Bodybuilder Maureen Blanquisco in Two-Piece Workout Gear “Pops”

Maureen Blanquisco is modeling workout clothes. In a new social media post the IFBB contestant shows off her incredible body in a blue exercise set, driving her followers wild. “To all my baddies out there! This color makes your tan complexion POP,” she captioned the series of Instagram snaps. “So gorgeous 🩷🥰” commented one. “OKKKAAAY SLAAY SLAAY,” added another. How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits. 

When Maureen was younger she was a swimmer. “I always loved competing and performing. I usually call it “performing” instead of competing. Swimming was an individual sport. If I wanted to win, it all depended on me. I never liked depending on a team. If we lost because of them, I would get very frustrated,” she told Muscular Development.

She then moved on to gymnastics and cheerleading. “Cheerleading was fine until one time we fell during a stunt, and it wasn’t my fault. I said, I think I work better alone,” this is when she discovered weights. “I started lifting weights at age 18. That’s around the time you want to look and feel good, putting on makeup. I was doing fitness training anyway, so I started to look for something I could do competitively that fit that. I had always wanted to compete in beauty pageants, but at 5 feet tall I was too short. Then I saw the Bikini Olympia on YouTube, and the woman who stuck out to me the most was India Paulino. She was my first idol! I thought it looked so cool. The women looked amazing, and this was the closest thing to a beauty pageant I could do. I thought I could just go compete in the Olympia. I had no idea you have to turn pro first, then qualify, the whole long process. But in my head, I only had one goal, to go to the Olympia.”

“I started prepping for the Olympia right after the Boston Pro in March, so that was seven months. It was a very chill prep because I was eating clean, but I was eating more than ever in a prep. I was still dieting, but it was more calories, and I did have one cheat meal a week. Now I see this is the best approach for me: a longer prep but with more food,” Maureen said. 

When she does go on vacation, she still exercises. “I did go on vacation to Hawaii with my partner the week after the Olympia. That was on my bucket list. I did cardio every day, but I took five days off from weights. I had a couple of treats, but nothing crazy,” she says. 

Marueen avoids overindulging in the off season. “I have a very clear mindset that if I gain too much, it will be a lot harder for me,” she told Muscle & Fitness. “In Bikini, it’s all about condition, and while you could be ‘too’ hard, you certainly can’t be soft, either.”