Vital Stats
Name: Christine Marie Gladue
Email: christinegladue@shaw.ca
BodySpace: Tyamrocks
Location: Prince George BC, Canada
Why I decided to transform
My kids were both graduating high school and I did not want to let myself go. I decided to compete in an over 40 bodybuilding show. I wanted my kids to see that people can do anything once they put their mind to it.
Plus, it was also a matter of proving to myself that I could push myself and overcome this daunting hurdle.
On May 17th earlier this year, I competed in the Western Canadian Bodybuilding Show and placed 8th in my first show.
How I accomplished my goals
I had been a runner for years—a cardio junkie, if you will—eating very few calories and doing endless cardio. I was the definition of "skinny fat." That all changed when I met Lori Mork of Team Energy. I sent her a photo of me, and immediately she told me to eat, stop cardio, and start lifting.
I trusted the process, and I am now so happy with what has happened to my body! I am down 18 pounds and went from 23 percent body fat to 11.5 percent—what a drastic change! Keep in mind that I will be turning 42 this December, so this is possible for any women wanting to put on muscle! Lori put me on a plan to build muscle and eat well (and a lot) so that I could put on some size.
Afterwards, I switched to a dieting plan with refeed meals weekly. Known as a supercompensation plan, my daily caloric intake reached 2500 calories with two refeed meals and dessert one day a week. As someone who previously ate chronically low calories, the fact that my body changed with this amount of food is mind-blowing to me.
What aspect challenged me the most
As with many other women, I struggled to juggle the responsibilities of my various duties as a correctional officer, a mother, and a volunteer giving to charity. All of this was stacked on top of prepping my food and getting the workouts in.
It was tough at times and it required extreme dedication on my part. I just focused on my long-term goal and knew that if I did not follow through I would beat myself up mentally. Now that I did it, I feel so proud of my own accomplishments.
My future fitness plans
I plan to enter another competition in the fall.
Suggestions for aspiring transformers
Anyone over 40—no matter what your age—can do this and really transform your body. You just set a goal and go for it; don't look back . You can twiddle your thumbs, thinking negatively, but only when you push yourself to do things that amazing results can happen.
When I changed my way of thinking, my body and self-esteem changed for the better as well! I battled through injuries, family disasters, career moves, and kids moving out, but stuck it out.
I am so proud of the day I walked on stage because it was at that moment that I knew I had accomplished something great. I am a part of a team who loves and supports each other. Together we have had to overcome issues and pull through. I think of over 40 as just a number because I feel better that I did in my 20s!
How Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals
I am always on Bodybuilding.com. BodySpace is where my fit family is, and they all understand what I am going through. The articles on lifting and dieting are great. I order my products off the site and it's nice to have a history of what I've ordered, too.
Other people's transformation stories are a thrill to read and help motivate me to keep on trucking. Thank you, Bodybuilding.com, for giving me the opportunity to be featured as one of those transformations. I hope I can be the little push that helps another person reach their goals.
Christine's Top 5 Gym Tracks
- "Start Me Up" by The Rolling Stones
- "Wanna Be The One" by Haywire
- "Paris (Ooh La La)" by Grace Potter and The Nocturnals
- "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry
- "Don't You Worry" by Swedish House Mafia