Bodybuilder Melody Zita has always been an inspiration to me, and after this interview—nothing changes how I feel about that statement!
Since the very first day I created this blog and wanted to do interviews, the FIRST person I thought about was Bodybuilder Melody Zita. I've said this to her and I'll say it here, she is one of my FAVORITE people in this wide world. She literally lights up every room she enters and inspires me to smile EVERYDAY. Seeing her, which is rare because she is always busy, is always a treat to my day and there was no one else I wanted to sit and talk to about mental health. Melody has always been an advocate for mental health since I've known her, and after this interview, I can say mental health has always been a part of her life! Like I said, she is one of my favorite people and now, I love her even more!
I got together with my good friend, Melody, to talk about bodybuilding, being a woman in the pro-fitness industry, and the importance of mental health. Read the interview down below:
I just want to say I’m super excited to be interviewing you, because when I started my blog, you were like the first person I wanted to interview. But I wanted to practice more with other interviews and by the time I was ready, I wanted to make this perfect. So, I’m super excited!
Thank you for asking me—I’m really honored!
Okay, let’s jump right in! One of the things I love about you is that you glow in every room that you enter and with everyone that you’re around. Even now, you’re glowing! (She awes) And I’m just going to be real, I think you’re a true Badass! (She laughs) There are not a lot of women bodybuilders, compared to men, and I really find you fascinating. Not only are you a bodybuilder, but you are also an advocate for mental health. You have a positive vibe to you, and I think that is why you glow so much.
Aw, thank you.
So, compared to men, there are not a lot of female bodybuilders. Why do you think that is?
So, within—I call it the World of Bodybuilding—I know I’m going to get dinged for this, but I don’t really consider it a “sport”. For a couple of reasons, one, I think that we’re more like the circus freaks on the outskirts of sports. Just because of the nature of it. It is a very freakish type of industry. The weirder you look—meaning like the muscle development and all of that—the better it is. And the second reason is as athletes in this “sport” we aren’t really recognized as professional athletes in the professional industry—sponsorships—we’re not paid athletes, for the most part, like others. So, going back to the question. (I laugh) Bodybuilding, as a whole, started with male bodybuilders like Arnold, Columbo, Cutler, Ronnie Coleman, and so on. Bodybuilding expanded to include feminine divisions. So, there are a lot of female competitors within the industry that compete in different classes like bikini, wellness—I compete in figure— and then there’s physique, and women’s bodybuilding. There’s been a lot of opportunities within the bodybuilding to compete and not have to push the envelope and/or sacrifice femineity – each to their own. I compete in figure, which is a pretty big class of women. It has a big draw with the look and the shape of femininity but with muscular development, so that’s why I like it.
Do you agree that, because women unfortunately all of their lives are told be “pretty and wear make-up”, and bodybuilding is not something “pretty” to get into and it can be grueling, do you think that’s the major reason why there’s not a lot of women in that industry?
So, I think that’s why the industry developed the other classes! Bikini, which is still muscular development, but with a thinner look. It’s very, very feminine. It’s also about the make-up and hair. It’s more of a pageantry, not in a negative way. Wellness is also another division, but it is very feminine - figure as well. And then there’s physique, there’s still feminine qualities to it and then there’s bodybuilding. So, I think they’ve expanded it so there’s something for everybody!
You mention physique. Is that the category you’re in, physique?
Figure. So, really it goes bikini, wellness, figure, fitness is also one! Figure and fitness are very similar. They (Fitness) just routines and stuff, which, count me out for that! (I laugh) Then there’s physique and then bodybuilding. It’s all about muscle development, conditioning, all of that. Genetics can play a really big role in which divisions you could potentially compete in, based on your structure and your shape, naturally.
What made you get into this industry?
