Interview with Fitness bodybuilder Ann marie Last

I have been so excited to feature not only my first Interview on Bikini Brawn but also an insight into the life of Fitness obsessed Ann Marie. An absolutely lovely, bubbly woman i have had the pleasure of meeting. Regardless if Lifting heavy weights or Bodybuilding is not your scene, you wont be able to deny the passion and love for health in this Interview and in this amazing lady. I have no doubts you will be filled with motivation and hopefully a new insight into the life of an Irish woman bodybuilder. Ann Marie is well known in her circle and has won many competitions around the country, She is also a Dublin native with a really interesting story. Have a read of our interview with Ann Marie and why not give her a follow on Facebook or Twitter and follow her progress 

Name : Ann Marie Last

Age : 32

City : Dublin

Occupation : Studio Instructor and Personal Trainer .

Sport : Body Fitness - Bodybuilding

Tell us something completely random about you :  Ive always 

wanted to fly a helicopter for some reason ha !

Most embarrassing memory : Moved apartments and went on a night out , got a taxi home forgot the address, phone was dead, couldn't call house mate. Taxi man brought me to the Garda station , called my sister to come and get me . Apparently i was great craic . morto at the time . Its funny now though.

Favourite place in the world : Newport, Rhode Island.

Describe yourself in four words : Hyper , Sensitive , Friendly , Outgoing and very Independent.

Tell us Something that annoys you : Negativity 

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Could you give our readers a little insight into the life of Ann marie, growing up your background etc ?

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I was fairly active from a young age. I was a majorette for about 7 years and i was also active on the school running team in my younger years . I developed a love and passion for the gym especially around the age of 18. It would be rare i would go a day without going to the gym .It became a lifestyle. I was a big fan of cardio , i have always been very aerobically fit and i feel as a result of me being so active from a young age i have a very high metabolic rate , i am also very fit and as everybody out there knows , i have a hell of  lot of energy .

What made you get involved in Fitness and the Irish Bodybuilding scene

I lived in Newport R.I for a couple of years . I worked hard , played hard and i was also a member of a 24 hour gym which was pretty cool. My dad passed away suddenly and i came back to Ireland . Before i left Ireland i was a travel agent so i went back to what i knew and got a job in a travel agency in Dublin city center . I was also a member of total fitness at the time . I loved going to the gym and especially participating in the classes . it was soo much fun and made me feel so good . Before my dad passed i had a conversation about going back to college and obtaining some fitness qualification s. I remember i was sitting in work one day and remembering the conversation i had with my dad , i like said to myself Ann Marie , if you don't do something about this now you never will . I googled fitness courses in Dublin and signed up . I worked during the day and studied at night . I was a natural when it came to class instruction etc , my teachers even said it . I was obsessed with getting A 's in all subjects and i did . My first job in fitness was in the gym where i trained . I was sitting in the coffee shop one day and a personal trainer by the name of Noel Mcpartlin approached me  . He asked me would i ever consider competing in a body fitness category in a body building competition . Now i just thought he was like mad because if he knew me at the time he would know there was no way in hell id stand on a stage practically in my nip. I remember thinking to myself ha , is he having a laugh and i have varicose veins. I then did my research out of curiosity ,and decided maybe i should do it . I felt i needed something to break me into the industry so i decided it would be a challenge and at that point i start training to prepare me to compete with Noels help of course .

How did it feel to win this years RIBBF National Championship in Limerick in your category and as Overall winner.

Was it a complete shock and how did you celebrate ?

Oh my god , i was soo happy . i did my first comp 3 years ago and if you check out my progression photographs on my 

facebook page , you can see how far i have come . I am so proud of myself . In my first competition i placed joint 4th , in my 2nd i placed 3rd . Last year at nationals i placed first in NABBA toned figure and first in my height category in Body Fitness at RIBBF . I felt a great sense of achievement . If you knew me before i got involved in the bodybuilding scene you would know i was never much of an exhibitionist and was quite shy . So it was a challenge and i think i shocked a lot of people including myself . Then this year i placed first in my height category in RIBBF Body Fitness and then took the overall title .

Some people in Ireland see bodybuilding and lifting weights as anti-feminine what would be your response to that ?

Check out my photos , I couldn't be any more feminine . I see myself more as a fitness model . Id rather be muscular and toned then too skinny . I love my curves .

What is your favourite beauty product and why can you not live without it ? 

Palmers body butter and clarins Flash Balm.

What is the best advise you were given ? Whether it was during your years of bodybuilding or possibly                                                                                                                                                             

Always be myself , never give up and my dad always told me i could do anything , once i put my mind to it and he was right .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

You have got the opportunity to present for Irish Muscle TV, interviewing basically every Irish competitor around the country. How did that come up and do you see yourself doing any other TV or presenting work ?

