Aaron Chatha

Multimedia Journalist

For Sarah McCulloch, success is about achieving personal goals, about living a balanced and healthy life.

It's equal parts her good attitude and strict workout regimen that helped her place in fifth for fitness model at the INBF Canada Fitness competition, which was held in Calgary last month.

The Strathmore resident has been a trainer since 2006. She currently works as a fitness trainer in downtown Calgary and is running a summer boot camp at Kinsmen Park on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening.

"I find that training is very rewarding because helping other people reach their fitness goals and succeed, well, I can't even explain how that makes me feel," McCulloch said.

"It's great for them and just to see them succeed, I couldn't ask for a better job. It doesn't even feel like a job for me."

McCulloch said she was never a competitive sports player, but ever since high school, she's based her life around achieving personal goals.

She first competed in an Edmonton competition in 2010, and she competes to keep herself motivated.

McCulloch spends most of her time at the gym, critiquing herself and learning about nutrition.

"I find that having that gives you the balance for everything else in life, like sports, doing you functional stuff at home or your job," she said.

"Like, without fitness, what can you do?"

It wasn't easy for McCulloch to prepare for the competition either, having only just come back from a five-week trip in Europe, giving herself only three weeks to prepare for the competition.

She said she won't be taking a holiday so close to competition again, as it can be frustrating trying to find a gym six days a week while abroad.

Even during her regular life, juggling workouts with work and a social life is a challenge, but a worthwhile one.

McCulloch chose to compete in the INBF because of their strict drug-free rules, which included anabolic steroids and over-the-counter diuretics.

She explained the judging process for the fitness model event was very strict as well.

Judges look for muscle balance and definition.

No parts of the body should stand out more than other, and contestants must be very lean, as they are expected to walk out and hold specific poses, keeping muscles contracted without losing form.

And hour-glass body shape is what judges are looking for, both feminine and athletic looking.

McCulloch plans to compete much more in the future.

To find out more about her summer boot camp, which focuses on conditioning and weight loss, search Strathmore Bootcamp with Sarah on

Facebook.