I always say there are two reasons why people get into the industry, within competing on a bodybuilding stage. It’s either they were overweight and lost a bunch of weight, and now want to showcase it. Or, they had some terrible relationships or a bad divorce, and that’s a way for them to get some self-control back. For me, I always wanted to compete, but I was married for seven years and together over twelve. I always wanted to compete, always attended Olympia in Vegas, but I was told I couldn’t. So, when I got divorced, I said, “You know what? That’s the first thing I’m doing. I’m going to fucking compete!” (We both laugh) So, for me, that’s why. I just wanted to do one show and be done. And then I ended up doing five shows and got my pro-card in sixteen months! I just really liked it.
So, it was your ex that told you that you couldn’t do this?
Yes!
Wow, way to “stick it to the Man”, literally! (We laugh) At what age was that?
My first show was when I was thirty-six. So, a lot of people I compete against now, not all of them because they have master classes—which, masters is thirty-five and over, forty and over, fifty over classes, even sixty and over—a lot of people I compete against are in their twenties! Some are thirty and my age. It’s a huge compliment to hold my own against people 10-20 years younger.
Now I have to ask because I mean, I like to workout but I’m not like into it, but I’ve always been curious does it get easier the more you work out and you get into the routine of it? Or does it get a little harder and why?
So, physically, I don’t want to say it gets easier. You should always continue to push yourself. So, when you get in a comfort zone, you should push yourself beyond that so there’s always a level of uncomfortability with training. Mentally, I personally feel I go through days and periods where I’m like “Meh, I’m just going to take some time off and pick up in two weeks or a month or so” (I laugh) So, it doesn’t get easier. It just becomes more of a consistent pattern in your life. So, it’s easier, in a sense, that you have that structure to continue to go all the time.
I’ve always wondered. I like working out, but not all the time. I just like the feeling.
Yes! It’s a very structured training!
Do you have a set schedule or is it just every day?
Yes, I have certain body parts that I have to hit for training sessions. The areas that are considered lagging, or need more development, I usually hit those two to three times a week. So, that’s kind of worked into what my training program is from my coach. And then I stay on the same training cycle for three months, because in order to really develop that tissue and put it on the tissue, you have to stick to the same workouts every single day. Which, depending on if it’s back days—there are two different types—you have to do the same movements in order to develop that strength, in order to put on the muscle. A lot of misconception is that you have to change your workout constantly to keep your muscles guessing—it’s not really a thing! Consistency and progression in the same movements is what actually changes the shape of the physique.
Yeah, that is what I was told—to challenge your muscles! They said because then your muscles will eventually get relaxed in the same cycle.
No, about every three months you should change-up what the movements are, targeting the same muscle group but changing those movements. But you have to give yourself about twelve-week period with the consistent movement and progression of weight and rep in order to really master that developed muscle tissue.
Okay, (at this point, I’m impressed) now I’m going to be going to the gym and be like “Oh, I know what I’m doing!” (We laugh) You mentioned competition shows. What is that like? What is the process?
I’m in prep for a show now. I actually have four shows—three for sure, one that’s tentative for later in the year—so, prep for us starts at least, minimum, at twelve weeks out from a show. That’s when our diet really gets dialed in. For me, it’s a little longer. We’re about twenty-plus weeks out because I need more time to lose that body fat. My prep for my debut was only like nine-and-a-half, ten weeks, which is a very short time, so I wasn’t conditioned enough—although, I did place pretty well, I still wasn’t conditioned enough to win that show. So, yeah, diet change, cardio—it’s really about in-take and out-take. I need to ensure I’m losing fat and maintaining the muscles. So, that’s why it’s a long period of time, so I can drop that weight. It fluctuates about twenty to thirty pounds—that’s what I end up shedding.
You mentioned you’re doing three out of four shows this year. How shows do you do a year?
It depends. So, when I first started competing, I did five shows in sixteen months to get my pro-card. And then I got it and was going to compete in 2020, but then COVID happened—the world shut down—and then I found out I had scoliosis! I had some major back issues. There were about three incidences where my back went out and I couldn’t walk for a couple of weeks. So, I was really figuring out what was triggering that and how do I prevent those flare ups that prevent me from walking, and how I train. I didn’t compete in 2020 or 2021. I did my debut show last year in 2022. So, hopefully I’ll do four shows this year. But at least three.
