| Eversince she blasted on to the scene in 2012 with her beaming smile and well conditioned booty, I have been chasing this humble figure for a story. I had a feeling underneath that great body there was a battle to be revealed and that instinct was right. Hard to believe but cantabrian Beks Fraser has battled her demons with booze and depression but has been saved from her downhill battle by bodybuilding. right: INBA Akl 2012 |
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In 2 years she has turned her life around and has risen up the ladder of success with her recent win at the INBA Natural Olympia. |
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Occupation: Accountant Age: 41. Contest Achievements |
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Sept 2011: Nabba-WFF Top of the South; Open Figure Tall 1st. Overall Figure May 2012: NZIFBB Novice Figure 2nd; June 2012: INBA Auckland Classic; Open Figure Tall 1st. Overall Figure October 2012: Nabba-WFF Nationals; Open Figure Tall 1st (only one in it!!!) August 2013: INBA South Pacific Championships; Open Physique 1st. Overall Physique November 2013: INBA Natural Olympia; Open Overall Physique 1st |
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Have you always been into fitness and exercise? What did you do before bodybuilding? I have always enjoyed and maintained an active lifestyle. At a young age I competed in equestrian sports and having always been ambitious and competitive I left school at 16 and found a job as I was determined I was going to be the next Mark Todd!!!Lack of finances soon gave me a reality check and in my early 20’s I decided to go to University to obtain a job that would fund such a dream. As happens in life, things change, I had my wonderful son Jak and started focusing on my career. During this period I was into my cardio and even completed the running leg of a team triathlon. I returned to competitive equestrian sports in my early 30’s but the passion had gone so I turned my hand to working within the Racehorse Industry as a track work rider, exercising up to 15 racehorses a morning during peak times |
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You described yourself as once a ‘booze hag’. How long ago was this and what was your life back then in terms of your lifestyle, drinking and exercise (if any)? I knew you were going to ask this question!! I had always enjoyed drinking but could take it or leave it. Life served me a couple of curve balls in my mid 30’s and I reacted by drinking. |
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Prone to depression, the alcohol fed it and a vicious cycle developed. It wasn’t that I was dropping a bottle of gin before breakfast, or getting into fights or drinking and driving or anything stupid but I was a slave to it. My lifestyle was extremely busy between the racehorses and running my own business and drinking was just something we did at the end of a busy day. Due to the physical nature of my life, my weight and body fat were never particularly high but I was rotting from the inside out, my body starved of nutrients, water and quality sleep. It was a very selfish way to live, I had a son, who needed a Mother, a supportive Family and a great circle of Friends. It was total craziness; I didn’t want to live like that but couldn’t break myself out of the rut I had created. It will be three years in May 2014 since I made my “lifestyle change” and I have never been happier.
What motivated you to start getting into shape and eventually compete in your contest? I had absolutely no idea what body sculpting entailed, I had never even been to a body building show. I was certainly in for a shock especially when I realised I had to get on stage and in a bikini! Nabba-WFF Top of the South Show in September 2011 was marked in the diary and I was truly petrified but failure just isn’t an option, I had myself a pact and was going to do it and nothing or nobody was going to stop me. INBA 2012 NABBA WFF Nationals 2013 My health, skin, energy levels and outlook on life improved tenfold within a couple of weeks. When I decided to do that first competition I considered it a destination point, the culmination of the end of my bullshit and then I was going to do something else random. However, once I got off that stage the first time I knew it was only the beginning of a new chapter in my life. |
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 INBA Taupo 2013 |
What has bodybuilding taught you about eating, training and managing a healthy lifestyle? |
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Who’s been the person/people who’s been instrumental in your change to healthy living and eating? My Mum, my Family and Jak. I couldn’t do this without their support. I have taken them to hell and back over the years with my self-destructive behaviour but they have stood by me through it all. There are obviously some key people that have been contributed to changing my mindset and getting me on stage. Kent Gibson, my trainer and nutritionist is an absolute a master of his trade. The Natural Olympia gold truly does belong to him, I just followed his instructions.
Miss WFF Universe, Johanna Mountford, one in a million, an absolutely freaky way of transforming a physique with her posing techniques and so willing to share her tips and advice that have made her the best. Robyn Crotty, who has the hardest job of the lot, my routines. Naturally born with 20 left feet and the co-ordination of the goat they take a lot of practice to get right but Robyn just installs confidence in anybody’s life she is involved in and we sure do have a lot of laughs! |
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You recently competed at the INBA Olympia where you won a gold medal in the physique class, what went through your mind as you were announced the winner? The emotions you feel are pretty hard to put into words. As with anyone who has competed in any body building competition (or any Sport) knows, you put everything you have into it, physically, emotionally and financially so for a dream to come true with a great result is quite overwhelming. |
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What was your typical workout regime leading up to the show? Sat: Walk/Posing Practice Sun: Walk/Posing Practice |
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Cardio tends to flatten out my muscles, so I am reliant on the diet to get me lean. I do love my walking though as a way to unwind and chill out but just have to keep it in check leading up to a competition. You have pretty awesome leg and glute development. How did you get both so lean! Any special exercise you do or rep range you work in? Thank you. Ultimately, the leanness just comes down to building the mass and conditioning. My quads have taken a lot of work to build them up and still have a way to go to get yet. Training heavy with minimal to no cardio and maximum clean carbohydrates seems to work best for my body type. What is harder for your dieting or training?
Johanna putting Beks through her paces Work in progress at this stage, there are some great opportunities out there and I just need to decide/target where my physique is most suited. I do know that I want to keep raising the bar in the competitions I compete in and the physique I bring to stage. At the moment I am just really focused on my off-season and making the improvements I need too and want too before I stand on stage again. Thank you Lise (Go Figure) for all the support you have given me. Beks :) |
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