Law student quits college to become bikini bodybuilder

By Ed Chatterton and Shivani Chaudhari via SWNS

A former law student has told how she dropped out of university to follow her dream of becoming a professional bikini bodybuilder.

Mel Wilkinson, 28, now devotes five days a week to working out for three hours at a time in the gym after quitting her law degree in a bid to make it pro.

She gave up her course following her first year at Birmingham City University in the UK and has since spent thousands on entering amateur competitions across Britain.

Mel will have the chance to turn professional when she competes at the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) in Portugal this weekend.

The super-fit personal trainer first got into bodybuilding aged 18 but only began getting into pristine shape for competitions during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Mel, who is 5ft 1ins and 112 pounds (52kg), is currently consuming under a thousand calories a day and lifting 440-pound (200kg) weights in preparation for shows.

She estimates she has spent around £5,000 ($6,244 USD) pursuing her passion - including £900 ($1,124 USD) on bikinis and thousands on hotels, beauty and hair treatments.

Mel, of St Peter's, UK, said: "I was training for my law degree but I always thought I was going to do my fitness on the side.

"Before I knew it I was living the lifestyle of a bikini bodybuilder."

"Before then I wasn't particularly healthy, I was a typical student going out all the time.

"But I soon realized my true passion lay with fitness and I gave up university to follow that dream and got into bodybuilding and nutrition.

"My diet was never too bad at uni but I went vegetarian and now have a lot of fish and eggs as well as protein shakes and snack bars."

"Some people have said I'm mad for giving up law but I don't care because I really feel this is what makes me the happiest and it doesn't feel like work.

"It wasn't until lockdown that I started to train in order to compete and I did a couple of shows during the pandemic.

"Since then I have done another nine across the country and now if I win his competition, I can technically call myself a pro.

"I am very passionate and goal-orientated and I am determined and devoted to making it as a professional.

"I do two hours of cardio a day in the gym, five days a week, alongside an hour of weight training.

"I'm pretty much always in the gym.

"I've done competitions in England, Scotland and Wales and I'm getting sponsorship for my bikinis now, which is great as they cost £450 ($562 USD) each.

"It's an expensive hobby but one I absolutely love doing."

Mel, who also works as a personal trainer and female online coach, says she aims to inspire women to feel strong and confident in their bodies.

She added: "I wanted to take that passion into helping other women become the best versions of themselves too.

"I think female bodybuilding is going to get more popular because more and more girls are working out.

"But people may think it is more glamourous than it is but the glamour is only on the show day.

"It is a male-dominated industry, but I love how many girls are going into it and not caring anymore."

She said her decision to compete as a bodybuilder raised concerns among her family at first.

"My family was concerned because it can look like you're just losing weight, but if you're coming from a healthy mindset it's not that," said Mel, who lives with partner Lloyd Tonkin, 27.

"I still consider my diet to be pretty normal but I always like to eat a meal four times a day.

"For competitions, I tend to bulk up about 10 to 12 kilos (22-26 pounds) and then you diet in the run-up to the show. So I'm currently consuming under a thousand calories a day.

"When I'm focusing on building muscle I'm eating around 2,000 calories."

Mel believes the profession still has certain stigmas despite the discipline, training, and dedication it requires.

She said: "People also think it's just a beauty pageant and it's easy and you just put a bikini on.

"But it is a lot of hard work that goes into it, but people think it's something anyone can do, but you do have to be passionate about it.

"You need to have thick skin when people are commenting.

"As a female, you can get really caught up in what people are saying about your body.

"I have been upset when people have pointed out extra body fat but I know that being yourself is more than enough."