What advice would you give someone who is diagnosed with scoliosis and wants to work out? I’m sure there are many who have gone through the same thing. What did you learn from that experience?
Really learn your movements in the gym and what triggers those onset flare ups and avoid them! I don’t do any back squats. I have no weight loaded on my back. A common misconception with bodybuilding is “to get fit you have to do certain movements or you’re never going to get there”. It is really about adapting and changing your routine. Avoid things that cause any issues. For me, it’s heavy weight load on shoulders, hip hinge movements—I have to be very careful. It’s really about, to me, focusing on the muscle to mind connection, and the repetitions—not the weights because you still put muscle on with low amounts of weight. Spend more time under tension—more reps is going to develop muscle. So, really, it’s about knowing your body, what are your trigger points and then avoiding them at all cost.
With social media, we’re seeing women share their experiences with weightlifting, do you feel that has inspired more women to get into that world, or do you feel it has hindered women from wanting to do that?
I think it’s both. I think some people are imitated by it and others are open to it. I wish people would focus on the work ethic part of things and not necessarily the appearance. On social media, it’s always a highlight reel; we share when we look our best. I think that sets unrealistic expectations and people feel discouraged when they can’t accomplish certain things based on someone else’s appearance. We start to think we should look like this person or we are failing. I think that is hindering a lot of people and I is contributing to the mental health issues by trying to live up to others’ expectations instead of our own.
You’ve told me that you do inspire people, but you have trolls. How do you handle people that are negative? It’s already hard enough as a woman in this industry, how do you deal with people attacking you online?
Sometimes I’ll respond, and other times I will ignore it. It really depends on my mood for the day. If I’m in kind of a grumpy mood and someone triggers me, I’m going to respond. But for the most part, it’s usually the reflection of that individual and I don’t know what they’re dealing with, but it is a way for them to unleash and have no repercussion for it. I think we tend to say things online that we normally wouldn’t say in person, because we’d get punched in the mouth. (I laugh)
Yeah! And I would not want to be punched by you! (She laughs)
Yeah, so, it really depends. I respect everybody’s opinions. They don’t have to like me for what I do. I just don’t understand why they spend that time with negative energy. If you don’t like something, scroll past!
Yeah, it’s as easy as that—exactly! What has been your favorite thing about bodybuilding?
(She thinks a moment) You know what, it actually gave me some structure. After my divorce, I felt like it was something I could control. So, for me, it’s personal growth and I really enjoy the whole process of physical transformation! I’ve had a lot of competitors, and it’s a big thing in the industry, have a lot of mental health issues because of going from that stage condition to off season, where you’re twenty-thirty pounds heavier—mentally they can’t handle it. I don’t have that and I’m very lucky and thankful that I don’t suffer from body dysmorphia, that a lot of competitors do. I, personally, like the structure of competing, but I also love the transformation from stage condition to what I look like right now, off season. It’s just about control—being able to manipulate and control my physical appearance how I want to—is what attracted me to it.
What’s been your least favorite thing?
The spray tan! (I laugh) I’m sorry, that is the worst thing ever!
Okay, I have to ask… Why?
I love competing, the process, show day, the hair and make-up, the suit—and I have a great suit sponsor, Angel Competition Bikinis—but the tan is terrible! It’s so thick and it has to be SO DARK! Which means, I must have so many coats. It is so uncomfortable. You can’t shower for like a day and a half! It sticks and it is just a mess!
So, why do you need it?
It doesn’t matter what your skin tone is. All ethnic groups, even translucent like myself, get that same spray tan! It is because when you’re under those stage lights—they are extremely bright—in order to see the muscle development, you have to have that tan. It also helps to bring out the muscle development, too! Without it, for me, I would just walk out, and you wouldn’t be able to see any depth. But that is my least favorite thing, the tan!
What is the easiest thing about bodybuilding?
The training part—the hardest thing is the diet! The training—the cardio—specific training, I have no problem with it. The diet, it’s a mental thing. Your body isn’t as surprised as your mind thinks it is, but when you go weeks and weeks—or months, I should say—on the same meals, the same foods every day with no variation, it gets very challenging.
