Welcome to the first in a series where I will be turning the spotlight on some of our amazing female readers. The first lady to take center stage is Melissa Di Bernardo who did her first show back in June 2005 as an INBF competitor.
Melissa is the first to admit that she ‘sucked' at her first attempt but, she was quick to step up her game, getting back on stage in October of the same year and scooping up the overall titles in both figure and bodybuilding at the INBF Natural NY Championships. The following year she grabbed her WNBF pro card at the INBF Hercules. Following the Hercules, Melissa did one pro show in the WNBF (coming in fifth out of ten girls) before switching over to the NPC and setting her sights on bigger and better contests. In her first year with the NPC she qualified for national level competition and competed at the NPC Junior Nationals in June 2008.
Although the Junior Nationals were hardly a resounding success for Melissa, they did mark a major turning point in her bodybuilding career. As she recalls,
"The judges told me I was too muscular and hard for the new figure look (I was 110lbs ...hardly a muscular freak!) so, as a result I decided to give bodybuilding a try."
In this case, figure's loss is definitely bodybuilding's gain. When asked how she felt that the judges told her she was ‘too muscular', she responded,
"I was actually very surprised when they told me I was too muscular...I mean I am TEENY! I can't even say my pictures make me look too big because they don't. I still don't think I was too muscular, but as far as being too hard and dry, I guess looking back I could agree with that based on how they want figure competitors to look right now."
In the bodybuilding world, being ‘hard and dry' would be considered an asset rather than a liability. Just how do you manage to achieve this sought after condition?
"I'm sure part of it is just good genetics, but I will say this....I worked with Dave [Palumbo] last year and he had me doing up to three hours of cardio per day in the week and a half leading to my last contest. Stepping things up like this helped me 
achieve that coveted glute/hamstring tie-in for the first time ever and actually get that super hard look. So, I guess I have to give a lot of the credit to Dave's coaching!"
And now that you're moving into the bodybuilding arena, what steps are you taking to achieve this transformation?
"It has taken a complete mental and physical overhaul...surprisingly more mental than physical. When I was competing in figure contests my off-season was really short -maybe 4-5 months max. This was really just to give me the time to eat some extra calories. I still did at least 45-60 minutes of cardio per week, and those ‘extra calories' weren't really anything to write home about as far as promoting my progress in the gym. So the first step in my transition was to take a long off-season which started in June 2008 and will go on until July 25 2009. The next step was to significantly increase my calories. I don't typically count calories, I prefer to have someone tell me exactly what to eat and then just follow it. Basically, if Dave had told me last year that eating dog crap would get me muscular and hard, I would have eaten it! Don't get any ideas for this year though Dave!
"I would estimate that in the past my off-season calories were maybe around 2000 at best. This time around I was eating 3000, and maybe more on days when I can't keep my hands off the cashews! I don't eat crap food though, like fast foods and desserts. I just stick to the list of foods on my diet plan. I was so scared (and still am a little bit) that I would blow up like a balloon by taking a year off...."
A lot of women have a hard time adapting to their ‘off-season look', is this true in your case?
"Well, right now I certainly am bigger than I have ever been and I struggle with it on a daily basis. I mean, right now I am 150lbs and the most I have ever weighed in past off-seasons is 130lbs. On the other hand, I am happy to say that I'm in better shape at 150lbs than I was at 130lbs.With that in mind, I would definitely tell any woman thinking of making the switch from figure to bodybuilding 
not to be afraid of putting on weight. Sure, you are going to put on some fat, but if you do it correctly and in a calculated manner with good nutrition, you can't go wrong."
Any diet tips you want to pass on?
"Off- season I follow Dave's plan. I keep my fats high and I only eat enough carbs to fuel workouts. The only carbohydrate sources I include are ½ cup of oatmeal in the morning and 40grams of CARBOLYZE (a Species Nutrition carbohydrate supplement) after my workouts. I also have a cheat meal on Saturday mornings after my workout. This is usually 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses, 2 tablespoons peanut butter and 20g ISOLYZE (Species Nutrition whey isolate)."
So, rounding things up...what are is your current goal now that you have transitioned into the bodybuilding world?
"My ultimate goal without a doubt is to receive an invite to the Arnold Classic as a bodybuilder. I have always dreamed of 
being on that stage. I realize I have a long (maybe impossible) road ahead of me, but I am definitely up for the challenge. And, even if I never make it onto that stage, I know I will have had fun along the way!"
I don't know about you, but I have a feeling we will definitely be seeing Melissa at the Arnold Classic in the not too distant future - and I am not talking about as a spectator!
Congratulations to Melissa for being our very first RX Muscle Diva selected for a full length interview.
Think you have what it takes to become the next diva to dive under the spotlight? Then send me an e mail at [email protected] or contact me in the woman's forum. I look forward to hearing from you!
Leigh Penman
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