Cyberflexing.com Exclusive Interview With Figure Competitor Trista Elaschuk

Quick Bio:

Age: 27
Height: 5’5″ - 165 cm
Contest Weight: 135 lbs - 61 kg
Off-Season Weight: 145-150 lbs - 65-68 kg
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada

What was your lifestyle like prior to your transformation?

Before I decided to transform, I lived a very inactive lifestyle. I would race home from work to binge watch TV and snack. I often missed breakfast and would got the entire day without eating, causing me to overeat when I was home from school/work. I was a party girl and spent my weekends drinking and the bar.

Were there any obstacles or setbacks that made your transformation particularly difficult?

In the beginning I had a hard time distancing myself from my party lifestyle. I would eat clean throughout the week and then continue to party on weekends.

This would set back my progress and I would spend the week trying to undo the damage I did every weekend. I had to distance myself from the party lifestyle and make my health a priority.

What is your life like now that you’ve made a transformation?

I am in the best shape of my life and am extremely happy with my body. I wake up early every morning full of energy and do my cardio before work. I eat 6 clean meals a day and hit the gym after work to do weights. I am found other people who are into fitness and help me achieve my goals, rather than the party lifestyle.

My boyfriend plays a huge part in my success, being a bodybuilder himself, we rely on each other to stay accountable and push ourselves.

How do you stay so motivated? What drives you?

I never want to go back to being unhealthy and unhappy. I often remind myself of how far I have come and how many sacrifices I have made to obtain this new lifestyle. I do not want to fall back into old habit and put the weight back on. I set goals for myself and do whatever I can in my power to achieve them. Once I reach these goals, I set bigger ones and strive for those.

My coach is with me every step of the way and reminds me that at the end of the day, I am human and will have bumps along the way but it’s how I overcome these that creates champions.

What is your training routine like?

I train 6 times a week. 5 days with an isolated muscle group and 1 day of a full body circuit. I do cardio 6 times a week in the off-season 20-30 minutes a day and in the on season I increase it week by week eventually capping off at 60-65 minutes a day.

If you had to choose only 3 exercises, what would they be and why?

Shoulder lateral raises. Shoulders are my favorite body part to train and this simple exercise is very beneficial and helps me get a good pump.
Wide grip pull-ups. I feel empowered and strong performing pull-ups and have found this to really contribute to adding width to my back.
Barbell squats – simple and effective. Legs are my strongest body part and squatting really makes me feel strong and powerful.

What is your favourite form of cardio?

The stepper. I actually purchased one for my home so I have no excuses not to get my cardio in.

What is your diet like?

I am currently on prep right now, so my diet is a little different than in the off-season. I eat 6 times a day. For breakfast I have egg white oatmeal – 1 cup egg whites, ¾ cup blueberries, ¼ cup quick cook oats, cinnamon and hemp hearts.
Meal 2: I have ½ cup egg whites mixed with ½ scoop casein protein powder, cinnamon, cooked and then topped with peanut butter.
Meal 3: I have 4oz chicken breast with 1 cup green beans and olive oil.
Meal 4: I have 4oz chicken with 2oz sweet potato with olive oil.
Meal 5: I have 4oz chicken with orange peppers and hemp hearts.
Meal 6: I have ½ cup egg whites mixed with ½ scoop casein protein powder, cinnamon, cooked topped with Walden Farms chocolate syrup.

What supplements do you use?

Every morning I use MuscleTech AminoBuild while I do my morning cardio. I take a multivitamin, fish oil, vitamin E, D, C, B12, calcium, potassium and probiotic. At lunch I take fish oil and B12 and at dinner I take some more fish oil and B12. Post-workout I have 1 scoop protein powder with BCAA’s and Glutamine and 1 scoop waxy maize.

What are the highlights of your fitness career?

The highlight so far is placing 3/15 in my first competition and being featured on bodybuilding.com as well as the upcoming issue of Muscle and Fitness Hers. I am currently prepping for 2 shows this year, the NPAA in Calgary, AB and the Tanji Johnson Classic in Olympia Washington.