According to medical experts, as women age over 30, they begin to lose muscle and gain body fat. Around middle age, aches and pains often set in. It’s frequently a time to relax and enjoy a slower-paced stage of life.
Tammy Shuff, age 46, doesn’t take this advice. She lifts weights five days a week, and has three cardio sessions every week. Unless it’s competition prep season for this bodybuilder, who competes in Masters Bikini Pro tournaments for the International Pro Elite, Professional National Bodybuilder’s Association, and International Physique League. Then, Shuff bumps up her weight training to six times a week.
To be clear, the current CDC guidelines suggest at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity per week. The CDC estimates only around 20% of American adults meet this requirement, yet Shuff regularly meets the requirement in just a couple of days’ worth of training.
Shuff holds an impressive variety of hard-earned titles and is vying for a new title to add to her ever-growing list: Mrs. Nebraska 2022. This current Mrs. Heartland is readying for her April 2 pageant with the same focus and intensity she commits to her other competitions.
Her current list of titles is a testament to her dedication and persistence: International Pro Elite Masters bikini pro; Professional National Bodybuilding Association Masters bikini pro, evening gown pro, sports model pro and swimsuit model pro; and International Physique League Masters bikini pro, evening gown pro, and Angels pro.
She’s a busy mom to children Logan (14), and twins Landon and Leighton (12). “They are all involved in sports, so they understand my goals. They’re very supportive—besides trying to offer me ‘just one’ french fry on occasion to test my willpower. We all get a good laugh.” When Shuff is training, her nutrition regimen is strict, so she eschews fast food for homemade sweet potato fries. Shuff’s children help encourage her along the way—even while teasing her with chocolate—as she smashes one goal after another.
In fact, one of Shuff’s favorite memories from all her competitions was “hearing the little voices [of] my children yelling, ‘go Mommy!’” she said. For the Shuffs, competitions become a family affair.
Shuff is a former high school cheerleader who then taught aerobics before getting into weightlifting. But she never thought about competing until she approached a fellow gym member. “I saw other gym members that looked amazing, and I looked up to them,” she said. “I complimented a lady one day on her physique, and she told me she competed. I got a referral for a coach, we met, and immediately started preparing.”
Shuff was 39 years old at her first competition. Her training is as rigorous—if not more so—than that of women who are half her age. Instead of stopping her intense exercise schedule, she adjusts as needed. Shuff said being in her 40s, she finds, “it takes longer to recover and it’s easier to get injured. But my training style has not changed due to age. I just have to be more aware of listening to my body.”
Like most competitors, she’s experienced her fair share of injuries from training. “I’ve had both a shoulder strain and a pulled hamstring. You have to learn to listen to your body, give it the rest it needs, and then ease back in slowly,” Shuff said. “Smart training is essential for growth.”
An average day in preparation for competition season for Shuff is one that’s rigorous and prescribed beforehand by her coach. “I start my day with a prayer [she’s also active at Life Church Omaha], followed by eating a healthy carb-fueled meal, then a weightlifting session, cardio if assigned, and then properly fuel my body throughout the day according to my nutrition plan,” Shuff explained. “I drink plenty of water throughout the day and try to get eight hours of sleep. I do weekly check-in photos with my coach, and she tweaks my nutrition if need be.”
Nutrition is pivotal for bodybuilding and physique competitors; it’s not all about lifting heavy weights. Athletes who compete in physique competitions at a pro level must manage their nutrition nearly as carefully as they manage their time spent in the gym.
It’s her dedication that consistently propels Shuff to the top at competitions. She urges any women considering following a similar path to be prepared to put in the work. “I will start by saying, it is hard,” Shuff warned.
Photo by Bill Sitzmann
Although nutrition is a vital part of the process, Shuff noted that, “the hardest part of the prep process is definitely mental, when your mind tells you [that] you have no more in you, but you know your body does, you have to push through that.” She also said that competitors need to remember their reasons for competing. “I suggest researching reputable websites and hiring a certified coach for the best results.”
Like many successful competitors, Shuff welcomes the opportunity to help other women who are interested in competing and does so as a volunteer rather than as a paid consultant. “I do offer knowledge from past experiences, motivation, and help to those interested in competing, or trying to improve their overall lifestyle, but I do not train clients as a job,” she said.
“Time management is key,” Shuff added. “We are all busy, but balance for me includes making my health a priority. It’s hard to take care of anyone else if you’re not taking care of yourself and leading by example.”
Misti Weatherford, Shuff’s nutritionist and competition coach for the last two years, said that Shuff is “an absolute dream girl. She’s clothed in strength and faith. With that, she is unstoppable,” Weatherford said.
Shuff appeared on the cover of the fall 2021 issue (the “Bikini Athlete Issue”) of Natural Magazine International, a quarterly publication that recognizes and celebrates all-natural athletes—physique competitors who do not use performance-enhancing drugs. She was thrilled to be asked to grace the cover. “I competed with the IPL league in Phoenix and placed first in all four of my categories,” Shuff said. “A couple months after the show, the promoter, Ben Yosef, messaged me with the news that I made the cover.”
On the cover, a bikini-clad Shuff stands confidently with a bright smile and strong body. Her caption declares her the “New IPL Bikini Masters Pro.” A masters athlete in the IPL falls in the age range of 40-49.
She was tied with another competitor for first place in the Bikini Master division, so the competition came down to what’s called a “posedown.” Poses in bikini competitions should show off the competitor’s hard-earned physique, and it’s something competitors like Shuff spend many hours practicing in front of mirrors and coaches to get right.
Shuff doesn’t seem to mind the regimented lifestyle that comes with being an IPE, IPL, and PNBA Pro. “I truly enjoy this lifestyle, and I love helping other women achieve their goals. There is room for all of us at the finish line.”
Huff said, “I would like to encourage other women, or anyone reading this, to make goals, get out there, and go after your dreams. Don’t let fear hold you back.” Huff concluded with a quote from the book P.S., I Love You by H. Jackson Brown Jr. (often mistakenly attributed to Mark Twain): “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.”
This article originally appeared in the March/April 2022 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
