G.Gansaruul became an inspiration to many women with weight problems who want to change their appearance. Within five years of training in bodybuilding and fitness, she went from weighing 104 kg to 60 kg. Not only did she change herself but she also won a bronze medal at the World Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championships in 2015, a bronze medals from the Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship (ABPSC) in 2015, and a gold medal from this year’s ABPSC.
G.Gansaruul spoke about how she achieved her amazing physique in detail in the following interview.
Congratulations on winning your first gold medal from an international competition, the 50th ABPSC, held last week in Thimphu, Bhutan.
Thank you. I feel so happy that I won first place at my third ABPSC. I participated in this championship for the first time in 2014 and came in fourth place. Last year, I won a bronze medal in the athletics category. I achieved my goal this year. It’s my first gold medal from an international event.
I’m very grateful to the Mongolian Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, Power Nutrition Brand, Perfect Body Club, and trainers Ganbaatar and G.Jamts, as well as my family and friends.
Every athlete dreams of winning international, regional and world competitions. It must’ve been a dream come true moment for you?
Indeed. I won the national bodybuilding and fitness championship this year, so I was fully prepared and was confident that I would win the ABPSC. I was deeply moved while wearing a gold medal around my neck and hearing the Mongolian national anthem while standing on the podium. Our national anthem has a wonderful melody. Without realizing, I shed tears of happiness.
G.Gansaruul in the left corner at the 50th Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Championship[/caption]
Countries had sent their best athletes to the ABPSC. The compeition must have been fierce, right?
Yes, absolutely. Champions of 2014 and 2015 competed in my category. I feel even happier that I defeated the best athletes in Asia.
Ten Mongolian athletes took part in this year’s ABPSC and returned with six medals. You inspired everyone by becoming the first Asian champion of Mongolia in this sport. Our team consisted of 10 people. In total, we won two gold, three silver and one bronze medal. G.Ugalztsetseg also became a champion.
Mongolian team which participated in the 50th Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Championship[/caption]
You and G.Uralztsetseg won medals at the World Bodybuilding Physique Sports Championships last year. It must have been difficult to earn a bronze medal and become one of the world’s top athletes. Can you tell us about your journey?
Last year, G.Uralztsetseg and I competed in the same category at the World Bodybuilding Physique Sports Championships. She won gold and I won bronze. This year, I participated in the women’s athletic physique contest of up to 160 cm (+1 kg) and G.Uralztsetseg competed in the 160 cm (+2 kg) contest. It’s better for us to compete in different categories in international competitions. We will compete in different categories at the world championship as well. My experience grows as I compete in more international, regional and world competitions. My training routine changes a lot too.
...the key to losing weight is a good diet. You will see instant results if you combine the correct diet with the correct exercise plan. Not everyone has to become an athlete. It’s better to do sports to become healthy and improve your physique...
How did you start training in bodybuilding and fitness?
I had my second child in 2011. During the day, I used to stay outside and go on walks with my children. I’m a professional chef specialized in Italian cuisine. One day, someone criticized me saying that I was a useless fat wench who only spent her time in the kitchen, rummaging through pans and pots. I don’t know if it was because I just had my second son but I was very hurt by those words. I ran back home as fast as I could and looked in the mirror. I saw an “animal” in oversized training trousers and t-shirt. I told that person to watch and see how I change and immediately went to a fitness gym with my two children.
I stopped breastfeeding. My oldest child played on his own while the younger one slept in his stroller. At first, I only went to gym to lose weight. I weighed 104 kg back then. I didn’t know what exercises to do so I used to run and survive on apples and yogurt. Starting training wasn’t easy. My skin became extremely loose because I lost weight in the wrong way. A year later, I started exercising with a professional trainer. It was effective and I started seeing change in myself.
How did your family react?
To be honest, they weren’t pleased at the beginning because I had a baby.
Did you ever feel like giving up? How did you motivate yourself to keep working out?
I was extremely motivated by the saying “a person’s muscle never gets old”. As the days passed, I lost more weight, which encouraged me a lot. Exercising soon became my new hobby. There were times when I felt depressed after deciding to go pro. It isn’t easy to endure heavy training while eating only chicken breasts for a whole year. It’s extremely challenging to not eat or drink anything before a competition. Even so, once I achieve something, I get encouraged and start training for my next competition.
