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Most typical 50-year-old women would be content with slowing down as the days of running after kids, cooking meals for a small army and doing laundry nearly every day come to an end.<\/p>\n
Sandra Mendoza is anything but typical.<\/p>\n
The 50-year-old from Ca\u00f1on City recently earned her International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation pro status in women\u2019s physique after her third bodybuilding competition, all of which were held within her first year of competing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started this journey later in life, and within my first year of competing, I earned my IFBB pro card. That taught me that your age doesn\u2019t have to define your limits,\u201d Mendoza said. \u201cIf you\u2019re willing to put in the work, stay coachable, and refuse to give up on yourself, you might surprise yourself with what you\u2019re capable of.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mendoza, who moved to Ca\u00f1on City from Pagosa Springs in 2003, said she started working out consistently to lose weight about four years ago and got into bodybuilding two years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I started this weight-loss journey, my motivation was a few different events I had,\u201d she said. \u201cOne was a beach vacation to Hawaii and then it turned into a wedding both my husband and I were in.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not one to shy away from a challenge, Mendoza said once she accomplished her weight-loss goal, she needed to set a new milestone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told myself I was training for a bodybuilding competition just so I could trick myself to stay focused,\u201d she said. \u201cI honestly didn\u2019t think I would complete the goal by actually stepping on stage, but I did, and I fell in love with the culture and the camaraderie and support from other competitors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mendoza\u2019s first competition was the NPC (National Physique Committee) Colorado Cup, where she walked away with six medals, earning first- and second-place finishes across each division she entered.<\/p>\n
Her second show took her across the country to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the NPC North American Championships, one of the sport\u2019s major national-level competitions. Mendoza finished in the top five, bringing home four more medals.<\/p>\n
Third was the USA Championships in Las Vegas, where she earned her IFBB Pro card in Women\u2019s Physique, an honor that, Mendoza said, many spend years working toward.<\/p>\n
Having been active in her younger years, Mendoza said she was involved in a body mechanics (weight-lifting) class in high school.<\/p>\n
After becoming pregnant her senior year and giving birth to her first son just six weeks before graduation, her priority became building her family and raising her children.<\/p>\n
Then, in 2012, Mendoza was diagnosed with Ankylosing spondylitis, an autoimmune disease in the rheumatoid arthritis family.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt took me a few years to get this under control,\u201d she said. \u201cI finally got tired of letting this disease control my life, and I was determined to take my life back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mendoza and her husband, Nate, who have been married for 25 years, have four boys and her bodybuilding career has turned into somewhat of a family affair. She said they are very supportive and proud of her accomplishments and try to attend all of her shows, if possible.<\/p>\n
\u201cNate has been one of my biggest supporters throughout this journey,\u201d she said. \u201cHe\u2019s right there beside me, supporting me through the long hours, the sacrifices and the challenges that come with competing.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe even helps me with my hair and makeup for shows!\u201d Mendoza added with a laugh. \u201cBodybuilding takes a tremendous amount of time and commitment, so having a supportive partner and family means everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
As her family has watched her build her businesses, work toward her goals and push through difficult days, she acknowledges that she is \u201cincredibly grateful to have them in my corner. Earning my pro card was a personal achievement, but having my family there to share that moment made it even more meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n
She points out that \u201clife doesn\u2019t stop just because you have a dream. You learn to balance your responsibilities while still making time to pursue the things that matter to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mendoza trained locally at Elite Family Fitness long before she earned her professional bodybuilding status. But bodybuilding is more than just lifting weights to form a muscular physique.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s basically a full-time job,\u201d she said. \u201cI weigh every gram of food that goes into my body. I have a strict sleep schedule, workout and cardio routine. Bodybuilding is not easy. It requires sacrifice, consistency, patience, and a willingness to trust the process even when you don\u2019t see immediate results.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, what advice does she have for someone weighing the notion or just starting in bodybuilding?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not about motivation; it\u2019s about discipline,\u201d Mendoza said. \u201cMotivation comes and goes, but discipline is what keeps you showing up when you\u2019re tired, when life gets in the way, and when you don\u2019t feel like doing the work.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said her philosophy is \u201cDesigned by Discipline.\u201d She said she believes we become who we are through the choices we make every day, especially when things get difficult.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t compare your journey to anyone else\u2019s, and don\u2019t get so caught up in the destination that you forget to appreciate what you\u2019re learning along the way,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
As for what the future looks like, Mendoza is scheduled for additional competition with two back-to-back shows next summer.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy pro debut will be in Florida at the Tampa Pro on July 30, 2027, and the Max Fit Pro on Aug. 14, 2027,\u201d she said. \u201cWe might squeeze in a few extra shows in the season too, but these are my current focus shows.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to being a competitive bodybuilder, Mendoza and her husband are local business owners, operating Atomic Vapor in Ca\u00f1on City. She also owns The Body Lab, where she works with clients through personal training, online coaching, nutrition and bodybuilding preparation.<\/p>\n
Mendoza is a certified personal trainer specializing in bodybuilding and nutrition. She finished school with the International Sports Sciences Association last October and started taking clients right away.<\/p>\n
\u201cI absolutely love working with my clients and helping them achieve their goals and seeing their confidence come back,\u201d she said. \u201cSeeing my clients trust the process and seeing how happy and proud they are of their accomplishments is the most amazing feeling. I want people to understand that it\u2019s never too late to chase something that sets your soul on fire.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mendoza said achieving IFBB Pro status in Women\u2019s Physique represents more to her than just a title. It represents the discipline, sacrifice and determination it took to keep pushing toward something she wanted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m 50, I\u2019m a wife, I\u2019m a mom, I\u2019m a business owner, and now I\u2019m an IFBB Pro. I worked hard for this accomplishment, and I\u2019m just getting started,\u201d Mendoza said. \u201cI hope my story inspires other people \u2014 particularly women, who think their opportunity has passed \u2014 to stop putting limits on themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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