An award-winning bodybuilder focused on fitness, nutritious eating and quitting unhealthy behaviors after having to say goodbye to two siblings. Out of that family grief 15 years ago, Marchelle Bettis of St. Louis made a resolution to live – and to be her best self.
“I had two sisters that were diagnosed and died of breast cancer. They actually died three months apart – one May and September 1995,” Bettis said. “When they were diagnosed, that was the motivating factor initially for me to change my eating habits and let go of habits.”
The ICU trauma nurse and mother of five decided to lessen her risk of breast cancer first by changing what she ingested.
“I quit smoking – and that it was like my birthday present – for my 33rd birthday I quit smoking…and I haven’t smoked since, she said.
“I intuitively felt that the meat, the hormones and the other chemicals, and the way they are genetically producing our meat had some type of physical effect on our bodies and would lead to, probably put you at a higher risk for cancer,” Bettis said. “And later, I found out through the Komen Foundation that adults who don’t eat meat had a lower propensity for cancer, period – specifically breast cancer. So I guess my intuition kind of paid off at the front gate.”
Now a long-time vegetarian, exercising came to the forefront as the years progressed, as a matter of health and to see how she could build and sculpt her body and still look feminine.
“Bodybuilding is, to me, like the final step of being able to actually demonstrate, physically demonstrate being healthy,” Bettis explained.
The healthier lifestyle for Bettis means no bread, no sugary drinks and no alcohol.
“When I exercise, alcohol really drains you, so you don’t like not being able to get your physical exercising. And a lot of time when you drink – I drank as a young adult, when you went out and kicked it, or whatever – you’d lose a day. I don’t like losing that day any longer,” Bettis explained.
“Because of my diet too, I really couldn’t drink much because I don’t have anything for the alcohol to absorb.”
Indeed. You’d be hard-pressed to find a piece of adipose tissue on her body. And with the exception of additional protein when training (29 to 30 grams of protein with each meal – through fish and protein shakes), she doesn’t eat much differently when she is not training for a competition.
“I try to eat a well-balanced meal and have different colors on my plate and drink plenty of water,” Bettis said. ”Physically every day, do something – even if it’s only five or ten minutes.”
So, it’s no to sugary drinks and juice.
No to the booze.
And yes to water, and lots of it.
Yes to multivitamins.
And yes to protein shakes.
“You drink more fluids, you get your proper protein and you eat more vegetables. You should definitely get more sleep (I’m not good at the sleeping part),” she admitted. “It’s a lot of wear and tear on the body, but the physical results of the lower body fat and your muscle development…I just think that the body is beautiful.”
Bettis works out, teaches and conducts personal training sessions at the InPower Institute in South St. Louis. Her personal workout to prepare for a competition includes a variety of aerobic exercises, including swimming and jumping rope; yoga and lifting light weights with more repetitions three to five times a week, and more often as the competition date gets closer.
It’s about 30 – 35 minutes. I usually complete the routine with some cardio and as it gets close to the competition, I might do 30 minutes of cardio once or twice a day – more like twice a day. But I start off doing 30 minutes of cardiovascular so I can get my heart rate up and keep it there at least 25 to 30 minutes. Then, I will lift weights –not immediately after, but give my body a little break and then I’ll lift for about 35 or 45 minutes.
She only started competitive bodybuilding in 2007… and those 4th and 5th place awards are continually being replaced with first and second place honors. Most recently, Bettis muscled up 1st place in bodybuilding for women over 30; 2nd place in women over 40 in the figure competitions and best female bodybuilding presentation at the October 9, 2009 St. Louis Gateway Naturals competition in O’Fallon.
“I don’t think I take a traditional approach to the sport. I think a lot of competitors take a lot of supplements, like fat burners and things to build muscle. I did take amino acids, but for the most part, I try to do it as natural as possible. I limit my intake of supplements.
In the spring, Bettis will begin training for another competition, and she hopes to get her card as a professional bodybuilder in the near future. When she is training, Bettis also gives away free workout sessions to give back to the community, and as a way to help her get ready for the competition.
For more information, go to www.inpowerinstitute.com or email fortiesfitandfabulous2@yahoo.com.
