Elizabeth Dumagude - Champions Mindset
The metamorphosis of Elizabeth Dumagude was officially complete this year as she was crowned IFBB S.A. Wellness bodybuilding champion.
In the space of 5 years she has gone from overweight to defying the odds and having one of the best physiques in the country.
I had a brief chat with Liz, to pick her brains a bit and get a better understanding of the mentality it took for her to make this remarkable turnaround.
What was the final straw, the moment where you decided to change your lifestyle?
I got tired of living in a body that I hated, it’s extremely exhausting. My clothes had tripled in size and I kept eating my feelings. I looked at pictures of myself from a family holiday and could hardly recognise who I was looking at and I joined the gym the very next day.
Your first experience with the barbell?
I started my fitness journey in 2017 and I didn’t go into the weight section at first, I was doing HIIT classes and boxing. It was in 2019 I hired a personal trainer to kick things into gear with my weightloss journey that I then ventured into the weight section. It came very naturally to me, I got addicted to lifting heavier, trying new exercises and learning the basics.
Why wellness over bikini division?
My first show in 2019, I actually competed in Beach Bikini. I immediately saw that I didn’t fit the criteria for that division. Thereafter, a few coaches approached me and I did some research I saw that I was better suited for Wellness.
The Buff Barbie also had glowing praise for her coach Shelby Neves whom she says there is no way she would have achieved this without.
I don’t think I’d be able to put into words the kind of athlete Shelbs has turned me into. My mindset has changed and I carry myself as a champion from Day 1 with her. She reciprocates the effort I put in and we have an open channel of communication, which I believe is where the difference lies. Being a former IFBB Elite Pro, she knows the federation and the calibre of athletes she needs to bring to stage. Before I hired Shelbs, I spoke to past and present clients of hers and checked her credentials. In the back of my mind, I knew that I wanted to work with her. I just needed to trust my gut.
