Overcoming Adversity: My Journey to Becoming a Bodybuilding Champion
No Nonsense Magazine Volume 25 #4
By: Leslie McCloy
At a Glance:Leslie McCloy
Age: 54
Occupation: Administrative Assistant to a trucking company for 1 year; in the past, worked and managed an ice cream store for 27 years.
Family: Son, twin daughters, and 2 grandsons
Current Residence: West Lafayette, Ohio
Years training: Less than 3 years
Height: 5'3.5"
Weight: Off-Season: 127, Contest: 114
Favorite Bodybuilding or Fitness Meal: Salmon, lima beans, 1.5 scoops UMP
Favorite Supplements: My very favorite Beverly International supplements are UMP vanilla, 7-Keto MuscLean, Lean Out, Quadracarn, Fit Tabs, Density, Creatine Select, and Collagen Peptides.
What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before? I would always recommend UMP because it tastes amazing. I also always recommend Lean Out and 7-Keto MuscLean.
Music: All eras of Pop and Rock and some Country
Hobby or interests outside bodybuilding: I absolutely love spending time with my grandsons, ages 4 and 6. Their smiles fill my heart with joy. Besides bodybuilding, I enjoy powerlifting and helping and inspiring others to reach their goals, no matter their age.
Words to live by: Be someone who makes someone else look forward to tomorrow.
In January 2021, I made a decision that completely changed my life. I was feeling out of shape and low on energy, and I knew I needed to make a change. So, at age 51, I decided to embark on a fitness journey that would take me on an incredible ride.
I knew that I needed guidance and support to start my fitness journey. Fortunately, I had a close friend who was into powerlifting and living a healthy lifestyle. He introduced me to floor exercises I could do at home without equipment. By mid-February 2021, I had started using bands, cans, and a set of 10lb dumbbells, learning different ways to exercise with them by watching online videos. He also taught me about nutrition and introduced me to Beverly Supplements. I tried UMP, my very first supplement, and loved it.
In April of the same year, I felt ready to join Blackstone's Gym in my hometown of West Lafayette, Ohio. It was my first time stepping inside a gym, and I was intimidated. During my first attempt at using a piece of equipment, I accidentally sat backward on it. I was embarrassed and felt like leaving, but I persevered. My friend, gym mates, the gym owner, and his wife were kind and helpful. They guided me and taught me that this gym is not just a place to train; it is a family. They welcomed me with open arms and encouraged me to believe in myself.
As I progressed in my fitness journey, my friend suggested I consider bodybuilding. I thought about it but decided to try powerlifting first. In March 2022, at 52, I participated in my first powerlifting meet and won my division in the deadlift. It gave me the boost in confidence I needed. The next step in my journey was to think about trying bodybuilding.
I spoke to the gym owners, John and Suzie Blackstone, about it. John offered to train me to compete in the bikini division, and we started training in mid-April 2022.
Throughout my bodybuilding training, I still had a love for powerlifting. I competed in another powerlifting meet in July of 2022 and won 1st place in my division again. But now it was time to concentrate on bodybuilding. However, just six weeks before the show, I walked in on my husband having an affair. I was devastated, and my heart was broken. After being together for 36 years, our marriage had come to an end. However, I refused to let this setback stop me from achieving my goals. I poured my pain into my bodybuilding preparation.
In October 2022, I participated in my first bodybuilding show, and it was an experience like no other. I took home three first-place wins and one overall win, winning 1st place in True Novice, 1st place in Open, 1st place in Masters over 50, and Overall Masters. I was on cloud nine. Six weeks earlier, I was at one of the lowest points of my life, but then I accomplished this! Even if I hadn’t placed as well as I did, just training for and participating in the show gave me the confidence boost I needed. I never dreamed of stepping onto a stage, but I overcame my fears and did it even in a bikini!
After the bodybuilding show, I turned my attention back to powerlifting and set American records in the bench press and deadlift at Ohio's Big Dog Classic. I have now switched my focus back to bodybuilding again, and my goal is to compete in the 2024 NPC Worldwide Arnold Amateur and then again in the summer of 2024 at Nationals.
Looking back, I am grateful for the journey that led me to where I am today. I have learned that anyone can improve their fitness using the resources they have available. I have also realized that age should never hinder achieving your dreams. I am proof that it's never too late to start and that it's never too late to become a champion.
DIET
Meal 1: 1.5 scoops UMP, rice cake with peanut butter, apple
Meal 2: Post-workout UMP shake
Meal 3: 5 egg whites, 1 yolk, 1 serving of almonds
Meal 4: 4-6oz of chicken breast, green vegetables
Meal 5: Snack – 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 slice of cheese
Meal 6: 4-6oz of chicken or fish, green vegetables, 1 serving of rice or medium baked potato with real butter, 1 hard-boiled egg
Snack before bed: 1 ½ scoops UMP
SUPPLEMENTS
UMP: 1.5 scoops twice daily
Creatine Select: 1 scoop once daily
Muscle Provider: 1 scoop twice daily
Lean Out: 2 capsules twice daily
7-Keto MuscLean: 3 capsules twice daily
Quadracarn: 3 tablets three times daily
Density: 5 tablets daily
FitTabs: 2 tablets daily
Collagen Peptides: 2 scoops in the morning
Training Schedule
Day 1 Legs
Warm-Up Leg Extension 2x15
Glute Kickback 1x10
Barbell Squat 1x15, 1x12, 1x10, 1x15
Hack Squat 2x15, 2x10
Reverse Lunge 3x10
Lying Leg Curls 2x15, 2x10
Standing Calf Raise 3x10
Toe Press 1x20
Abs (Superset) - Hanging Leg Raises 4x20 w/ Floor Crunch 4x20
Day 2 Chest & Triceps
Dumbbell Incline Press 4x10
Pec Deck 3x15
Flat Dumbbell Bench Press 3x10
Cable Crossovers 3x15
Overhead Cable Extension 3x12
Machine Triceps Extension 3x10
Rope Pushdown 3x10
Dumbbell Kickback 3x15
Dynabody Abs 5x20
Day 3 Delts & Biceps
Machine Press 4x10
One Arm Cable Laterals 3x10
Seated Side Laterals 3x12
Plate Front Raise 2x15
Face Pulls 4x12
Alternate Dumbbell Curls 3x10
Machine Curl 3x12
Cable Curls 3x10
Seated Leg Raise 4x20
Day 4 Legs (Glute Emphasis)
Squat Machine 3x15
High Stance Leg Press 1x15, 1x12, 1x10
Reverse Hack Squats 1x15, 1x12, 1x10
Butt Blaster 4x10
Glute Lunge 2x10
Stiff Leg Deadlift 2x10
Seated Calf 2x20, 2x15
Roman Chair (Superset)
Sit-up / Leg Raise 3x20 each
Cardio Schedule
I enjoy walking on an incline on the treadmill. I do this 5 days a week for 45 minutes each day.
