72-year-old metro Atlanta grandmother prepares for 1st bodybuilder competition

ATLANTA - A metro Atlanta grandmother is set to compete in her first bodybuilding competition tomorrow, showcasing her dedication to a healthy lifestyle in and out of the gym.

Evelyn Foulkner, 72, has been preparing for the Super Natural Body Federation Bodybuilding and Fitness competition in Lawrenceville since January. Despite not initially having bodybuilding on her bucket list, Foulkner decided to challenge herself and take her fitness journey to the next level. "Competing was never on my bucket list, but I decided I needed to take it to another level and challenge myself," she said.

Foulkner has been a regular at the gym for years but set her sights on the competition six months ago. She credits her trainer, Cliff Witherspoon, for encouraging her to compete professionally. "I didn't know how hard it was going to be, but I was in it to win it, so I stuck with it," she admitted.

Focused on building up her weaker muscles and maintaining a high-protein diet with occasional cheat meals, Foulkner is ready to compete in the bikini category. "I think you have to have that mindset. You have to want to do it, and it has to be something that you love doing—a passion for it," she explained.

Foulkner hopes to bring home the first-place trophy and inspire others by showing that it’s never too late to get fit. "You gotta start somewhere. It's difficult getting up in the mornings and going to the gym, but if you make a habit of getting up and doing something for at least 30 minutes a day, you'll find out you’ll get enjoyment out of it, and you'll start feeling better," she said.

The competition begins Saturday morning at Central Gwinnett High School, with tickets available online. Foulkner's family, friends, and trainer will be there to support her. She mentions that this will be her first and last bodybuilding competition, and we’ll let you know how she does.