IFBB Bikini Pro Natalie Pennington Reveals Her Bikini Body Secrets

Natalie Pennington is half Korean and half French. She is a professional fitness competitor who currently competes in the bikini division of the International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB). This Korean/French Washington state native is making great strides as a professional fitness competitor. Since beginning competitive training about a few years ago, she has already gained her pro card after only four amateur shows.

Natalie is also a full-time Dentist having studied from the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry.

Achievements

2013 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro 11th
2012 IFBB Olympia Weekend 16th
2012 IFBB Arnold Classic 11th
2011 IFBB Sacramento Pro 212 and Bikini 3rd
2011 IFBB Olympia 12th
2011 IFBB Europa Super Show, Dallas 1st
2011 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro Figure & Bikini 5th
2010 IFBB Sacramento Pro 3rd
2010 IFBB Houston Pro Figure & Bikini 2nd
2010 IFBB Olympia 11th
2010 IFBB Tournament of Champions 17th
2010 IFBB MuscleContest Pro Bikini 5th
2010 IFBB New Zealand Pro Figure & Bikini 2nd
2009 NPC Team Universe 2nd
2009 NPC Team Universe 2nd
2009 NPC USA Bodybuilding & Figure Championships 2nd
2009 NPC Contra Costa Bodybuilding, Figure & Fitness Championships 1st
2008 MuscleMania Fitness America Weekend 5th
2008 UNBA Fitness America Southern Cal Regional 1st

Natalie Pennington is a BeautyFit Athlete, IFBB Bikini Pro and 3 Times Olympia Qualifier. She is in conversation with Namita Nayyar, President – Women Fitness.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You were raised by your Korean mother. You played piano and violin from age 6 and onward. You had studied in University of Washington and majored in business administration. Later you went to the University of the Pacific in San Francisco for dental school. You had interest in working out and living a very healthy lifestyle that took you to the world of fitness. You were encouraged & motivated to compete in fitness competitions. You reached the pinnacle of success by winning many professional bikini competitions including 2011 IFBB Europa Super Show, Dallas. Tell us about your journey that took you to the the world of fitness and as a winner in Professional Bikini competitions?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: The journey that took me to the world of fitness and as a winner in Professional Bikini Competitions actually began at the age of 16. At this young age, I was inspired to begin living a healthy life starting at my first job working the front desk at a local gym. Here, several members were professional competitors. I loved the way these women looked: healthy, strong, and fit. Competing since that point had been a long standing desire of mine that was continuously thwarted by fear of baring myself on stage. There was something about inviting judgment and scrutiny that exacerbated my insecurities, however, I made a vow to embrace potential and face my fears by the time I turned 30. Taking that leap of faith turned out to be the most rewarding experience because sculpting my body truly cultivated my mind. Don’t get me wrong there were several days when I stared at chocolate, cheesecake, and pizza like they were glasses of water in the desert but when I felt the weakest I reminded myself of how far I had come, how much I had grown and in those moments of weakness chose to progress instead of regress. Becoming an IFBB Professional so far has been the pivotal moment of my life in this sport.

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Ms. Namita Nayyar: How your experience as a dentist and background of being a Korean American that gave you an ‘exotic look’ has helped you in carving your present profession of being a Fitness Model and Professional Bikini competitor?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: My background of a dentist and being a Korean American has definitely helped in carving my present profession. Being mixed has helped and played to my advantage. I have an exotic look with the Asian/French mixture. My physique is European and I have long legs and an athletic physique, which is definitely from my father’s side. My siblings from my father’s side are tall and my brother and sister are world class Taek Won Do athletes. Dentistry came from my Korean mother constantly pushing me to do well in school. I definitely benefited from both cultures.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Share your exercise routine that you do to maintain such a bikini perfect physique?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: My exercise routine is put together through Bombshell Fitness by Shannon Dey. She has been my coach for several years. The exercise routines involves a combination of weight training, plyometric workouts, and cardiovascular training. I usually start the mornings with my cardio to get my day started and will later on in the day train specific body parts. Each day has different cardio and specific weight training exercises to help build a beautiful, curvy bikini physique.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: What is your diet? Do you take a particular fixed regulated diet comprising of nutrients and vitamins to keep you in perfect health?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: My diet is also part of the plan put together for me through Bombshell Fitness. It is one piece of the puzzle to my fitness goals. The diet involves a balanced combination of carbs, proteins, and fats to provide me the best workouts and the most energy throughout the day. The most common carbs I eat are oatmeal, brown rice, and sweet potatoes. The proteins are lean meats which include chicken, fish, and lean ground beef. The fats I stick to are usually from olive oil, flax oil, and avocado. Supplementation is also equally just as important to lead me to my fitness goals. My supplements strictly come from BeautyFit and include everything from protein, pre and post workouts, and vitamins.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: What is your motivation to take a multi-faceted personality of a Fitness Model, Professional Figure and Bikini Competitor, Fitness Expert, Dentist and IFBB Bikini Pro?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: My motivation to take on a multi-faceted personality of a fitness model, professional bikini competitor, fitness expert, dentist, and IFBB bikini pro is always wanting to push myself to be the best version of myself in all areas of my life. In anything that I decide to do I refuse to accept mediocrity.

