Viviane Malette is a bodybuilder from Quebec. At over 50 years of age, she is in the shape most 20 year old's wish they could be in. She has a love and passion for health and fitness that is equalled by very few. Also getting to know her, she is a very kind woman who is always eager to lend some advice or a tip about training. She also has a website www.vivianemalette.com that I highly recommend.
Q: First, Viviane, thanks for doing this. I think you are an amazing and inspirational woman, and you have given me some great advice.
Q: Let's start out by telling a little about yourself. Where you are from, family, things like that.
A: I am originally from Lac Simon Quebec, a beautiful small village that attracts a lot of tourist's. I have been married to a wonderful man (Jean Luc) for 28 years now, and have two beautiful daughters, Catherine 27 and Marie-Eve 23.
Q: So how long have you been training and what made you decide to start training?
A: I started training at 37, because I was a very skinny person who in her younger years was in shape all the time but having children and not having time to practice sports anymore, I had lost all my muscles, so I decided for the first time to join the gym and regain the shape I once had. I liked training with weights so much that I never stopped. I became a personal trainer at 40, and did my first competition at 43. I am almost 54 and I still compete and still enjoy every minute of it.
Q: Was getting involved in bodybuilding something your family and friends supported at the time, and how do they feel now?
A: My immediate family supports me 100%. They are my biggest fans and I am lucky to have many friends that support me as well.
Q: How long did it take before you started seeing serious results?
A: Since I was very skinny, I started seeing muscular results in the few weeks following. Gaining weight was the challenge for me not losing it.
Q: What made you decide to enter your first show?
A: I decided to compete after I prepared a young man for a competition the previous year, by being back stage with him, the preparation, the tan, the routine, the smell, the results, the adrenaline was sooooo high that I said "Next year is my turn, I have to try it at least once".
Q: Was competing what you thought it would be. Did anything surprise you?
A: I still remember my first competition as if it was yesterday, and the fact that I won makes it very special. The only thing that I do not like about the competition is the fact that you are judged by people and sometimes the judgement calls are really not what it should be and it is sometimes who you know more than your physique that makes you win.
Q: Can you share your contest history?
A: In 1999 at age 43 the first competition in Ottawa with an Ontario Federation, 1st place Open. 2001 at age 45, Physique Quebec Tested Montreal 2nd in the Master and 3rd in the lightweight (not happy with the result). Stopped for two years because of an injury to the right shoulder. Took me two more years to regain what I had lost and start competing again. In 2005 at age 49 Fame East in Montreal 1st place in the lightweight division, 1st place in the Master division, and 1st place in the pair division. One month later, the 2005 Fame National Toronto 1st place in the Master division. 2007 age 47 Fame national Toronto, 1st place in the master division and 2nd place in the Lightweight division, awarded with my Master Pro Card and invited to the Fame First North America Pro master competition. November 2007 Miami Fame Master competition, 1st place. June 2008 Fame World, 1st place in the Pro Master Division. July 2009 IDFA Toronto Classic, 1st place in the Pro Open Division. November 2009 IDFA Pro Universe, 1st place, and I have no intention to stop.
Q: Now, you have given me some great advice and encouragement. You enjoy helping people like that, don't you?
A: I love giving good advice and to help people. That is why I became a personal trainer. I love to see people succeed and reach their goal, or their dream, no matter what they are.
Q: What do you think is your best body part, or the part you get the most compliments on?
A: I am very proud of my arms and my legs, they are pretty big for a small woman. I get a lot of compliments on those but when people get to see my abs close to a contest, they are very impressed, especially when I tell them my age.
Q: Do you have a favorite part to train or favorite exercise?
A: My favorite part to train is the back, although I do not dislike working out any parts. Legs are very demanding to train.
Q: What is your normal training routine and diet like for the off season, and how do you alter it for contest prep?
A: I eat well all year round but my carbs and fat are higher off season and cheats are more frequent too. I do not train long because of my body type. 45 Minutes is the maximum time training at the gym, 3-4 times a week, but very intense with always the maximum weight that I can. I try to sleep at least 8-9 hours each night. When it is time to lean out, I pick different carbs and fat and eat more fish and egg white, go to the gym 5-6 times a week with higher reps and a maximum of 15 minutes cardio.
