|
14/10 lbs*
|
|
|
Tricep rope
|
14/30 lbs
|
10/40 lbs
|
6-8/50 lbs
|
10/40 lbs
|
14/30 lbs
|
|
|
Tricep bar pulldown
|
14/40 lbs
|
10/45 lbs
|
6-8/50 lbs
|
10/45 lbs
|
14/40 lbs
|
|
|
Isolated extension
|
14/35 lbs
|
10/40 lbs
|
6-8/50 lbs
|
10/40 lbs
|
14/35 lbs
|
|
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Dips
|
14/body
|
10/body+25
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6-8/body+35
|
10/body+25
|
14/body
|
|
|
Kickbacks
|
14/10 lbs*
|
10/15 lbs*
|
6-8/17.5 lbs*
|
10/15 lbs*
|
14/10 lbs*
|
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Abs and calves done every other day. 6 sets of calves, abs are 20 min sessions, 5 different exercises: crunches, ball, side crunches, leg lifts, reverse crunches, and bicycle
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As for my nutritional program, I eat at least 6 times a day, about 2 hours apart. A normal day would be:
Meal 1: smoothie(strawberries, banana, juice or water, yogurt, egg whites), 2 clementines, nutragrain bar
*Editor’s note: a Clementine is a type of seedless mandarin
Meal 2: oatmeal, yogurt, clementine, boiled egg white
Meal 3: bagel with tuna
Meal 4: Smoothie and 2 boiled egg whites
Meal 5: chicken, rice, and spinach
Meal 6: rice cakes, omelet with cheese and spinach
 My husband David has always been active and has been weightlifting since he was 15. His dedication to training, his knowledge of proper techniques and his love for all that is fitness and weightlifting became addictive to me. If it wasn't for David, I never would have gotten as far as I have. The support he has given me through my training, and my competitions has been unsurpassable. David inspires me every day to do my best, he pushes me to try harder and holds me up when I don't achieve what I hoped for. He has always told me that no matter what happens on stage, I am number 1 in his eyes, and he is the same for me.
David and I have joined a great gym, ACTS fitness in Orangeville, that has supported and helped me with all my shows and competitions. The staff is so knowledgeable, and friendly that it is easy to ask any questions and suggestions.
 Judging from Kathy’s photos and the success she has had on stage, we’d be willing to bet that a lot of people are asking her for tips and suggestions on how to get in such fantastic shape.
We look forward to seeing and hearing more about Kathy McElroy and we want to congratulate her, and her husband David, for being true Natural Champions.
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