Niluka Imali Perera

Sister of Sri Lankan born fitness competitor Dhashi Perera, Niluka is into competitive power training. A mother of one, she currently lives in Canada. Niluka has participated in many shows and competitions abroad but has never forgotten her Sri Lankan roots. Right now she is pregnant with her second child but keeping fit and trim is something she still ardently pursues.

Full name - Niluka Imali Perera

Nickname - Nilu, Nilz, Kuka, 
super mom

Life motto - “Life is what you make it”

Education in brief- Studied Early Childhood Education  and Child Psychology and Development.

Fitness related Education - Certification in personal fitness training, Zumba instructor for adults and Zumba tonics for kids, Certified bootcamp instructor

Power training history - Started training in 1996 and never looked back since then.  Began aiming for  muscle hypotrophy and conditioning in 2006.

Height- 5 foot 6 inches

Waist-  26

Were you inspired by your sister to pursue power training?

Actually I would say it is vice versa. I have always been lifting weights and exercising; for as long as I can remember. Fitness has always been a part of my lifestyle. I took my passion to the next level by certifying myself as a trainer in 2008 and doing my own freelance classes and sessions.

If anything, I would say that I inspired my sister to get into it and also certify herself as a fitness trainer, because I knew she had it in her as well.  We are sisters with similar passions and desires and we support one another by encouraging each other to do our best in our endeavours.

What’s your daily routine like?

My off season routine starts with the alarm going off at 5 am to get ready for work and pack my daughter’s and my lunches and snacks.  I teach preschoolers,  so my day is quite active and eventful. After work I head straight to the gym for my daily workout from 3:45-5:30 pm. My workout consists of a five minute warm up on the treadmill, then a split body strength training/muscle hypotrophy  workout depending on the day and the muscle group I’m focusing on. Then a 20 minute cardio session walking on an incline on the treadmill at a moderate pace, cycling or the step mill and 15 minutes abdominal training, five days a week.

When I get home, I wear my wife and mommy hat and attend to my daughter’s home work, cooking, cleaning, meal prep for next day and so on. But I have never sacrificed family time for my training rituals. It’s all about balance. I always make sure I’m there to tuck my little girl to bed with a bed time story and a kiss good night. 

My competition time routine starts with my alarm going off at 4:30 am. Then I hop on my stationary bike for a 30 minute empty stomach cardio session.  Then I go about my day as usual. Once again I head to the gym after work for my workout.  My competition time routine is more rigid, paying closer attention to shredding those muscles that I have been bulking during off season. My trainers, Christian and Mike, guide me through my routines by designing my workout and diet plans.  I also train with my trainer once a week and on my own five times a week, with only one rest day.

Tell us about your diet.

I have always eaten clean and healthy whether I’m prepping for a competition or not.  Off season, I try to stick to the same routine as shredding season by ensuring that I consume 6 meals a day.  My off season diet allows me to be a bit laid back with my calorie consumption where as during my shredding season I stick to a very rigid diet.

My off season diet may look like this:

Meal 1 : One cup of oatmeal cooked with water/ or a slice of high protein bread with a tbs of natural peanut butter and 5 egg whites

Meal 2 : A protein shake with a cup of spinach and a cup of blueberries.

Meal 3: 4 oz chicken breast or tilapia with a cup of green fibrous veggies such as kale, asparagus, spinach, green beans and a cup of cooked brown rice / half a sweet potato or quinoa.

Meal 4: 4 oz tuna/salmon/tilapia/chicken breast or turkey breast with steamed broccoli, beans or asparagus

Meal 5: Protein shake with a cup of spinach and blueberries

Meal 6: 4 oz chicken breast, turkey breast or fish with a green salad

Meal 7: If needed, I will have 2 rice cakes with nutella, or natural peanut butter

I also consume up to 3 litres of water a day during my off season.