Okay, I have to ask… Is ice cream out of the question?
Out of the question, yeah. (I gasp) Although, I do get almond milk! Every two weeks out, if I want a coffee with almond milk and stevia, I can have it! Which it tastes like ice cream when you have not had any sweet in three months! (I laugh)
Nope, not for me! (We laugh) This is why I can’t get into bodybuilding. I would’ve done it a long time ago, but—
The ice cream… (She nods)
Yes! The ice cream! It’s a deciding factor for me! (I laugh) What advice would you give anyone trying to get into bodybuilding?
Make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. Figure out why you want to do it because it is extremely challenging and if you aren’t mentally capable, it can drastically ruin your life—even yourself. You have to be in the right mental state and understand the level of commitment and sacrifice needed. Everybody gets onstage for a different reason, understanding your “why” and that’ll set your expectations so you’re not disappointed. Most importantly, if you’re going to compete, do not take shots at other people. I see that so often that people compare themselves to others or if someone isn’t in as good of shape as someone else that they should be—they get very rude—and it’s very disheartening to see that attack from within. So, respect everybody’s “why” too!
That is really sad to hear, and it does happen in any field or hobby… So, you kind of touch on this but why do you think competitions are important?
Everybody has a different reason. But I’ll speak from the pro-level perspective. One, we aren’t (technically) paid athletes like most other pro-athletes, with the exception of sponsors we might have. I think it’s important, if you want to remain in that fitness industry in the pro-league, really Olympia is the end goal for people. Qualifying for that Olympia stage would be the best thing in the world! On a pro-level, competing is important. As a pro, you do it consistently until you can’t anymore—there is a very short window of time where we can compete in a league that’s extremely competitive. In full honesty, I started verylate. My prime time was probably ten years ago. It is what it is—and I wasn’t competing then! I’m going to compete until I can’t anymore—until my body goes, “Nope, we’re not doing this anymore, Mel!” (I laugh) I think every person and why they compete is different. But as far as pro-league goes—it’s one, pro show wins and get to that Olympia stage!
When is your next competition?
My first one of the season will be September 30th, in Arizona!
So, we're still in summer, and many people find themselves trying to get into the “summer body”, I hear that all the time. Do you think it is important mindset to have or do you believe that can be harmful if they don’t achieve that goal?
I am going to say that summer bodies are made in the wintertime. So, if you haven’t already started—it’s going to be a bit challenging to achieve that. Not saying you can’t do things, like cardio or clean up your diet. I think the mindset that you must have a certain body type is not healthy. I think everyone should be comfortable in their skin, regardless of what it is. But if you want to make a change, do it. I don’t like that term (summer body), I think it is very damaging. It implies that if you aren’t in this group having this “fit body” that you are not healthy.
Yeah, I hear people that want to get ready for summer and look for the pool or beach—
As long as you’re comfortable!
Yeah!
Look, for me personally, because I’m a competitor—I feel like I’m not in my “summer body” (I laugh)
Yeah, I just love food. I like to work out and do things in the summer. I lose weight during the summertime, but then winter hits and I gain it all back! But I love it.
Yeah, I think it is important to be consistent, year-round, with your fitness.
You’ve mentioned with body building that it is both mental and physical—they both come hand in hand. It’s very important! Do you think in bodybuilding one is more important than the other or do you think they’re equal?
I think both go hand in hand! Bodybuilding is the unhealthiest sport, period. It’s not a healthy lifestyle. Everyone looks at the bodybuilding community as the epitome of health and fitness. That is so far from the truth! Most of the time, those that look a certain way—and I’m talking about our stage phase—you peel back that skin, we’re probably rotting from the inside out. People push limits and PEDs and take things that they shouldn’t. They self-medicate, in order to get to certain levels. Some openly admit they are willing to sacrifice years off their lives for a trophy, a medal, a show win. When someone says—and I’ve seen competitors post about it—“I know what I’m doing is probably taking years off my life, but I don’t care!” To me, that is a mental health issue, and one that should not be competing. Mental and physical health definitely go hand in hand! There is a healthy way to compete in this sport, but you have to understand what that is and understand what you’re willing to sacrifice to maybe not be a top performer because your health comes first. Not saying everyone is like that. There are a lot of my competitors that are extremely healthy and don’t abuse anything and they place very, very well! I’m talking about more of the extreme side of bodybuilding. If you’re not in the right mental state, your body is not going to follow, and you could (unintentionally) compromise your health.
