Down to earth girl with always the biggest smile on her face talk to us about her biggest CHALLENGES and ACHIEVEMENTS in her life. Silvia went through very difficult time after she become a mum. Not many people can talk about post-natal depression and can be open about the hard suicidal times. We are so proud of you and LOVE YOU to bits . You are absolute INSPIRATION , beautiful woman and angelic soul.
Full Name: Silvia Somaggio
Age: 36
Federation: 2BROS PRO EVENTS - IFBB PRO LEAGUE
Coach: Jennie Bliss & BodyByO
Where are you from: Italy
What is your occupation/work ?
Executive assistant for a financial services company
When did you start to compete and WHY?
I started this year (2019). Why? I was desperate for a new challenge. I wanted to push myself completely out of my comfort zone mentally and physically.
Have you done any other sports before?
Plenty: volleyball, basketball, football, athletics… loved any of these? Nope.
What was the reaction of your friends and family when you decided to compete?
The first thing they told me was “will you become one of those mega manly beefed up dudes on steroids?”. Yes, bodybuilding still has THAT stigma attached. It took a lot of (an awful lot of) patience to explain what competing really is, and when they saw me happier and thriving, mentally and physically, they started to change their minds and be supportive.
Do you remember your first time on stage?
Yes, it was few weeks ago. I expected to be extremely nervous and in total panic, but then… when my number got called all the anxiety disappeared and I focussed on showing my best self and enjoying the experience!
What changed since?
The whole experience was an eye opener. If before that I though about bodybuilding as an hobby that I’m very passionate about, now it’s everything I can think of 24/7. I have recently started my off-season program and the plan is to get ready to win next year. My coach and I have big and bold plans, I’m so excited to see what this journey will bring.
Which did you competition you enjoy the most and why?
I loved every bit of my 2bros experience: organised to perfection, everyone is so kind and nice (very important since you are feeling every emotion under the sun on a quite empty stomach……). Definitely will compete with them from now onwards.
What was / is your biggest success on stage or in personal life ?
On stage, at the moment, is getting 3rd place in Bikini Masters at my first competition. In life… well, after I gave birth to my son 7 years ago I had post-natal depression. I spent 3 years suicidal. I managed to survive the experience and go back to a kind of normal life, but the trauma and the legacy of those 3 years have lived with me since. It took the courage to address my problems and face them without hiding once and for all (aka: I spent a lot of time working with a psychotherapist) to overcome my issues and become a better, healthier, happier person. The journey is not over (it never is), but being able to say “I reached the other side” is the greatest success in my life.
What do you think girls should know before they will hit the competition stage?
I would say to please do not be fooled by the sparkles and glamour of what competing looks like on the surface.
You have to work really hard at the gym, you have to be extremely precise with your diet (that will be restricted, especially during prep), you have to be prepared to push yourself to your limits and more.
There are a lot of sacrifices to be made to get on that stage, so don’t even think of competing unless you are prepared to make it your number 1 priority in life.
Do your research: don’t just get the first coach that promises you the world. You want to be trained by someone with tons of experience, a proven track record of successful athletes, who knows what he/she is doing and who is you can trust with your whole life. Do not forget that, as amazing as it is, bodybuilding is an extreme sport: the wrong hands can put you in a very dangerous place.
Also, find a posing coach and start practicing as soon as you can. It doesn’t matter if your body is still months behind or absolutely not ready yet: posing it’s very difficult, it takes a lot of practice to get it at a decent level (let alone stage-ready), the sooner you start the better it is.
Who is your bikini idol?
I have a lot of them! Definitely my coach Jennie Bliss, she is stunning and, if I could pick someone I would love to look like, it’s definitely her! Angelica Teixeira and Janet Layug are also jaw-dropping amazing, and in my home country I’d say Cristiana Casoni and Simona Renzetti.
How was your last prep and how did you manage your diet?
Prep was….intense, to put it mildly. I thought I was mentally prepared, but I was so, so wrong. After 3 days of no carbs I though I was about to have a mental breakdown. I felt I was living groundhog day, it felt like an endless chicken-and-asparagus hell. I pushed through it, trying to focus on the ultimate goal, but… it was no pleasant. Al all. What made it even worse was the people seeing me getting leaner and being very upset about it: prep it’s difficult as it is, the last thing I needed was all the “omg you are loosing too much weight”, “are you sure it’s the right way to do it?”, “you are not anorexic are you?”, “I don’t know how you survive just on that small amount of food” etc.
How often do you practice your posing ?
Now that I’m off-season I practice it weekly, but on competition time it’s daily. The more you practice, the easier and “natural” it will feel, and on stage it will show.
Your favourite bikini colour?
PURPLE! I’m addicted to purple, I even painted my house’s walls in purple!
What is your next plans?
At the moment a long off season. I had shoulder surgery in January 2019 and I haven’t been able to train my upper body properly for months, so my shoulders looked quite bone-y and let me down. Don’t get me wrong, I’m super proud I managed to compete after only 9 months of a very challenging surgery (and I should have spent those months recovering – just don’t tell my surgeon!), but now I want to take my time to work hard, without any competition pressure, and make some dramatic overall improvements before next season starts.
Do you have any other hobbies outside work and gym?
I looooove baking, but my diet doesn’t really allow me anywhere near cakes!
Who you would like to say thank you or give a shout out?
A big thank you goes definitely to my coach and friend Jennie Bliss: I would have never done it without her love and support. My partner Sam has been the key to my success: he inspires me to be a better person every single day, and he went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure I was successful in this journey; my colleagues at work have been super sweet and very supportive, especially my boss.
Last but not least, a very big thank to you Bikini Mama - Bikini BKB : you have been there for me and rescued me after another bikini maker left me in a tricky situation by ghosting me (….no words!), and on top of this you made me the most amazing purple bikini ever!!!!
Silvia's transformation is amazing :
