Body-builder mom named Ms. Utah
A full-time student, mother of two and volunteer for Victims Advocate – she probably should carry a title.
How about Ms. Utah 2004?
April Hanks, a psychology student at Utah State University, did just that when she claimed the Ms. Utah Natural title on March 27 at Murray High School.
She competed against five other women in the body building competition where she was judged on definition and muscle.
She couldn’t be more excited.
“It’s the best I’ve looked in my whole life,” Hanks said.
This from someone who awhile ago didn’t exercise and used to drink Dr. Pepper all day long.
It all changed when she started dating a trainer at Sports Academy. He felt Hanks was really unhealthy and needed to work out.
So she did – and didn’t stop.
Now Hanks works out about three hours a day – six days a week. For an hour and a half she does cardio. Then for another hour and a half she lifts weights.
She only decided to enter Ms. Utah Natural in January with some prodding from people at Sports Academy. It took awhile before deciding to do it.
“I didn’t ever think I could do that,” Hanks said. “I didn’t think I had the guts.”
All the work eventually paid off. From winning Ms. Utah Natural she also will be in the Regional Competition held at Logan High School on May 8.
The biggest benefit from competing in body building competitions is working out and being healthier, Hanks said.
In addition, she will compete in the regional competition. The winner of that goes on to work professionally, and her picture will eventually be on the cover of muscle and fitness magazines.
In the meantime Hanks is a model for Icon Sports and Fitness, showing off its active wear and equipment.
Besides her workout regime, Hanks has a strict diet she follows. The majority of her meals consist of grilled chicken, broccoli, fat, free cottage cheese and egg whites.
Hanks said she does occasionally cheat with her weakness for Firehouse Pizza desserts and Blow Pop suckers.
“I have a bag of Blow Pops and I suck on those a lot,” she said. “They’re fat free but there’s a ton of carbs in them.”
“So I do cheat – I’m not perfect,” she said.
Hanks isn’t worried about her occasional treat now and then. She feels her “pretty healthy” lifestyle has affected her sons’ life as well.
Her 6-year-old son, Kaden is afraid of eating fat and has a diet much like his mother’s.
“He’ll eat whatever I’m eating,” Hanks said. “Even if it’s sauerkraut sitting on top of broccoli.”
She feels that her healthy influence is one of the best things that has come from being in body building competitions.
However, Hanks feels body building is more of a hobby and doesn’t consume her whole life.
“This is just a part of my life, it’s not the most important,” Hanks said. “I just want to be healthy and while I’m at it I should start making money.”
-acbailey@cc.usu.edu