Professional Athlete
Born in Africa, I moved to France and ended up in Sint Marten. Christelle Zarovska’s fitness journey started about four years ago when I taught spin classes. At some point, I got curious about how weights would transform my body and devoted myself to a healthier lifestyle, which included eating better and quitting smoking. Bringing all these thoughts to God the Creator has made me the person who has made my thoughts reality. Eventually, I decided to take part in my first local competition in 2014. I won overall in my division at the J Cutler Competition then again in the following two years.
I went on to participate in the Arnold Classic, which boasted over 20,000 athletes, and I placed third in the figure division. My dad passed away while I was participating in the CAC in 2017, so I took a few months off. My most recent victory, which was this year, placed me in the professional category. The routine, the passion and the dedication are what keep me going. I love the structure that fitness training brought to my life. Now that I’m in off-season, my body is still accustomed to eating six times a day no matter what. I can also eat more carbs and will eat every three hours. In the morning, I’ll have eggs, oatmeal and fruit.
The diet I stick to is based on my macros. On the weekends, I’ll indulge a bit more, and have two cheat days. It’s about balance. During competitions, I reduce carbs and stay on fish and greens and oatmeal. At night, I have about one or two squares of 80% dark chocolate. I don’t follow any specific regimen other than counting my macros based on my body. In competing, you learn how your body works, so it’s easier for you to know what causes inflammation and what helps to build muscles. I have a healthy balance, because it’s not about punishing myself.
Initially, I was very shy; but as you work out, it slowly grows your confidence. My coach, Antonio, made me more confident in myself. He was the first to teach me how to pose and learn my angles and how to flex. Then when I got on stage, the audience gave me a lot of support and I am grateful. In the off-season, I train only one hour per day and I rest on weekends. The best training for me is 15 minutes warming up, 45 minutes of the scheduled workout then about 15 minutes of cardio. It’s what works for me; but I don’t do a lot of cardio in my down time.
As I get closer to a competition, I slowly increase the amount of cardio and less heavy training to drop body fat. It is amazing and I love it. My most recent experience was very organized and I met the most wonderful ladies with really great personalities and they’ve become good friends of mine. Fitness training has given me a lot of structure. I love it. I also eat a lot more food. I have had no injuries – thanks to staying healthy and watching my nutrition. Also, it has allowed me to meet great people from around the world. Of course I plan to compete on a professional level now. My dream is to work with children, especially those who come from difficult environments, and use exercise and routine to help them build structure and healthy lifestyles.
