Kirsten Lahti is working to make her body toward the image of perfection — to look more like an X.
After competing and placing first in her figure division at the provincial body building championships in July in New Westminster, Lahti is preparing for Canadian nationals next summer.
To improve her figure for competition she is working on bulking up her shoulders and glutes. “My figure should be (in the shape of) an X. It gives the illusion of a smaller waist,” Lahti said.
Standing five-foot-nine inches, Lahti, 32, competes in the figure tall category, where she is judged on her muscular definition, balanced with femininity.
“They want you to look not too lean, not like a body builder with five per cent body fat,” Lahti said adding her body fat percentage is somewhere between 12 and 15 per cent.
After taking the past month off from training, Lahti is now getting in gear to train five days a week.
“I do mostly weight training with very little cardio,” Lahti said. “I am tall so it’s hard for me to put on weight.”
On top of her physical training regime Lahti says she eats “clean,” meaning she eats whole food with protein and carbohydrates at each meal. Each day she consumes about 3,000 calories.
Winning at the provincials in New Westminster was her second time competing and her second first-place victory. Last November she competed at the Sandra Wickham Fall Classic body building competition in Vancouver.
For the past few years fitness has played a large role in Lahti’s life. When she is not spending time with family or training she is running her business, Cardio Core Boot Camp in Langford.
Shortly after opening her business about three years ago, Lahti decided to inspire her clients by transforming her body. While she was always active and loved exercise, this has been a learning experience for Lahti.
“I’ve learned that anybody could and can get to a point of making their body look like this, with a little help and guidance,” she said.
Lahti is a wife and mother of two children ages six and seven.
“I am setting a good example for them, they are very supportive,” Lahti said. “They are very health conscious and think about what they eat.”
sports@goldstreamgazette.com