49-Year-Old Female Bodybuilder With a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering Is Redefining “Beauty With the Brain”

Kristy Hawkins was born in 1980 in Texas. An unassuming kid, Kristy struggled with weight issues. However, trying to reduce weight would lead her down an unexpected path. Kristy’s efforts to become fit helped her discover bodybuilding, and since then, Kristy has redefined every convention of beauty and intelligence.

However, when she first started her weight loss journey, extreme dieting led to disaster. She became anorexic and decided to make a change. What did she do differently?

Redefining the bodybuilding conventions

Kristy started working out because extreme dieting caused her more harm than good. She began with cardio. However, once she began enjoying the workouts, Kristy joined a gym. As her interest in working out grew, Kristy became serious about lifting weights and decided to compete in bodybuilding. However, she didn’t neglect her studies.

Kristy said she enjoyed indulging in strength sports and academia equally. “I found that developing these two aspects of my life – mind, and body – created a balance that I found extremely rewarding,” said the former IFBB pro. Kristy won her IFBB pro card after winning both heavyweight and overall categories in the 2008 NPC nationals.

However, Kristy began competing in 1998. The female bodybuilder competed from 1998 to 2010 and almost always placed in the top 10. Earning a Ph.D. is no easy task. However, Kristy secured her pro card and graduated with a Ph.D. in chemical engineering in the same year.

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“I certainly hope I will serve as an example to both female and male competitors that you can be a bodybuilder or powerlifter and still develop your other talents,” said the former IFBB Pro. She said that even bodybuilders could be doctors, scientists, and like Arnold Schwarzenegger, movie stars. While competing as a bodybuilder and studying, Kristy was breaking powerlifting records.

From bodybuilding to powerlifting, Kristy Hawkins set records

Kristy had trained and participated in powerlifting competitions during her bodybuilding days. However, in 2011, she stopped competing in bodybuilding shows and focused on her work and powerlifting. The former bodybuilder set four powerlifting records with two different federations: WRPF and SPF. With 1,328 lbs, Kristy set the total weight lifted record with WRPF in 2016.

She squatted 496 lbs in 2016 and set a record with SPF. She also set the all-squats record in 2017 after squatting 573 lbs. With 1,434 lbs, Kristy set the totals record in 2017. Kristy also co-founded a chemical engineering company named Antheia.

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Kristy Hawkins is a former IFFB pro, a record-setting powerlifter, a chemical engineer, and an entrepreneur. It’s safe to say she has redefined the term “Beauty with the brain.”