Bronx native Yadira Suazo always knew she wanted to help people. As a student in college she was on an education track but then something shifted. Her own personal journey with health and wellness led her to a newfound passion for fitness and bodybuilding. Thanks to her trainer/brother Marfred Suazo, the 28-year-old found a love for fitness and competitive bodybuilding. She soon realized that connecting with others during her own body transformation and motivating them was fulfilling in ways her day job was not. Alas, her company Body by Yadi was born. ‘LLERO caught up with the Dominicana to discuss how she made the career change and why it’s hard to date guys as a female bodybuilder.
‘LL: How did you get into the fitness industry?
Yadi: About three or four years ago I reached my highest weight of 205 pounds. I accepted the fact that I would never be “petite” but this was out of hand. I used to be a competitive swimmer, but I stopped swimming and started coaching more but I would still eat as if I was competing. So, I got really, really big. Depression kicked in and I started to feel like I didn’t have control over my life. Of course, no one likes to feel that way. It was a really tough time in my life. My brother was always into sports and working out and he started doing bodybuilding competitions and I went to see him. He said you should try this and I said ‘I could never be as small as those women’ because they were really petite. So, I just brushed it off.
Soon after that there was a time when I was trying on clothes, I just dreaded going to buy any clothes. So, instead of going to the store I went to my brother’s house and started crying. I told him I wanted help so he took me on as one of his first clients through the company he co-owns Superiior Fitness. That’s how I got into it.
‘LL: So you made a huge transformation, how much weight did you lose?
Yadi: I went from 190lbs. when I began training with my brother to about 160lbs. For my first show in November [of] 2013 I was 156lbs.
‘LL: Did going through your own transformation inspire you to help others do the same? Is that your passion?
Yadi: I always knew I wanted to help people. I wanted a profession that would allow me to help others. I graduated college but I felt like I wasn’t helping people in the way I really wanted. I remember one day posting up a picture on Instagram of how big I really was and just really looking back at everything and just the amount of feedback I was receiving from people and speaking to people was crazy. A lot of regular women were coming up to me when I was at the gym saying ‘Omg you’re Yadira, I had to meet you.’ That touched my heart. They impact me more than I ever knew I could impact anyone. Just to know that me posting about my struggles and what I go through everyday can help someone find the motivation to do it for themselves, that’s definitely been the driving force.
‘LL: What has been your biggest challenge so far in your career as a bodybuilder and a fitness trainer?
Yadi: My biggest challenge has been to find a happy medium and a happy balance. I chose not to compete this year and instead really focus on my business and also to focus on my relationship with food. As a trainer you are promoting a healthy lifestyle and you want to always eat healthy. But I’m human. I have a sweet tooth that is going to send me to the grave one day [laughs]. I originally lost all this weight prepping for [bodybuilding] shows, so in my head I was associating prepping with losing weight. But I finally had to come to terms with the fact that I will never look the way I look on stage in everyday life because it’s not healthy. It’s just not normal – you go through different stages where you dehydrate yourself sometimes and things like that. You know what, if I get invited out to dinner I still go to dinner! I can find something healthy to eat out. So, it’s just improving my relationship with food and showing people that you can have a life and be happy about going out and not feel like you are restricting yourself.
‘LL: Who is your favorite bodybuilder?
Yadi: I love Jon De La Rosa and his wife Swann De La Rosa. I also love a bikini competitor her name is Yeshira Robles. I used to work for Jon and Swann and they are some of the most humble people you’ll ever meet. In the sport there’s a lot of people that because the politics of it all, tend to be very nasty and don’t really offer to help people who aren’t pros. But they are so helpful and willing to work with you. If they’re in gym you can go up to them and talk to them as if they are normal. Like Yeshira, she’s a mother so she went from putting her body through a pregnancy and she won second place at the Ms. Olympia competition, that’s like the Super Bowl of bodybuilding. And she is pregnant again now so everyone is anticipating her return. It’s amazing.
‘LL: Is there anyone you would like to workout with? Why?
Yadi: What a great question. I would like to work out India Paulina – she is another bikini competitor, she is Latina as well and she’s very sassy. Her personality just shines through all her videos and everything that she does. She’s managed to keep her body looking feminine while being muscular so I definitely would enjoy training with her. Actually, you can learn from everyone in this sport whether a man or a woman, you can take things here and there from each of them and continue to grow as an individual.
‘LL: Do you think guys are intimidated by you because you are so fit? Does that ever come up in dating?
Yadi: That’s definitely come up before. The amount of dedication and focus it takes to be in that gym while in the sport – you’re not really showing any attention to anything else. A lot of men can’t handle the fact that a woman works out as much as a competitor would have to.
‘LL: What’s the biggest lesson/advice you have for someone who wants to follow in your footsteps and have a career in fitness?
Yadi: I feel like the biggest lesson would be to take it one step at a time and not get discouraged if they are noticing slow progress. Slow progress is still progress. I always tell my clients to try to set smaller goals because it’s a lot harder to see yourself attaining the ‘I want to drop 30lbs’ than ‘I want to drop five.’ Then once you reach that five, ok let me push for another five. I feel the smaller, tangible goals will make it easier to reach the bigger picture.
‘LL: What’s next for you? What are some goals for you and your business?
Yadi: I would love to do a program with different schools, even as a vendor for the department of education. That way I could work with young girls at the age where all the complexes are happening with their bodies. I would love to work with them and show them different tips – like to stay active and love yourself. That’s another thing I really try to push, it’s not just about working out it’s about being comfortable in the skin you’re in and loving the woman that you’re becoming.
For more information you can follow Yadira Suazo on Instagram at _BodyByYadi and on Twitter @BodyByYadi.
