Global Aesthetics & Wellness Project | Portugal | October, 2026
Two days after getting married, with one competition behind her in Budapest and another ahead in Romania, Sonia Zeitona made time to train back and shoulders with me. She was deep in prep, depleted, still working full time as a trainer and coach, and navigating a schedule that would have been overwhelming even without a wedding. Yet the woman I met was warm, bubbly, thoughtful, and wonderfully easy to talk to. I felt a connection with her almost immediately.
I had hoped to learn about bodybuilding in Portugal. What unfolded was a much more personal conversation about ambition, marriage, disappointment, and the moments when something you love asks more of you than you think you can give.
The humbling privilege of becoming a pro
Sonia has been competing as a bodybuilder in the bikini division for ten years, the last five as a professional.
She was disappointed with her placing in Budapest. Looking at her phenomenal physique, it was a reminder of just how competitive professional bodybuilding is. A near perfectly executed body does not guarantee a top placing when everyone beside you has spent years pursuing the same level of excellence.
For readers unfamiliar with bodybuilding, bikini and figure reward different looks. Bikini emphasizes a toned, balanced physique with softer muscle definition. Honestly, figure (the division I compete in) is a little easier for me to wrap my brain around. I get to show up, work everything as hard as I can, push to failure, and focus on growing. Bikini requires more fine-tuning—more muscle here, less muscle there. Neither is easy, but “lift heavy and build muscle” is a direction my brain follows pretty happily. 😂
We laughed about our amateur days, when consistently winning felt familiar. Earning a pro card is an extraordinary milestone, but then you step into a lineup where being extraordinary is the starting point. It is an honor to stand there, and it can still be disheartening to leave with a result you had hoped would be different.
The discipline behind the physique
When I asked what had changed most since her amateur days, her answer was immediate: her discipline. Earlier in her career, she might occasionally have strayed from her plan. A cheat meal here or there, or the weight of her meals not being completely exact. Now, she described following her meals and training with absolute precision.
Something I hear all the time came up while we were talking. Friends, family, even complete strangers will tell me they admire what I do, then immediately count themselves out: “But I could never do that.” I always want to encourage them: “Yes, you could!” I believe people are capable of far more than they give themselves credit for.
Sonia’s response was more direct: “But most people couldn’t.” And honestly, it made me pause. I understood her point. Physically, many people could get there. Being willing to do what it takes, day after day, is another thing entirely.
Especially during prep, it means being willing to be uncomfortable every day. Getting up when you want to sleep in. Training when you’re exhausted. Sticking to your meals when everyone around you is ordering dinner and having a drink. Going to bed early when you’d rather stay out with friends. None of those decisions sounds particularly impressive on its own. The hard part is making them over and over, for months, even when your motivation is nowhere to be found.
And choosing that life doesn’t make us better than anyone else. We all have different priorities. But there’s a big difference between wanting the physique and wanting the daily life it takes to build it.
Even when you love this sport, even when you’ve chosen all of it, there are still days when you think, “I don’t know if I can keep doing this.”
Making room for two people’s dreams
When I asked Sonia what was hardest to balance with bodybuilding, she said her relationship. We also got to meet her husband, an accomplished physique competitor, and she shared how grateful she is that they both understand what this sport takes. The meals, the training, the exhaustion—neither has to explain why it matters.
But understanding each other doesn’t mean it’s easy. They are both in prep, both depleted, and both tired. When you’re running on empty, you don’t always have the patience or energy for a difficult conversation. Something you would normally work through pretty easily can feel much bigger. Even when you know exactly why the other person is struggling, finding the energy to communicate well and resolve conflict can be hard.
It made me so grateful for Andy. He chimed in and said that watching your spouse pursue something they are absolutely passionate about, with a goal they truly believe in, is incredible to watch—and for him, easy to support.
Andy and I share a lot of the habits that make this lifestyle work. We both love training, we’re dedicated to our nutrition, and neither of us needs much convincing to get to the gym. But I think something equally important is that we each have our own passions. I find so much fulfillment in my work and bodybuilding, and he has his own goals and things that excite him. We don’t rely on the other person to make us happy or give our lives purpose.
That takes some pressure off our relationship. We get to cheer each other on, give each other room to pursue what we each love, and then come back together. I cherish our time together, and I also love seeing him do something that is entirely his.
A changing picture of strength in Portugal
Sonia described a shift in how muscular women are perceived in Portugal. Over the past five years, she has felt a growing appreciation for women who look strong. In her experience, muscularity increasingly draws admiration and respect.
I was happy to hear it. It also stood in contrast to my conversation with figure athlete Petra in Austria, who described encountering judgment in an environment where being thin often felt more socially accepted than being visibly muscular.
These are two women’s experiences, rather than a complete picture of either country. Still, those personal perspectives are part of what makes this journey so valuable to me. Training abroad gives me a chance to hear how other women experience the same sport.
Sonia also described growth in natural bodybuilding in Portugal. I found that encouraging, particularly as a potential entry point for younger athletes who might otherwise see competitive bodybuilding as inaccessible. Drug-tested competition does not remove every risk associated with contest preparation, but I welcome more visible pathways for athletes who want to compete within those rules. I would love to see those opportunities continue to grow in the United States, too.
The smell that brought her back
The moment that stayed with me most came when I asked Sonia whether she had ever seriously considered walking away. She had.
After her biggest show last year, she was exhausted and depleted. She broke down crying and wondered whether it was time to find another passion, another goal, another way to spend her energy. She stepped away for a few months. Then she attended a competition as a spectator, and the smell of spray tan brought everything back.
Anyone who has competed will understand how much can live inside that one detail. The anticipation backstage. The nerves. The lights waiting beyond the curtain. The chance to finally show what months of work have built. For Sonia, that familiar smell reconnected her with something exhaustion had made difficult to feel. She wanted to compete again.
I loved that she shared both parts of the story. Her love for bodybuilding did not erase the moment when she wanted to leave. Taking time away gave her the chance to discover that she still wanted to return.
I came to our workout excited to train with an experienced Portuguese pro. I left grateful to have met a woman who could talk openly about disappointment and doubt while bringing so much warmth and joy to our day. That is the part of Sonia I will remember alongside her incredible physique: newly married, between competitions, tired from prep, and still generous with her time and her story.
And hopefully, somewhere down the road, we’ll see each other again at a competition—with that familiar smell of spray tan in the air, both remembering exactly why we keep coming back.