Can you share how you stop drinking water before a competition?
Three days prior to a competition, I start to cut my water usage by 500 milliliters a day. I don’t drink a drop of water on the day of the competition. It’s said that 70 percent of the human body is made up of water. The less water in the body, the bigger your muscles look because your skin becomes thinner.
How do you feel when you see a picture of your old self that used to weigh 104 kg?
I sometimes question if it really is me. I can gain weight again if I slack off on my training and not continue my current diet.
The most important thing is to regularly exercise without stopping in between. The body gets used to exercising if you work out on a certain day at a certain time. This boosts the chances of seeing fast results.
What is the most important thing in losing weight?
First of all, you should make a courageous decision instead of doing nothing and getting depressed about how you should lose weight. Of course, the key to losing weight is a good diet. You will see instant results if you combine the correct diet with the correct exercise plan. Not everyone has to become an athlete. It’s better to do sports to become healthy and improve your physique.
Is it important to use vitamins and protein besides training for muscle building and getting a better body?
A regular meal requires three to four hours for it to be digested completely. Protein, on the other hand, digests in 30 minutes and goes to every muscle in the body. You don’t have to take protein if you’re not a professional. Athletes need protein to recover the energy they lost.
What is the most appropriate amount of time to exercise a day?
...I never exercise longer than one hour and 10 minutes...
Some people exercise for two to three hours, but it doesn’t work 100 percent. I never exercise longer than one hour and 10 minutes. Some people train for a while and then rest while fidgeting with their phone. This is very wrong. During that time, the muscles that were warmed up cools down. Besides the correct exercise plan, rest is very important.
Is there a difference between working out in the morning and evening?
Some people search for expensive gyms and experienced trainers before starting their fitness journey.
Some even register to gyms that are far from their home and office. It’s okay to exercise at home or a clean and inexpensive place near your office. The most important thing is to regularly exercise without stopping in between. The body gets used to exercising if you work out on a certain day at a certain time. This boosts the chances of seeing fast results. I advise people who want to lose weight to do light exercise in the morning before having breakfast.
Restraining yourself from eating what you want requires immense amount of willpower. But you mustn’t lie to yourself. It’s like killing yourself.
What should you eat while working out?
I mainly eat chicken breast, sweet potato, and vegetables. Ordinary people don’t have to eat chicken breast. I recommend not using fat or salt. You should use lean meat in your diet and boil vegetables instead of stir frying them. Salt and fat take longer to digest.
Most people find having a balanced diet challenging. How do you resist the urge to eat sweets and cakes?
Restraining yourself from eating what you want requires immense amount of willpower. But you mustn’t lie to yourself. It’s like killing yourself. I’ve been eating Mongolian food for three days since returning from the ABPSC. I will go back to my healthy diet tomorrow.
Bodybuilding and fitness is a high-costing sport. How much do you spend a month?
It sure costs a lot. Protein alone costs 200,000 MNT and vasodilators cost 140,000 MNT. I spend a minimum of one million MNT a month. Mongolian Power Nutrition Brand sponsors four athletes besides me. My financial problems have been alleviated greatly thanks to them. I’ve been using products of Power Nutrition for over two years. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I achieved all my success during this period. It proves their quality.
Since you started participating in national bodybuilding competitions, the only time you didn’t win a medal was in 2015. Were you disheartened back then?
In 2015, I signed up for the fitness contest but came in fourth place. I was a little upset but I regained motivation by telling myself that I would intensify my training and try harder.
The government gives grants to athletes who made an achievement at regional and world competitions. Did the government recognize your international achievements and grant you any cash prizes?
I received nothing. Not just me but not a single bodybuilding and fitness athlete has received government grant. After winning a medal at the world championship last year, I met with the staff of the Ministry of Health and Sports with G.Uralztsetseg to discuss this matter, but it didn’t work out. Everyone handles their own cost for participating in competitions. There are times when I have to pawn my valuables to get finance.
When will you start preparing for the World Championship?
I never considered myself as an extremely talented athlete. I just started to crawl. But personally, I’m satisfied with my current self. I’ve started preparing for the World Championship already. I will continue my healthy diet and intense training until December.