Its part of my sponsorship . At first i was really nervous , but it turns out i'm quite a natural in front of the camera and i'm really good with people, i always have been .People are so supportive of me . The more interviews i do , the more confident i become in front of the camera , I really enjoy it and i love meeting new people . I would love to do more presenting , i think i would be quite good at it .

What would be your advise to anyone looking to get in shape for the first time ?

Anything is possible , once you put your mind to it . Its a lifestyle change and you will feel so much better for it .

What is the best advise you were given ? Whether it was during your years of bodybuilding or possibly growing up ?

My dad always told me I could do anything I wanted once I put my mind to it . Always be myself .

What is your opinion on the Health and Fitness industry in Ireland ? And would you change it in anyway ?

Its getting bigger but we are way behind in comparison to countries like Australia or The U.S.A . Its seems everybody in this country right now is doing a fitness course or setting up a fitness company . Its great people are becoming more health conscious. I think there was a time in Ireland all anybody did was head to the pub but now more and more people seem to be drinking less and exercising more  .

Do you have a secret weapon, possibly a supplement a type of food a training technique or a person possibly ?

No ive no secret weapon  , I train on my own and work hard . I have had people help me along the way. It's always good to have some guidance to help us achieve our goals. I take advice and help from everybody and decide what works for me 

What is the reality for a woman in the bodybuilding scene and how does it effect your life ?

Its hard work both mentally and physically . Its also very time consuming and expensive . Eating healthy costs a lot of money as well and supplements and competition suits etc. Its definitely worth it when you see the results though . When I look at the picture after each competition , I am like wow is that me .

Could you give Bikini Brawn readers a rough guide to what your diet and training is like both during competition season and also off season Off season : 

I eat 4-5 meals a day . Basically high protein , low carb . I try to stay as lean as I can off season , I don't believe in getting out of shape to get back into shape . In my off season I have my treats at the weekend and eat pretty clean during the week . In the off season I have my treats as I don't believe in depriving yourself of the foods you enjoy, I feel this can lead to binging  . Everything in moderation . I train 5 days a week hitting each muscle group once a week which ensures plenty of rest in between  . You do not grow in the gym , you grow when you rest . Its also very important to eat enough food to support growth . I have a really good supplementation plan in place too which is also very important in the growth and repair of the body . I teach a classes during the week so im very active and this also helps keep my body fat down in the off season . I train for total balance , symmetry and size . Muscle shapes the body and help protect the joints . When judging in figure the judges are looking for the total package  for example shape, size, symmetry , aesthetics and good presentation .

Competition season :  I usually cut 8 weeks before each competition , training about 6 days a week . As a result of staying lean in the off season , I find I strip the body fat pretty easily during my cutting phase . Again 4-5 meals a day , high protein low carb and strict , everything is bland, no oils etc .Again I have a good supplement plan in place  You can find all my diet plans, training regimes etc in my blogs on The Irish Muscle website if you would like more information .There is a lot of info . Its hard work but I love a good challenge ,

What are your long term goals and when will we see you competing again ?

I would absolutely love to compete in The Arnold in the States one day. Fitness is my life and always has been . Its all about progression and I want to be the best I can be . I plan to compete in The Arnold in Madrid next year . I have a year to make big improvements and I know I will because I can do anything I put my mind to .

What is your biggest Accomplishment to date ? 

Winning my height category and the overall title in Nationals this year . I am now Miss Ireland Body Fitness . So cool , WOOOOOO !!!!

Living a fit and healthy life consistently is very tough, have you had any bad falls and how did you pick yourself back up ?

 Life is full of bad falls . You just have to pick yourself up and get back on that horse . I find whenever something knocks me down I seem to bounce back even stronger and more determined . Once I set my mind to something there is no stopping me .

What advise would you give readers about inspiration and motivation ? 

Be the best version of yourself  , be your own inspiration , be unique and an individual. Don't follow the crowd , let them follow you .

lastly is there anyone you would like to mention or give a shout out too 

I WOULD BE HERE ALL DAY IF I WERE TO THANK EVERYBODY . I HAVE HAD SO MANY HELP ME ON MY JOURNEY AND HAVE LISTENED TO A LOT OF WISE WORDS FROM EVERYBODY . ILL KEEP IT SIMPLE , BIG THANK YOU TO MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY , MY WORK COLLEAGUES IN BEN DUNNES . MY SPONSORS IRISH MUSCLE AND VITAMIN SHOP AND THE GYM WHERE I TRAIN XXXXX

Bikini Brawn wish Ann Marie all the best in her future and in her career, we have no doubts that she is going to achieve all she can and motivate a lot of people along the way. Leave a comment below and tell us if you were inspired by Ann Marie's story or if you are interested in the Bodybuilding scene. 


Follow Ann Marie on Twitter : https://twitter.com/Ambolast

And on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/ann.m.last?fref=ts



Kelly D 

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