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Ms. Namita Nayyar: You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Do you take some kind of skin treatment to keep it young and glowing and secondly what you do to your hair to make them look so stunning?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: My skin and hair come from my Asian side but also from the vitamins I take daily from BeautyFit. I have found the Essentials to be amazing. My hair and nails grow strong and healthy. Skin care really comes from the things put into your body and proper exfoliation, cleaning, and sun protection from the outside.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Fitness modelling is about bold photo shoots. What advice you wish to give to the women of today to be body confident in order to do such bold modeling?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: Confidence is beautiful and sexy and is most accurately seen through the lens of a camera. Even if a woman is not in the ideal “fitness model” shape, she can still be beautiful through the confidence she potrays in spite of her size and shape.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding professional bikini competitor girls who all are your fans and shall like to know from you for their climb to ladder of success in field of professional bikini competitions?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: My advice and motivational words to the inspiring and budding professional bikini competitor girls is to never compare yourself or your journey to anyone else’s. Each individual is unique and posseses different strengths and talents. Despite the judgement placed on the outside, always remember to love yourself each step of the way. Be mindful during the journey and understand each day comes with its own story.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Tell us how you felt before and after winning the 1st place at 2011 IFBB Europa Super Show, Dallas?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: Winning the Europa Dallas 2011 was a pinnacle moment in my IFBB career. It was completely unexpected and entirely surreal. It took days to comprehend that I had actually won the entire show, an amazing moment.

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Ms. Namita Nayyar: Who has been your biggest influence and motivation in your path to success?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: My biggest influence and motivation in my success comes from my mother. She was a single parent and raised me in a country where English was not her first language. Her strength and will is instilled in me. She gave me the confidence that I could achieve anything I put my mind to.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Tell us about a memorable experience you still remember about one of the fitness competitions that you wish to share?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: A memorable experience in a fitness show is when I stepped off stage at the Dallas Europa and I realized I had left hair curlers in my hair. I was in such a hurry to get on stage because my makeup lady was running late and had put me behind schedule. I had completely forgotten to double check my hair. I was mortified but this is the show that I won so looking back those hair curlers were my lucky charms.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You won at 2011 IFBB Europa Super Show, Dallas, 2009 NPC Contra Costa Bodybuilding, Figure & Fitness Championships and 2008 UNBA Fitness America Southern Cal Regional and so on.. What additional responsibilities these winnings bestow upon you towards the community and the sports of professional bikini competitions you compete in?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: Winning past shows and being on stage also brings a responsibility to be a role model to others who are aspiring to be in the fitness industry or who merely would like to live a healthier life. It is through your journey others are inspired to be the best possible version of themselves as well.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: How are you able to strike a balance between your profession of being a Dentist and Professional Bikini competitor?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: Balance is achieved in working as a full time dentist and fitness model through discipline, preparation, and organization. My life is very routine. I prepare my meals ahead of time for the week, usually twice a week. I try to go to bed early around 9 so that I’m able to be up at 4 to do cardio and training before work. Usually the night before, my bags and meals are packed so that I’m able to start the day.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: What you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for its visitors?

Ms. Natalie Pennington: Womenfitness.net is an amazing resource and support source for women who understand that a woman’s health is a priority. It is through being healthy that women are able to give to those around us. As women, we give to others and sometimes feel guilty when we give to ourselves but through womenfitness.net there is support that allows to feel deserving to make health a priority in our lives.

To get all the latest news follow Natalie Pennington on her social networks:

https://twitter.com/natpennington

https://www.facebook.com/NataliePenningtonFit

Women Fitness Team thanks Natalie Pennington for giving us her valuable time for this interview and quenching the thirst of her fans to know more about her and making this interview happen.

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