legend to icon (and beyond)
A true legend in the complete sense of the word!
A pioneer in the sport, Monica Brant not only became the 1998 Ms. Olympia Fitness Champion, but was also part of the very 1st competition in 1995. Not only that – she was also part of the very first Figure Olympia in 2003, as well as achieving 2nd place in the 2003 Figure Olympia!
Anyone else would take those accomplishments as the peak of their career. But, Monica wasn’t finished yet. She was only just getting started..
Monica Brant
It isn’t all just gyms and running tracks. Sometimes you just have to enjoy your surroundings.
last orders!
Propping up a bar (this time without added weight)
gym time
Looking good from the back is what wins you the show! A great front view pales in comparison to a great rear shot!
championship material
In November, 1994, Monica recieved her first appearance as a cover girl for Muscle & Fitness Magazine. According to records, this turned out to be the first of over 100 covers throughout Monica’s career with almost as many articles/interviews with this superstar.
Competitively, Monica, was not only the 1998 IFBB Fitness Olympia Champion – but also claimed the 2010/2013 WBFF World’s Pro Figure Championships.
In addition to the numerous stage appearances, Monica trained for track and field competition in her youth, which then went on to afford her a top three spot (within her age group) in the USA for the 100m, 200m and 400m races. She was also the recipient of the ‘All American Awards in each catergory. Her competitive times were also impressive with best times of 12.61 seconds for the 100m, 26.05 for the 200m and 59.76 for the 300m! These times were not only competitive, but this training allowed her to incorporate different methods into her(s) and her clients training regimes. Besides the typical physique style methods she, also incorporated Obstacle Course Racing and America Ninja Warrior training, alongside the sprint training as well!
Monica is an advocate of a positive mindset throughout life. “Our minds tell us that we can do it or that we can’t. The mind can set us up for success or failure”.
As people age, the goal of becoming wiser and more capable should present itself, but this isn’t always true. Sometimes people will start to second-guess themselves—talking yourself out of doing something you love or embarking on something new because of your age become obstacles we set in our path, as a way to impede progress safely and without regret. ‘It wasn’t my fault, the timing wasn’t right’ or ‘there were too many things that could go wrong’, are common phrases uttered when fear becomes a dominant factor!
Monica had those fears, and more, but this wasn’t about to define her!
“When I was turning 40, I competed in the WBFF World Championships. I did not consider that many of the girls would be younger than me — some much younger — or that I had not won a professional show in 12 years! I just stepped out with courage knowing that I could achieve a new goal and that my work ethic and dedication would suffice”.
She not only rose to the challenge and ended up winning the 2010 WBFF World Figure Pro Championships, she also gained herself five more magazine covers.
WORLD CLASS
Citing this as one of the most important factors, (but also the hardest to maintain) Monica understands that the easiest way to fail in your goals is to let nutrition and diet slip by unchecked. The type of training she lived by for many years (as a full-time professional competitor) called for eating huge amounts of calories daily. When you consider Monica was 5ft 4in and carried a stage weight of 130, lean, lb’s – her regime of upto 2,500 calories every day, could seem excessive.
Since she stopped competing, her lifestyle and training needs may have changed, but so did her need to maintain the same level of nutrition.
A popular method of dieting became intermittent fasting and a keto-style food plans. These methods are wildly effective nowadays and Monica cites these as key areas in which she helped to maintain her desired weight, muscle balance, energy and clear thinking, with the added bonus of a healthy digestive tract.
Intermittent fasting means you don’t have any calories for an extended period every day.
Depending on the exercise plan for the day, she would sometimes skip breakfast and fast for 14-18 hours most days. This method works by using every last calorie from your previous meal over a set time frame and then switches to burning fat for fuel.
On days where this method isn’t readily available to her (or her daily regime doesn’t call for it), Monica will use a keto eating option where she would only take in healthy fats and no carbs. (For instance), “I’ll have organic green tea, water, Kerrygold™ butter, organic coconut oil, avocados, raw or dry roasted nuts and nut butters, whole eggs, and a good, grass-fed ribeye steak. Other days I’ll eat more normally, including healthy carbs. I like to mix it up!”
“These two lifestyle changes have produced a freedom from food for me and my clients that I didn’t know I would enjoy as much as I have. I have appreciated being able to reduce my calories or not eat at all if I am in a fasting window. This has allowed me more control over my food rather than my food controlling me, and that is a huge bonus!” Monica declares.
Aside from pregnant women and young children – Monica declares these are the healthiest options for nearly all men and women to incorporate into their daily lives.
zzz…….to succeed
Sleep is a factor Monica would often stress as being almost more important than nutrition but many of the world’s top business men and women will tell you to minimise your sleep, realistically, to maximise your productivity potential. She would advocate most over 40 year olds should try to get 6-8 hours of sleep daily, depending on your needs and lifestyle. Whilst this is an ideal window for most, this means sleep. Not sitting in bed watching TV or on your phone. We can survive a little while without food and water, depending on our body structure and how much stored body fat we carry, weather and religion, play a role in this. Fasting, for example can have you not drinking or eating throughout the day – as in a carb bacl loading diet, where you eat all your carbs for the following day in the prior evening. But sleep deprivation can have a drastic and immediate effect on bodily functions, besides how terrible we feel!
embrace it…
A broader topic (which is obviously different for everyone), is exercise. Encouraging clients to find something they love to do, and can do, regularly is key to increasing your heart rate and expanding your lungs (safely) with heavy breathing from an intense exercise regime. One thing often found is how many people try to stay away from sweating during exercise. Building a sweat and maintaining that is crucial to your training prowess. You want to sweat – really sweat!
“The skin is the largest organ in the human body, and it needs to be able to remove toxins and cleanse itself, which happens when you sweat”.
Embrace it. don’t shy away from it!
PROFESSIONAL FIGURE COMPETITOR 2016 – 2003
(UK) PCA Birmingham 2016- 1st & Overall
(UK) NABBA Universe 2016- 2nd
WBFF
World’s Figure Pro 2013- 1st
World’s Figure Pro 2010- 1st
IFBB
Figure International 2010- 7th
Figure Olympia 2009- 10th
Figure Europa 2009- 3rd
Figure International 2009- 6th
Figure Olympia 2007- 7th
Figure Olympia 2006- 3rd
Figure International 2006- 2nd
Sacramento Pro Figure 2005- 3rd
Figure Olympia 2005-3rd
San Francisco Pro Figure 2005- 2nd
Figure International 2005- 2nd
Figure Olympia 2004- 3rd
Figure International 2004- 2nd
Figure Olympia 2003- 2nd
GNC Pro Figure 2003- 2nd
Figure International 2003- 2nd
Fitness Olympia 1999- 4th
Fitness Olympia 1998- 1st
Fitness International 1998- 2nd
Fitness Olympia 1997- 6th
Fitness International 1997- 2nd
Fitness Olympia 1996- 7th
Fitness New York Pro 1996- 4th
Jan Tana Fitness Pro 1996- 2nd
Fitness Olympia 1995- 7th
Jan Tana Fitness Pro 1995- 1st
AMATEUR FITNESS COMPETITOR 1995 – 1991
Ms Fitness USA Nationals 1995- 9th
Ms Fitness USA Southern CA. 1994- 1st
Ms Fitness USA Texas 1993- 6th
Ms National Fitness 1991- 9th
Ms Fitness USA Arizona 1991- 1st
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS