Mom's weight transformation helps her win bodybuilding competition

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- On this Mother's Day, ABC13 celebrates a mother who's passion for motherhood and fitness are aligned.

As a mom of two, Melissa Maldonado has managed to lose 38 pounds. She's also fresh off a successful run in the body building National Physique Committee circuit.

"I always said maybe if I lost 20 or 30 pounds, and look fit, I would be OK," Maldonado said. "But to look like this and even my stage shots, I could never fathom that thought."

She hired Jay Martinez during the pandemic, and went from doing OK to winning.

"When I got her, she wasn't in the best shape," said Martinez. "She did shows before, but wasn't in good shape."

Maldonado said she did her first show April 3 in The Woodlands, where she got overall.

Three weeks later she competed in the Phil Heath tournament and got second in her class. The last show she competed in was the Adela Garcia Classic in Austin and took another overall there.

It's a family affair for the Maldonados. Her husband competes as well, but Maldonado tries to remind women that anything is possible.

"You have to think about yourself and how bad you want it," she said. "Your health has to be a priority. You have to be good so that your family can be OK."

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