Shredding season diet:

Meal 1: ½ cup of oat meal with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter and 5 egg whites

Meal 2: 3 oz chicken breast with steamed veggies

Meal 3 : 3 oz of chicken breast, 3 oz sweet potato or ¼ cup of brown rice and 1 cup of steamed green veggies

Meal 4: 3 oz of tilapia or salmon with steamed veggies

Meal 5: Protein shake with a cup of spinach (post workout)

Meal 6: 3 oz chicken breast or tilapia with greens.

I consume up to 5 litres of water during this time.

Who’s better - your sister or you?

I think that’s an unfair question to ask, because we both have different strengths and therefore we are both unique in our own different way.  We are both very competitive by nature and have a passion for fitness and at the end of the day we are always there to lift each other up during our ups and downs.  We celebrate each other’s accomplishments, therefore, if she wins I’m a winner too and vice versa.

Where will all this power training take you – what’s your goal?

I started training mainly because I didn’t like the way my body looked.  I used to be super skinny no matter how much I ate and I wanted to gain some muscle mass.  Shortly after a year or so, I noticed how much my body changed. I began showing abs instead of just a flat stomach and muscles on my legs, shoulders, biceps and so on.  This persuaded me to take my fitness to the next level, I wanted it to mean something to me, I wanted to help and inspire others, so I got myself certified as a trainer. Immediately after, I began my own outdoor boot camp twice a week.  This led me to also get myself certified as a Boot camp instructor and a Zumba instructor.

Each year I challenged myself to do something I haven’t done before like, competing in Warrior Dash, Mud Hero, running a 5k race and so on. This kept me happy and content for a few years, only to feel like there was something else that I was meant to do and fulfill in order to feel complete. Most of my fitness companions kept pushing me and motivating me to compete in a show. Watching my sister compete in her very first show sort of lit the fire under my rear end. So I took that next step and challenged myself to compete in IDFA Novice Fitness Model where I was ranked 6th place in the medium height category. This was my first fitness show and I was quite proud of myself. This was a very exciting event because I had my sister by my side competing in the same show.

I was in the midst of training for another show when I found out that I was pregnant.  So, everything came to a halt! But this is not it. I have made it my goal to compete next spring in OPA Bikini category and then continue from there.  Being pregnant hasn’t stopped me from keeping up with my fitness routine or following a clean diet.  I still train 4-5 days a week engaging in 20 minute moderate cardio and 40 minute full body circuit routine using light to moderate weights to keep my muscles tight. My goal is to continue until I am ready to deliver my baby.  This will not only come in handy during labour, but will also help me recover quickly and shed those extra pounds I have gained during my pregnancy.

Muscles, skimpy clothing and showing off your body – your thoughts?

Yes there have been plenty of occasions where people have misunderstood me just by looking at my bikini pictures. But this is how society is, they fail to realise that this is a type of showbiz.  Yes, the competitions do require us to wear a certain style of bikini that portrays all those hard earned muscles we worked for up until the day we step on stage. That doesn’t mean that all fitness models and bodybuilders prance around on the streets dressed like that all the time.

I have gotten numerous private messages from total strangers asking me inappropriate questions or making disrespectful comments.  I have learned to ignore them, that’s the best I can do.

You are about to have a second baby. Is this it?

Well, I have learned never to say never.  Because I have said “never again” since the day my daughter was born 8 years ago only to find out that I was pregnant yet again. I am certainly not planning to have any more kids, but god always has other plans for each of us.

On  a lighter note, have your muscles come in handy in a fight?

I am definitely not a fighter, I am more of a peacemaker. Therefore I would have to say no. But my friends say I tend to intimidate them because I am a “fit chick”.

Will you come back to Sri Lanka?

Although I have been a Canadian citizen for 25 years, I will always have a special place in my heart for my mother land. So, yes I will definitely come back for a visit and to show my children where I was born and where I gained my most valuable assets - my culture and heritage.

Interview by Jayantha Fernando

Images provided by Niluka Imali Perera