Merica Abbado

🥇🥇🏆 2017, my first National show and two Pro Cards wins, plus the Overall! It seems like yesterday! 🥰 #memorylane #masterbikini #probikini #ifbbpro #bodybuilding

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, worn or consumed. Happiness is a spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude." #happiness #lovelife #beyou #masterbikini #fitnessinspration #gymtime

Is WOMEN'S AGE (the number) a limiting factor in bodybuilding? As a 56 years old woman competing in the 35+ and 40+ Bikini category, where I am often the oldest competitor, I have learned that it takes more than just rigorous training to excel at the highest level against women 10-15 years younger. With age, building muscle becomes more challenging, recovery takes longer, and energy levels and stamina aren't what they used to be. Dealing with hormonal changes doesn't help either. However, when you are passionate about what you do, you find ways to overcome these challenges, knowing it will be worth it in the end. Having already won many competitions, I have proven that it is possible that the oldest woman in the lineup CAN win the show. However, SOMETIMES I do wonder if the NUMBER of my age is being the limiting factor when it comes to the final decision. Nevertheless, I feel truly blessed to be given this opportunity to showcase my hard work and represent women over 55 in the bodybuilding world. It's been a privilege! Even though my placement in this show is a big disappointment for me, the experience at Battle of the Bay was nothing short of wonderful, feeld with love and support from fans sending good luck wishes, to a new masters competitors coming to tell me how seeing me compete had inspired them to start bodybuilding. I was also touched by the kind words from one of producers, lovely Noelle @noellesbody, as well as head judge Sandy who made me feel special by acknowledging my accomplishments and being great representative for women in this sport. Being recognized and supported by other women has instilled in me a sense of hope that I can make a difference and challenge the old mindset about older women in bodybuilding and beyond. As always, thank you to the @ifbb_pro_league , @spectrumfitnessproductions team for giving us the platform to showcase our work, and the panel of judges (@sandyonsandylane, @mayberrymichele, @camileperiat, @christopher.algeo, and John Tuman for their effort. @t_manion #olderwomen #ageizam #bodybuilding #masterbikini #ifbbbikini #ifbbpro #bikinicompetiton #fitove40 #fitover50 #nevergiveup #confidance

KEEP GOING... Finishing this competition season with Battle of the Bay @spectrumfitnessproductions... and what a BATTLE that was! To use head judge's words, it was the largest and most difficult Masters Bikini show to judge this year. I would agree! This show was not only the largest in size, 20 Masters, but also had the highest caliber of Master competitors I've competed in this year. I was thrilled to make into the first callout of eight girls, but unfortunately, I missed placing the top six by only one spot. Even though this is obviously not my best placing, I did come with my best physique ever. For someone who doesn't understand this sport, that might not make any sense, but this is very common with bodybuilding competitions. Each show is different, in size and caliber of competitors, and there are many other factors that might affect your placing. Bodybuilding is a subjective sport, and you are judged by someone's opinion, which can fluctuate from one judge to another and from one show to another. This is especially true at the extremely competitive shows, and it's often "splitting hair" between girls in the first callout. My coach and I were extremely happy with the physique I presented for my final show. I am closing this session with gratitude and satisfaction. It was a great season with TWO qualifications for the MAASTER OLYMPIA 2025, and very favorable feedbacks for the upcoming improvement season. I feel so blessed to do what I love and still be able to be competitive at the highest level. As always, I couldn't have done it without the support of my boyfriend Ron and my coach's @ccash15_ifbbpro guidance. FOREVER GRATEFUL! 🙏❤️ #battleofthebay #Masterbikini #ifbbpro #probikini #bodybuilding #fitove40 #fitover50 #fitnessinspration #ageless #stagepresence #bikinicompetition #blessed

Woke up this morning bright and early, with an anticipation of how my body is holding. 🫣 ALL IS GOOD! 🙏 Let's go #1, @ccash15_ifbbpro! 🙌 @spectrumfitnessproductions #finaltouches #lastshow #lastdance #letsgo #masterbikini #probikini #bodybuilding #womenwithmuscle #girlsthatlift #fitforlife ##fitover50 ##fitover40 #battleofthebay

All checked in for Battle of the Bay @spectrumfitnessproductions 🙌🙌 Let's goooo, #1! 🎉 @ccash15_ifbbpro #battleofthebay #lastshow #lastdance #checked #letsgo #masterbikini #ifbbpro #bikinicompetitor #bikinicompetition

ONE DAY OUT from Battle of the Bay @spectrumfitnessproductions 🙌🙌🙌 Woke up this morning tight and shredded. It's time to start filling up and bringing everything together. LOADING....... @ccash15_ifbbpro #battleofthebay #Masterbikini #ifbbbikini #bikinigirl #bikinicompetition #checkin #onedayout #fitnessinspration #shredded #letsdothisonemoretime

