East Meadow Grandmother Wins First Figure Competition

A 43-year-old East Meadow grandmother has won her first figure competition and has all intentions of competing again.

"I still can't believe it!" Victoria Lodise said of placing first in the 2013 MASTERS Figure NPC Brooklyn Grand Prix. "I never expected to place, let alone win first place. It was an experience that I will never forget."

Lodise's husband, Peter, said he and Victoria began working out at Optimuss Fitness in Uniondale for recreation and health two years ago. "After seeing our friend, Carlos Martinez, manager of Eva's Supplements in Queens, win the Brooklyn Grand Prix in 2012 the bug hit my wife hard," he said. "It wasn't until we went to an event in Brooklyn where a competition judge from California looked at my wife and said 'you have to compete.'"

In mid-July, Victoria began prepping for this year's competition. "Her goal was to let other Moms know that they do not necessarily compete but they can get in competition shape," Peter said.

Lodise trained three times a day, six days a week. Her routine consisted of cardio twice a day and weight training with her husband in the early evening. She also did a one-hour cardio workout on the seventh day.

Her diet was "simple but strict." For the first eight weeks of training, she let herself have a "cheat meal" every Friday. "No matter what nutritional plan you may be on, your body craves fats and sugar," she said. "This way, may it be a cheat day or meal, you curb the temptation to fall off your prep or program."

The final four weeks leading up to the competition Lodise said she cut out the cheat meal to really start to "lean out."

"I do have to say my family ate what I ate 99 percent of the time," she said. "I never expected them to follow my diet and if they chose not to eat what Peter and I were eating, I was more than happy to run out and get it or make it for them."

Lodise didn't work with coaches to train or prep her diet but instead relied on Peter, Carlos and Goran, who owns Optimuss Fitness. "They kept me motivated and drove me beyond limits I didn't know existed and to answer questions when I came to a plateau," she said.

Lodise has three children, ages 23, 21 and 11, along with a five-and-a-half month old grandchild. Her youngest, Faith, sacrificed much of her time to go with her parents to the gym. "She learned a lot about exercise and nutrition through this and tends to stay on track with this lifestyle," Victoria said.

Right now, Lodise has her sights set on other competitions being held across the country before she takes on the NYC Metropolitan championships in April 2014, where her son, Dylan, may also compete.

"It is a lifestyle not a hobby," Lodise said. "It takes dedication and discipline to better yourself and once you find what drives you to that point, there is no looking back. It isn't for everyone but I do hope on my journey that I've truly motivated and inspired other Moms, Dads and grandparents to take a hold of their lives and push forward. It's rewarding."