Do you think there should be a trainer for mental health in this industry? Could that ever be a thing?
So, there are a lot of coaches. I feel like a lot of people have on their Instagram that they’re coaches because they competed in one show, or they got their pro-card, and then suddenly, they’re a coach. That frustrates me. I really wish that the pro-league would have an education series for coaches and have qualified coaches. I think it would be good for the sport and the competitors. I think it would hold accountability on coaches because I’ve seen a lot of really bad coaches! I have not experienced them (knock on wood) but it should be the same protocol when it comes to prepping for a show that compliments their health—even death! In 2020 and 2021, it seemed like there was a death every month in the bodybuilding community. Yes, I think there should be some accountability with coaches within the NPC and IFBB for the healthy of all competitors.
Yeah, I think working on your mental health first and then figuring out the rest is very important. Who is your everyday inspiration?
Myself. (She smiles) Myself, because I live up to my expectations and not others. I am inspired by other people’s work ethics, but I’m not inspired by individuals. I feel like it sets people up for failure and then they aspire to be like others instead of realizing who they are. So, I am inspired by work ethic, but I inspire myself.
I like that answer! That’s a great answer! (We laugh) I’ve never heard anybody say that before. I’m going to start using that, by the way, because it’s true! I always tell people, “The best way to combat struggles and stress you’re going through is to talk to yourself; like literally talk out loud to yourself,” and I talk to myself a lot. I am able to be honest with myself about my failures or what I could do differently. It sounds crazy but talking to yourself out loud really helps, mentally.
Yeah, I agree! (She was agreeing the whole time I was spouting words; she’s a champ for letting me talk)
Now, this does not have to pertain to bodybuilding, what is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
From my dad—I don’t want to say, “We didn’t have a good relationship”—My parents were meth-addicts. So, I learned very early on, once I understood what they did, that this is not how I want to live my life. We were kind of estranged for many years. My dad actually died during that time and so I only recently (in the last couple of years) talked to my mom because she’s clean—and my sister. But he told me when I was young, and it always stuck with me, “When you’re my age,” and he was in his late thirties at that time—early forties (my age now)—he said, “You’ll be lucky if you can count a few friends on one hand.” I never really understood what that meant, but what it taught me—what I took away from it—was that advice made me live so much in the moment and it changed how I perceived things. So, I don’t focus on the future, I live in the here and now. I adapt to change, very easily. I understand that relationships are like contracts. Sometimes they expire, and I’m okay with that. Now I can navigate through life with people coming in and people leaving—understanding that relationships come and go—people either grow apart or they grow together, and that’s okay. I don’t think that is what he intended to give with that advice, but that is what I took from it. You’re lucky, after all your life, you still have five people you can count on in the world. It’s very true because I look at it now and I’m like, I can’t count five… That’s one piece of advice I never forgot.
Wow, yeah, so true. I just started my thirties and I’m like, I can only count like two? (You know who you are) And the only reason I can count them is because they actually seen the ugly side of me, as well as everything in-between. So, wow, that’s a whole other story (her upbringing) I didn’t know about you! Has mental health always been important to you, even at a young age considering your childhood? When did it start?
I think that’s what made me as mentally strong as I am, and why I am okay with just things. I’m not bothered or impacted by most things that other people tend to get very caught-up on and I think because of my childhood. I wasn’t neglected, I wasn’t abused or anything like that. I was a competitive gymnast—it’s just they were meth-addicts. I vividly remember the day I learned that and saw them snorting lines in the garage. I was on my way to school, and it just changed everything. It’s why they awake for a week at a time and then sleep for a week at a time, and I would check on my dad every night—to make sure the blanket was moving—I was confused why he was sleeping for a week on end. For me, as a child realizing that and then my sister fell into the same pattern as them, I just felt like this is not how to live your life. So, I feel very lucky that I didn’t follow their lead. I feel like that is what developed that mental strength, for me.
