Miranda Odom Interview

A veteran of only two competitions, Miranda Odom is still early in what promises to be a very good competing career, including winning her class in her first show. She competed in Bikini and plans on moving to Figure, this year if she feels ready. In this interview Miranda very clearly comes across as someone who is very easy to root for, so I expect Miranda to have a good fan base after this interview. Keep your eyes out for Miranda Odom.



Q: First, Miranda, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this.
A: No, thank you for asking me and giving me this opportunity!

Q: Can you start out by telling a little about yourself.
A: I'm from a pretty small town in South Carolina, where not much goes on. My family is my world! My Mom is the first person I call whenever I need advice or someone to talk to. I have a really good relationship with my sister. She and her husband just had their first child, and he is pretty much the cutest and sweetest baby ever! I can't wait until he's old enough for trips to the zoo, where I can get him all hyped up on candy then take him back to them! Just kidding...?


Q: Before the gym were you an especially athletic person? Play any sports or anything?
A: Nah, I was never really athletic. As a child I took tap, jazz and ballet. I quit dance, then got into karate. I earned my black belt and then quit that too! I wish I would have stuck with it, but I was young and had the attention span of a gnat! Now, I'm back into dance. I have been doing bellydancing for a little over 8 years. I love it!


Q: What initially led you into the gym?
A: Well, I ran into my old karate instructor at the mall and he had opened several gyms and needed someone to work the front desk at one of the locations. So that got me in the gym lol.

Q: Was training something you picked up fairly easy? How long before you started to see results?
A: Well in the beginning I pretty much just did the minimum, so it took a while for me to see any results. But I soon figured out I needed to really push myself, and that's when I finally started seeing results!

Q: What made you decide to compete for the first time?
A: One of the personal trainers at the gym had competed before, and she got me interested in doing a competition. We started working out together and she was my motivation in the beginning. She introduced me to another awesome trainer that got her ready for her competitions. He helped me tremendously!

Q: Is competing something your family and friends supported?
A: In the beginning they didn't really get why I wanted to compete. Now, I think they have given up and just accepted it. However, the training, dieting, and competing did break up some relationships I had. Those that really love you will support you even if they don't really get why you love this sport, or understand much about it. If it's something that is important to you, it's important to them.

Q: Was competing what you expected or did anything surprise you about it?
A: I can laugh about it now, but the first time I went through the tanning process it about had me ready to say "forget it!". I have never had to get my entire body painted tan before, and it took a long time, and I was really tired...let's just say I wasn't a happy camper.

Q: Can you share your contest history.
A: Well, it's a pretty short one. I have competed in NPC bikini twice. My first show I got 1st in my height class, the 2nd show didn't crack the top 5. The shows were 2 weeks a part. Just goes to show how different each show can be from one to the next. Now, I have started training to try to get ready to compete in figure. I've made some progress, but still have a ways to go. But I am determined!


Q: As far as body parts, what do you feel is your best one?
A: Hmm...I would say either my back or triceps. Both have responded pretty quickly to my increase in training and I'm excited to see how much more I can gain in those areas.

Q: Do you have a part you most like to train?
A: I love training legs and glutes! I think I'm addicted to the pain, cause my favorite exercises are squats of all kinds! I love not being able to walk right for days afterwards. I call it my zombie duck walk!

Q: What is your normal training routine and diet like and how do you alter it for contest prep?
A: My training routine is pretty much broken down like this: day one is back and bis, day two is hamstrings, day three is shoulders, day four chest and tris, day five is all over legs and glutes (after this day it usually takes me a while to recover, I hit my legs pretty hard) I fit abs in three or more times a week. This is my off season training schedule. My contest prep stays about the same but with insane amounts of cardio. My diet right now pretty much the same as contest prep, good clean food with more carbs thrown in, plus some extra cheat meals. I eat 6 times a day about 2 1/2 to 3 hours a part.


