Marathon’s very own Natalia McCabe has recently cemented her status as a true champion in the world of bodybuilding.
The 30-year-old powerhouse competed in the prestigious National Physique Committee (NPC) Bombshell Inc. Naturals Atlantic Coast Championships, held on Nov. 17 in Fort Lauderdale. The globally-renowned NPC is the largest amateur bodybuilding association in the United States. It hosts a diverse range of competitions catering to both male and female athletes across various divisions, including bodybuilding, bikini, figure, fitness and wellness. Notably, the NPC also organizes drug-free competitions for natural athletes.
Competing in the Class B Bikini group based on her height, McCabe not only triumphed in her category, but also clinched the coveted overall title, solidifying her position as a dominant force in the sport.
“I’ve been competing in bodybuilding for about three years now,” said McCabe. “For this particular competition I trained for six months. I’m originally from the Dominican Republic and used to surf professionally. There’s no surf in the Keys, so I was looking for something else to work towards. I’m a personal trainer, so this is a natural fit for me.”
To achieve her remarkable physique, Natalia diligently follows a rigorous training regimen under the guidance of a professional coach. Her disciplined approach involves a strategic diet and exercise plan.
Initially, she fuels her body with high-calorie intake while minimizing cardio exercises. As her body adapts to this demanding routine, she gradually reduces calorie and macronutrient consumption while simultaneously increasing cardio intensity.
This dynamic approach ensures a continuous calorie burn and lean muscle gain. To prevent plateaus, her training routine undergoes weekly modifications, constantly challenging her body and driving optimal results.
“I am always looking at working towards that next goal,” she said. “So all year long, I’m working towards a particular criteria that I’ve got to meet on each show. That’s how you get the titles. So it’s either growing your glutes or growing your shoulders, or being more conditioned, or having more muscle or having less muscle.
“You get the judges’ feedback on every show and just work towards that goal, because it takes a long time. It’s not a process that you can just do in one week or in one month or in two months. It takes a whole year to accomplish that.”
McCabe is a naturally gifted athlete who achieves her remarkable physique without resorting to performance-enhancing drugs or chemicals. Her dedication to clean competition is notable, especially considering the prevalence of steroid use in the sport. The NPC competition she entered exclusively allowed natural athletes to participate, ensuring a level playing field through mandatory urine tests to screen for prohibited substances.“I’ve been competing with mostly enhanced people on stage with me,” explained McCabe. “Now the NPC is coming out with some natural shows, and I’m a natural athlete. So I talked to my husband and (said) I want to do this show because it’s an opportunity for me to actually be competitive and win. I have good genetics, and I place well with enhanced girls, so I was like, let’s just try and see what happens with natural athletes. So we did it, and we won!”
Photos by Dan Ray, Phil Stokes and contributed images