There are many that look at their past and have stories like this, what advice would you give to someone struggling with their past or struggling with their now?
Your future is not predetermined based on where you come from. Everybody feels that because they come from a broken household, that their life is just meant to be a disaster. You are not a product of your environment. You can come out of a negative situation and become a positive person. I do think it’s the mentality of not being a victim. I don’t allow myself to wallow in why I didn’t have a normal childhood or why I didn’t have a nice house with a picket fence. I didn’t have it—it is what it is—move on. I think sometimes we tend to get caught up in why we don’t have something and then it eats away at our mental health. Instead of realizing life is not perfect. You as an individual can move beyond it and create your own path, in your own way.
I’m going to say this again, I’ve always found you to be one of my favorite people. But now doing this interview and finding out more about you, I didn’t think it was possible to make you even more my favorite! (She awes) I’m just like I’ll be one of your friends—I’ll be one of the people!
You’ll be one of my five?! (We laugh)
Absolutely! (I laugh) Do you have a website or social media people can follow?
Yes! I have an Instagram! I don’t have a Tik Tok or YouTube. I know I should, but it’s hard enough to manage Instagram! At the end of the day, I find there’s so much put on social media presence, it’s important, but I just don’t care.
I think like Tik Tok, it’s too late for me! (I laugh) I think what I learned about social media, for me, I have them for advertising my works—but even then, I found during the pandemic that it was mentally draining! It was unhealthy to stay on. People perceive the perfect life and I’ve always tried to stay in the moment. So, I get what you’re saying!
Yeah, I have it but I’m not always on it. A lot of people in the fitness industry have it. They have great income from it, but it’s just not for me. I do have it and I am fairly active, but I don’t care what the following is. I do post some funny stuff! (We laugh)
Yeah, with what you do, you have to be a little silly! When you’re not at the gym or training, what are you doing?
Anything! I like hiking, hanging with friends, eating… eating… eating lots of food! (I laugh) I also spend time with my dogs. I’m a huge animal lover. I had three dogs, but lost one last year, which was very devastating. So, I have two left. One, just turned seventeen and the other is eleven. My seventeen-year-old was just diagnosed with a brain tumor. So, his time is very short with me. I love spending time with animals. Oh, and I have a daughter! I almost forgot to mention that.
You have a daughter?!
Yeah, she’s 22, turning 23 this year. She just moved out, for a second time, and I’m excited. I also love to travel!
I’m still stuck on you having a daughter! (We laugh)
Yeah, I had her when I was 18 and she’s been a pain in the ass ever since! (I laugh)
Is she into bodybuilding?
She is not, at all. She is a little twig and doesn’t want to put any muscle on. I built a gym at home, during COVID, that we could use. She was out there a few times, but that was about it! Not her thing.
Okay, well, now for our final question! If you could describe yourself in three adjectives, what would they be and why?
So, I always say the three F’s: Funny, Friendly, and (depends on my mood) Feisty or a little Ferocious. Funny, I think I have a great sense of humor. Sometimes, it’s very inappropriate humor but that’s okay. I got it from my dad, for sure! Friendly, I feel like people tend to think I’m a little bit assertive. I’m just very outspoken. I say what’s on my mind, I never beat around the bush. I feel that being that direct is most beneficial! I would rather have the hard truth than false hope.
I had such a fun time with Melody and hope to do it again soon. The lessons she taught me during this interview, I will hold near and dear to my heart. Thank you, Melody, for being such a beautiful person (inside and out), and for inspiring me everyday. Let's grab coffee again soon!
If you or someone you know have a story that you would like to share, please contact me. This is all experience for me. I would love to share any and all stories I can!
Comentários