Richmond resident Lily Yuan has many roles: artist, founder of a children’s choir, mom of two…but now she has a new role — a rising body-building star.
Yuan won fourth place at the B.C. Amateur Body Building Competition last Saturday at River Rock Theatre, which qualifies her to be a finalist in the Quebec national competition next July. Anyone who wins the national competition advances to the professional level.
“My goal is to be the champion. It’s difficult, but I will try my best,” said Yuan to the Richmond News.
The 40-year-old, however, wasn’t a gym-goer until two years ago.
She and her husband started a lumber business when they moved to Richmond from China 10 years ago. She then started an art studio, teaching children painting, and a non-profit children’s choir.
“After I started the choir, I took the children singers to many places to perform and went on stage a lot. Then I thought I wanted to look nice, so I joined a gym,” said Yuan.
“My personal trainer said I have a great muscle grouping and asked me if I wanted to try body building. I said ‘why not’?”
Yuan has taken it very seriously.
Being a body builder means constant high intensity training and an extremely strict diet each day.
Yuan spends one and a half hours on weight training every day. On top of that, she went on a step machine for 50 minutes early in the morning and another 30 minutes at night, to keep her body in shape.
In the five months preparing for the show, her meal was plain boiled chicken or fish with vegetables without any seasoning, six times a day, cooked by her father.
“I haven’t had oil or salt in my meals for years. And I can’t have milk or pork. Not many people can do that,” she laughed.
“What I craved the most was Tim Horton’s donuts. In the post-show month, when I have a break, I eat a lot of bread, chocolate and hot pot.”
Yuan said the most difficult part was feeling hungry and having less control of her temper.
“People tend to get grumpy when they are hungry or don’t have sugar,” said Yuan.
“I’m lucky that my husband and families are very supportive. Being a bodybuilder means spending a lot of time on your own and eating on your own. My family’s understanding and support is very important.”
To fully show her line of muscles at the show, Yuan, like many other body builders, had to go through a dehydration process before the show.
“I drank a lot of water for three days. Then in the last two days, I stopped drinking anything, just letting the existing water discharge from my body.
“Then you will see the change in your body and the muscle definition increased. It’s very interesting.
“But I was very thirsty when I was on the stage,” she laughed.
As hard as it is, Yuan said all the effort is worth it.
“It really brings my confidence to a whole different level,” said Yuan.
“My body is in better shape and I’m always full of energy. Also, I like it that every half a year or so I get dressed up, do my hair and make-up, and present my beauty on-stage.”
In her first seven years in Canada, Yuan put her own interest aside to help her husband’s business, raise two children and do housework at home.
“I always like being on stage and, if not for my family, I may have been on the stage long ago. But it’s not too late now.
“I don’t want to show people my old pictures and say, ‘look how nice I once looked’. I want to be the most beautiful at my current age.”
Yuan said being a bodybuilder is not too far removed from normal life, and everyone can become one if they want to.
“You can give yourself a 40-year-old birthday gift by getting trained to attend one of the body building shows,” said Yuan.
“I really enjoy it and will not stop. My goal is the championship and, if possible, to become a professional competitor.”
