Helen Zahra

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A bit about me…

I’m an everyday person who’s pretty much been into the gym scene for years.  Always have watched what I ate and always dieted - on and off!!

Cardio was my thing - never lifted a weight because I didn’t want my ‘big legs’ to get bigger - that was my mentality.  I pretty much wanted to look stick thin.  In my late teens,  I became a hardcore vegetarian only to be disappointed when I started gaining fat from eating too many so called ‘vegetarian’ foods!

So I started to eat less of everything, and of course the vicious cycle continued until I was living on one whole apple and a diet coke each day. The crazy perception that most of us have that eating less is the only way to lose weight!!! God only knows how much I wish I knew then what I know now!
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How I got into Figure Competition…


I started training at Recreation in Caroline Springs when they opened their new facility, back in 2008.  That’s where I met my (now) Personal Trainer, Dave Caruana, who’d told me years ago that my body would benefit from weight training and only when I took his advise did I realise that weights are like a magic wand to tone, tighten AND lose fat!  I so wish I listened to his advise when he did tell me that instead of sticking to being a cardio bunny.  I owe heaps to him - and he should know that by now J.

In September 2010 I officially began training with my training partner John.  We used to have a laugh while training and got along so well, we decided to become training partners.  John’s like a brother to me and he’s always looking out for me.  I am extremely grateful that I’d met such an awesome person who has a personality as he does.

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At around the same time I started weight training, owner of GNC Watergardens in Melbourne’s west, Kerry McElroy suggested that I should compete in Bodybuilding Figure division.  I laughed it off when she first told me but the thought soon started to occupy my mind and within a day or so, I thought I’d give it a go and started to aim at training for my first comp, which was for the 2011 FitX IFBB Amateur show.  I approached Dave and he supported my decision and agreed to take me on board as a client.  He guided me through every process, bringing so much of his knowledge and expertise in the weight training field.  I had learnt so much through Dave and I am forever grateful.
One thing that sticks in my memory is him telling me, “Ya gotta eat and train hard with the right technique Hel!”.  Sounded good to me, especially the first part, so that is what I did!

I started to really enjoy it all….The food (good clean food of course, although I did make the mistake of not eating enough carbs during my training at first and I promised I wouldn’t make that same mistake next time round!)….I trained as heavy as I could and kept my technique to how I was taught.  Being in the weights area in the gym was now pretty much my second home.

After about 3 months of training I injured my back (my own fault trying to rush through a squat exercise!) and  I knew I couldn’t afford to take time out as recommended by my GP.  I knew I just had to keep training through it and only trained my back with Dave.

Starting my pre comp diet was actually an exciting time for me.  It was my first ever show I was going to be competing in and I was unsure of what to expect.  I kept hearing stories from different people - competitors and non competitors - and I was full of questions!
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I started my diet 12 weeks out.  It was ok.  I only started feeling the effects 6 weeks after.  The last 3 weeks were the worst but I still battled on and did my normal routine.  How could I not?  I’m a wife, a mum and I have a full time job.  I juggled that along with cleaning, cooking, doing cardio and weight training.  The way your body responds to certain situations, I guess, differs from person to person.  I had competitors tell me that they could hardly drive 2 weeks out or that they took time off work prior to their competition.  I couldn’t let that  get to my head.

Actually, funny enough, I went through a cooking frenzy 2 weeks out.  I was cooking so many muffins and sweets for everyone.  I think I was cooking stuff that I really wanted to try.  The main food I craved was mixed nuts.  I’m a big nut fan and God, was I missing them?

All I could do when I doubted the whole process was think of people who were in my similar situation - like Rosa Maria Romero IFBB Pro, who’s a mum and runs her own business, and other competitors whom are either a parent or maintains their everyday life. I would read blogs of my favourite Figure and Bikini Competitors like Ava Cowan and the entire Gaspari Nutrition Team and watched the DVD of my inspiring male competitor, Flex Lewis IFBB Pro.  I absolutely LOVE Flex….(Sorry, had to add that one in!)

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.Ellena Reidie is a huge inspiration to me.  Her posing is something else - she’s such an elegant beauty.  Every time I met with her at Doherty’s while I was learning my posing she looked fine and she battled on through her dieting.  She even dieted straight after one comp in the U.S to get ready for her next comp only like a week after!  So (even if she didn’t know it then and does now after reading this) was a good role model for me during my diet.  Thank you Ellena.
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Kelly Pete and pictures of her at ReCreation was what I used to look at while battling through my cardio sessions after weight training.  Kelly is an amazing person with an awesome Figure Competitors body.  I would love to see her compete again.

The morning of the FitX IFBB Amateur Competition wasn’t what I had expect from my own self.  I wasn’t nervous at all.  I was feeling pretty weak actually and just wanted to get on and off the stage so I could eat.  It was only when my neice, Charmaine, drove me to the venue did I start thinking “Hey, I’m actually going to be competing today!” and my mood started to change.   I got chatting to other competitors while waiting for the doors to open and all of a sudden my weakness and hunger disappeared.  I was excited!

The tanning crew Sharon Waters had organised were absolutely amazing.  They got all the Bodybuilding, bikini and figure girls tanned up with time to spare.  I met some of the greatest girls backstage.  All the other competitors were genuinely nice.  One of the other figure competitors even popped a jelly baby into my mouth while I was being tanned.  I thought it was so sweet. 

The time I had on stage was just the best and taking out 2nd in Novice Figure was a shock.  I didn’t train and want to compete to get a placing or win a trophy but I must admit it that it was a boost of confidence to train for my next show.
In OctoberI placed 3rd in Figure Novice.
So I guess it goes to prove that anyone in any situation can achieve a goal - as long as you want it bad enough, you try your best and are persistent - And ‘don’t ever let anyone bring you down!’
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