At age 50, Sandra Cox is at the peak of her fitness, and her happiness. Learn how this devoted mother applies her no-holds-barred attitude to everything in life.
THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD
Five years ago, I realized that I wanted to get that elusive, sculpted, super strong and fit body, but I didn’t know how to get it. I emailed Andre Rzazewski and secured him as my trainer. I had seen his website and read his client testimonials, so I knew I could trust him to get me there. Another source of motivation was my family. My husband is an elite masters runner, and my boys were becoming national-level swimmers – and I wanted to be super fit with them!
WALKING THE WALK
It felt wonderful to dive into the gym and work hard. I work in the health care field; my husband and I are pharmacists who own our own Pharmasave. It’s very motivating to keep healthy when I see the effects of illness on unhealthy bodies.
ASPIRATIONAL FIGURES
Tosca Reno inspired me in my early forties, and now I love Erin Stern and Nichelle Laus.
HOME BODY
I trained at our local gym for two years, but I now train at home in our basement. We have pretty much everything in it, and because of time restraints it’s been a huge lifesaver. We began doing morning and afternoon workouts about three years ago, so it just makes sense to run downstairs and get them done.
MOTIVATIONAL MUSCLE
My favourite body part to train is my shoulders. I love the look of them! Lateral raises are my absolute favourite exercise.
PREP WORK
I have only competed in four fitness competitions, so I’m not sure how much experience I have. We start 12 to 16 weeks out and “dial in,” as Andre says, as we get closer. The diet gets stricter and the workouts stay challenging!
It’s so hard to accomplish, but fun. I love it! LOOKING TO THE FUTURE I am trying to build muscle and work on my stage presentation, as that was the feedback included in my judges’ notes. That’s my and Andre’s goal this spring, with the aim of competing in the fall. I want to try another UFE show and hopefully an OPA competition too.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Just start! Take it one day at a time, work hard, and eat well. Everyone has setbacks and everyone may indulge,
but after a while you will find a routine that becomes part of your everyday life. I have had many friends and family members see my pictures and notice the changes in my body, and it encourages them to start training or exercising. If I can inspire anyone, then it’s truly been rewarding!.
PHOTOS BY DAVE LAUS (@DAVE_LAUS)