READY! 💃 Last show of the season! This one is just for fun and to confirm that we are going in the right direction for 2025. My previous competition, I made a stupid mistake when booking my flight ticket and arrived late in the afternoon a night before the show, almost missing the check-ins and my tanning appointment. The whole day, I was stressed out worrying that I won't arrive in time after five hours of flight and two hours by shuttle. Luckily, I arrived as they were wrapping up, so I had to do my tanning without even talking a shower. Needless to say, my stress level was up to the roof. HOWEVER, that was not the only blunder I made. I usually like to arrive two days before the show and always follow the same routine while traveling, having all the food and water I need to consume. Being so stressed out (and to be honest, my mind was not in the right place that whole week), my brain went to autopilot, and I did what I always do when traveling. Not realizing that I was competing the next day early in the morning, I kept drinking all my water. ALMOST TWO GALLONS OF IT! 🤦‍♀️ When I woke up in the morning, I was surprised that I wasn't as tight as usual, thinking I was just retaining little water due to traveling all day. The feedback was that I came a bit soft in my glutes and tie-ins. My coach and I were scratching our heads thinking how that could have happened since we followed the same protocol as usual and concluded that it was probably due to stress and flying/driving day before. It was not until three nights later, as I was falling asleep, that the "light bulb" in my head went off, realizing for the first time that I drank almost two gallons of water day before stepping on the stage. 😅🤦‍♀️ At that point, I was so embarrassed and freaked out from what I had done that I couldn't even bring myself to confess to my coach @ccash15_ifbbpro. Coach, if you are reading this now, I am SO SORRY! 🙏🫣🫢 The moral of the story is that we are all just humans, and we make mistakes, knowingly or not. 💩 happens, and you just have to leave it behind... hopefully learning the lesson. I SURE DID! @spectrumfitnessproductions #masterbikini #battleofthebay

I am thankful for the blessings, accomplishments, and successes I've experienced this year, including my children's achievements, the places I've traveled, the new people I've met, and the business connections and friendships I've formed. 🙏 Excited for the upcoming holiday session and spending time with friends and family. 🤎❤️💚 @alexardenti📸 #thankful #blessings #loveyourlife #holidayseason #fitnessinspration #fitforlife #masterbikini #ifbbpro #photoshoot #red

LA ➡️ TOKYO STATE OF MIND This song came up as I was posing and put me in a Tokyo state of mind. I'm still in awe of my upcoming trip to Japan, where i will participate for the second time at the Masters Olympia 2025. @mastersolympiaofficial Seven years ago, when I became an IFBB Pro, I never imagined I'd step on the Olympia stage, especially since the Masters Olympia didn't exist at the time. Sometimes, you choose a path without knowing where it leads, but the universe has a way of guiding you. If you follow your heart and passion, you'll never get lost. #followyourpath #lovewhatyoudo #believe #fitforlife #masterbikini #ifbbpro #bikiniposing #bikinigirl #mastersolympia #tokyo

Never underestimate the importance of recovery time, good night sleep, and your mental state. I fell asleep yesterday evening in front of the TV and woke up two hours later at 10pm. At first, I was concerned that I won't be able to fall asleep again, but after I finished my last meal and went to bed...and I woke up eight hours later. 😆 I felt rested and refreshed all day. Sometimes, you just have to let go of control, surrender, and let your body/intuition lead you. #reset #recovery #refreshed #masterbikini #ifbbpro #probikini #fitforlife #gymselfie

@ifbbpro_meri.abbado IFBB Bikini Pro | MASTER BIKINI OLYMPIAN 🇭🇷🇺🇲 | 2× IFBB Masters World Champion '22/'24 | IFBB Master National Champion 2017 | 25 IFBB Master Pro Bikini Wins | ISSA Certified Personal Trainer | Bodybuilding Specialist. Merica Abbado, known as Meri, has redefined what it means to embrace transformation and overcome life’s challenges. From the picturesque Dalmatian coast of Split, Croatia, to the bright lights of Los Angeles, her journey is one of resilience, reinvention, and unshakable determination. Born 56 years ago in Split, Meri grew up surrounded by the beauty of the Adriatic Sea. Her early years were filled with ambition, which led her to Zagreb to pursue higher education. It was there that she met her husband, and their love story took them across Europe, living in Paris and Luxembourg, before they eventually made their way to Los Angeles. In 1988, Meri arrived in the United States with her then-husband and their eight-month-old son, ready to build a life in a new country. For 15 years, she embraced her role as a homemaker, dedicating herself to raising her two sons. Life, however, took an unexpected turn in her early 40s. At 43, Meri underwent a hysterectomy, an experience that not only challenged her physically but also emotionally. Adding to the upheaval, her marriage ended, leaving her a single mother navigating uncharted territory. Amidst this storm of change, Meri stumbled upon a path that would redefine her future. She began with simple workouts on a treadmill at home, hoping to regain strength and recover from surgery. These small steps evolved into a deeper commitment to fitness as she explored home exercises and developed a newfound appreciation for the transformative power of movement... continue reading this @ www.hbsblog.ca (profile link) Photos are by: @alexardenti . . . . #bodybuilding #strength #croatia🇭🇷 #olympian #champion