Bodybuilder puts her heart (and muscle) into every workout

For the last 22 years pumping iron has become a way of life for Marcie Trujillo.

“It’s always been a part of me,” Trujillo explained. “It’s a lifestyle. This is what I love to do,”

Trujillo was 14 when she became interested in body building.

“I would watch ESPN and they would have these workout shows; I really liked it,” she said “I would read magazine after magazine. Cory Everson (female body builder) — all of the (female) body builders — to me, it was just amazing that they could do that to their body, change the way they looked, be strong but still be feminine at the same time.”

Trujillo purchased dumbbells for home workouts. At Ponderosa High, the gym and softball were her loves; she played four years in the Bruins’ softball program. The 1994 graduate clearly remembers her younger brother Victor profiting off her time in the weight room.

“He’d make money off me. Then I’d be like ‘can we split’ (the profits from the bets),” said Trujillo about outperforming Victor’s pals in tests of strength endurance.

The countless hours working every muscle in her body has paid off for the El Dorado Hills resident. Earlier this month the 36-year-old competed in the NPC Team Universe Bodybuilding, Figure, Bikini, Women’s Physique & Men’s Physique Championships in Teaneck, NJ., placing seventh in the master’s division and 10th in the open division. She also competed in the Muscletech 2012 NPC Team Collegiate Masters Nationals Championships July 20 in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Last year Trujillo placed in the top three in both categories to automatically qualify for the nationals. Since 2005 Trujillo has made nationals five times and won her division three times. She has also placed second, third and fifth in the last seven years, all in figure competition.

“Figure (competition) is in heels and bathing suit,” Trujillo said. “It’s the way you carry yourself on stage; it’s the color of hair, the way you wear your hair, the make-up you have on, the tanning. The judges are looking for the overall package.”

She describes the bikini she wore for Saturday’s championships as “blinged out” — something she’d never wear to the beach.

Trujillo also holds a certification in cross-fit. She works as business manager for Snap Fitness in Cameron Park and as a cross-fit trainer for another health club in Folsom. She is also a certified chiropractic and has worked as volunteer firefighter for El Dorado County.

She wanted to compete in the early 2000s but attending chiropractic college and the birth of her first son, Julian, now 11, halted those plans. Two years later Trujillo had thoughts of entering again but put those aside for the arrival of her second son, Ruben, now 9.

Most of the year Trujillo works out twice a day, five to six days a week. The workout includes a combination of weight training and cardio. She usually eats five to seven “small” meals a day.

“Normally, chicken, vegetables, sweet potatoes,” said Trujillo. “If it’s off-season it’s more flexible. I’ve never been a non-healthy eater. When I was little we didn’t get sugar on our cereal; everything was healthy. If I go out to eat I always try to stay healthy.”

Trujillo offers advice to women, younger and older than her, if they want to get into body building and posing at competitions. First, attend an event. Next, contact gyms and research online for trainers. Most importantly, she points out, is that the gym is going to be the woman’s “second home” — a lot of time must be spent there to be successful.

Two people Trujillo thanks for the extra push in working out are  her trainer Greg Atoyan and her boyfriend Dion Nugent, a volunteer El Dorado Hills firefighter and CEO of Forté Holdings in El Dorado Hills.

“He’s a great trainer,” said Trujillo of Atoyan, a body builder. “(Nugent) is one of my biggest supporters.”

Mike Bush

Mike Bush has been working at the Mountain Democrat since August 2011. Mike is the Sports Writer and Features Writer.

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