Q: When people see your physique for the first time, what is the most common response. Is it more negative or positive?
A: When people that do not know much about bodybuilding look at my contest pictures, I get more negative response, because I am very ripped and lean and dehydrated, but when they meet me in person they always say that I still look very feminine. But on the other hand I work in a gym, so I get so much positive response from clients. They say that I am an inspiration for women.
Q: When they see it that first time, what is the one question you are sick of hearing?
A: One comment I am very tired of hearing is people saying "of course you look like that, you have done that all your life and for sure you do not have any children with those abs".
Q: Are there any misconceptions about women in bodybuilding?
A: I notice one thing since I am competing, is that we are less and less natural women bodybuilders, and that the federations encourages more the figure than the bodybuilding. You end up with 3 to 5 bodybuilders on stage compared to 12 to 16 figures in a lineup. It is to bad.
Q: Do you have any favorite bodybuilders yourself?
A: My favorite bodybuilder of all-time is Cory Everson. What a beautiful woman.
Q: Do you have a favorite cheat food?
A: My favorite cheat food is CHIPSSSSS
Q: When someone says you are an inspiration to them, what does that mean to you?
A: To be an inspiration to people means the world to me.
Q: You also do training. What do you enjoy about that?
A: Training people is part of my life and I enjoy it very much. I am there to encourage them or kick them in the butt if they need to and I get so much positive response from my clients. My clients think that I am there for them, but what they do not realize is that they are also there for me.
Q: What is your favorite and least favorite part of the sport?
A: The fun part of bodybuilding is the training. The dieting especially preparing for a contest is the least favorite part. Cooking, cooking, and cooking, and washing dishes.
Q: When someone says "women should not be that muscular, what is your response to that?
A: Women should be what they want to be and nothing else.
Q: Outside of bodybuilding, any other activities or hobbies you enjoy?
A: In the summer time, my hobbies are spending time in my flower garden transplanting, cutting edges, taking care of my plants, my tree's, admiring it. Since I mostly compete in that time of year, my work in my flower garden becomes a well needed relaxation time for me.
Q: Describe a typical day in the life of Viviane Malette.
A: Wake up time is 7:00AM, always eat egg white for breakfast, that is the ritual. Rush to the shower, pack my lunch box for the day and off to the gym. 9:00AM first client, I eat meal 2 at 10:00AM. 10:30AM more clients until 12:00OM. 12:15PM meal 3, relax until 1:00PM and then training. From 1:15PM till 2:00PM and then meal 4 at 2:00PM post work out shake, and then 2:30PM or 3:00PM seeing more clients until 5:30PM. Finish work, go to the grocery store, arrive home around 6:30PM, have meal 5, return phone calls, emails, prepare programs and diets and if I have time, I prepare my meals for the next day or work. 9:30PM is last meal and then by 10:00PM I am usually in bed. On Saturday morning I take clients at my home and than I am preparing for competition, practice of mandatory poses, routines, etc.. Sunday I keep doing new training or diets if I am done during the week.
Q: Any favorite TV shows or actors or anything?
A: My favorite tv show is So You Think You Can Dance
Q: Describe Viviane malette in five words
A: Energetic, Loving, hardcore, happy, and perfectionist
Q: You also have a website. Can you tell people the address for that and what they can find there.
A: My website is www.vivianemalette.com. You will find pictures of most of my competitions, my biographies, and photo shoot, but it is all in French
Q: Sponsors are obviously important and helpful in the sport. Are you looking for sponsors, and if so, can you tell them how to contact you and what they are getting in terms of a bodybuilder and competitor in sponsoring Viviane Malette.
A: By sponsoring me, anybody would be very well represented if they want a natural athlete, because I can very well promote a product that I believe in. When I compete, I take a lot of supplements, and it would be nice if I can have a few supplements free.
Q: Any set plans for 2010?
A: I think that in 2010 I'll take a year off of competing to put more mass on me to compete in 2011, or maybe go back to IDFA Pro Universe in November 2010 to reclaim my title if I get the mass that I want.
Q: Viviane I want to thank you for taking the time to do this. You know how highly I think of you. You are an amazing woman. Any last words?
A: I want to thank you Jason, to have taken your time to do this. That amazes me, you are awesome.
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