What is your first and last name?
Renee West

What is your height and weight?
5’9”  160 lbs.

How old are you?
29 as of March 16th

Where do you currently reside?
Redding, CA

What is your profession?
Administrative Manager [for my family’s oilfield related business]

How did you get started into lifting weights and training?
Always been interested in fitness, but didn’t start really lifting, training, and learning how to diet until 2010. I’ve been hooked ever since then, with aspirations of doing a show since 2012.

Were you athletic growing up?
Yes, I was always playing sports, being active, working on the farm.

What other sports have you done or are you currently doing?
Growing up, I always played softball and basketball up until high school. Then, I chose to show horses competitively through high school and college.

What are your goals in competition?
Two words: PRO CARD

In your opinion, what is your best bodypart?
Delts or back

Do you enjoy being strong? Why?
Yes! I love feeling strong and capable.

Do you enjoy performing/competing?
Not sure yet, but I think I will!

Why do you love lifting weights?
It’s a personal challenge. It’s therapeutic, to be able to put my headphones in, crank up the music, and concentrate solely on my lift. The weights never lie, you can’t fake the hard work you put in, because the progress is REAL and the results show. I love seeing change in my body, feeling like I have control over the way I want to look, being strong, challenging my mental strength, and seeing my efforts transcended into results is amazing!

Tell us what a typical day is like for you.
Right now, in contest prep, it’s crazy: Wake up at 4:30am, morning, cardio around 5:15am, shower, cook breakfast and prep meals for the day. Go to work at 8, go tanning on lunch break, work until 5pm. Eat every 2 hours, drink 1.5 gals of water, and lots of coffee :) Get home from work, eat, change, go to gym around 5:30-5:45, lift for an hour to an hour and a half, post workout cardio, and practice posing if I’m not too tired. Home, shower, cook last meal and then usually in bed around 10-10:30pm.

Normally/not in prep: wake up at 7, meal prep, work 8-5, gym and maybe a little post-workout cardio.

Do you like to show off your muscles when out in public or do you cover up?
Depends on how I feel, or where I’m going. I like being muscular and strong in appearance, I’m proud of my physique and the hard work I’ve put into it. But sometimes I like to keep covered up.

What misconception about being muscular would you like to dispel?
That we are all rude/arrogant/insecure. I feel like I’m MORE secure in who I am because I know that I am putting effort into looking how I want to look. That makes me confident, knowing I have the power to affect the way I look, and choose the lifestyle I live. This lifestyle builds a lot of internal strength like character, discipline, focus, and sacrifice.

What kind of stuff would we find in the backseat of your car?
Probably nothing, because I love my car and keep it clean :) Maybe a sweatshirt and a water bottle, or Tupperware from that day’s meals.

Favorite movie actor/actress?
Mark Wahlberg

Person you would like to meet? (living or dead)
The Rock [Dwayne Johnson]

Anything else we should know about you?

I love God, my family and friends. That I’m very grateful for everyone’s support, help, and encouragement along the way to turning this dream into a reality.