Q: When someone sees your physique or hears you compete for the first time, what is the most common reaction? More positive or negative?
A: I get a mix. Most people don't understand how I can do the contest prep diet. The diet is the hardest thing to do. When some people hear I compete, they want advice on how to workout or diet. They think that there is a secret that I (and others that compete) know and won't share. You just have to be willing to work your butt off (literally)!

Q: When they see it that first time, what is the one question or comment you are most sick of hearing?
A: Oh, my favorite is "why don't you eat real food?!" Silly me, I thought chicken, fish, and veggies were real food!

Q: What is the biggest misconception about women who train and compete or the one thing you wish people understood?
A: Well, where I work, a lot of the ladies are scared to train with heavy weights. They don't want to get big and bulky, which that won't happen! They shouldn't be afraid to be strong! Lift those weights!

Q: What is the best and worst part of training for you?
A: The best part is the stress relief and seeing the progress that I'm making. When I go up on the weight I can lift, it makes my day! The worst part... maybe making everything fit in around it. The gym takes a big part of my day. I work there and work out there. I pretty much live at the gym. Which isn't a bad thing most of the time!

Q: Do you have any favorite competitors or any you admire?
A: Oh yeah! I really like Erin Stern, Ava Cowan, and Nicole Wilkins Lee for figure, Amanda Latona, Sonia Gonzales, and Jessica Jessie for bikini.

Q: Do you have a favorite cheat food?
A: WINGS FROM WILD WINGS!!!! I wish I could eat them every day!

Q: If another woman told you she wanted to start training, what is the one piece of advice you would most want to give her?
A: Don't give up! It took me a while before I saw results. I still get discouraged. I know I got a long way to go, but it helps when you remember how far you've come!

Q: Do you think it is becoming more common to see women in the gym training as hard as men?
A: Not at the gym where I work. It's me and another girl that competes in bikini. When we work out together we are always right beside the big guys lifting as much as we can! It's a pretty good feeling when guys come up to you and talk about lifting without trying to hit on you. It's actually a respect thing.

Q: Outside of training, any other hobbies or activities you enjoy?
A: Well, I still bellydance, and when I have time I love to draw and paint. I actually went to school for Graphic Design. A friend and I are working on designing some tanks and other gym clothing items.

Q: Can you describe a typical day in the life of Miranda Odom.
A: Well, most days I get up at 5 am to make sure I have time to cook my meals for the day and get in my training before I have to be a work at 9 am. I work until 8pm, so I when I get home I'm pretty tired and try to get to sleep pretty early. Eat, train, sleep, repeat. Pretty much my day.

Q: Describe Miranda Odom in five words.
A: Dedicated, Energetic, Funny, Caring, Stubborn

Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
A: That I'm sort of old-fashioned. I kinda have that southern belle thing going on.

Q: Any set plans for the near future as far as competing or anything else?
A: Oh yeah! May 2011 will be my first competition for the new year coming up! I'd like to say I'll be competing in figure this time, but I will just have to see how my body looks closer to May. If I have to get up on stage and compete in bikini again this year, I won't be upset.

Q: Anything you want to take this opportunity to plug or promote?
A: I've started a blog. I'm trying my best to keep it updated. Oh, and keep an eye out for some t-shirts and other gym stuff my friend and I are designing. I'm sure I will have that on the blog when we get those ready! http://mybodyismyhobby.blogspot.com/

Q: Are you looking for sponsors? If so how can they reach you and what are they getting in Miranda Odom the athlete and competitor?
A: Sure, I'd love sponsors! It's probably pretty early in my competition career for that, but they can reach me through my blog or my e-mail address odom.miranda@gmail.com. I'm determined and love to compete, so I plan to be on that stage as much as possible!


Q: Miranda, again, I thank you for taking the time to do this. Any last words before you go?
A: Thanks so much for giving me this opportunity as an amateur competitor! It means a lot to me to maybe be able to inspire someone else to get started in this sport.