Supersize She

Joanna was born on December 12, 1976, in Truro, Cornwall, England, U.K.. At the age of 15 she began bodybuilding. She broke a world record when she became the youngest British female bodybuilder to turn IFBB pro, at the age of 21, in a sport in which over 10,000 women compete at amateur level worldwide. At the age of 27, Joanna moved to Los Angeles, California. Joanna's goal was to win the Ms. Olympia title and retire on the top.[3][5]

Over the next five months, Joanna did her training and dieting for the 2004 GNC Show of Strength. She endured regular massage secessions that tore her muscles, which is painful, but makes her muscles grow larger. Another prominent female bodybuilder featured was Debbie Bramwell, who was a friend of Joanna, and helped Joanna train at the gym. When the issue of steroids was brought up, Joanna sarcastically said that, "Yeah it's all about the steroids, you know. We just take steroids and look like this. Try this at home everyone, for a few weeks, and see how you look." She visited her nutritionist to measure her body fat. Joanna's body fat goal was to get herself at 3% body fat. Her body weight came in at 2.6%. She lost a total of 30 lbs in 6 weeks.[3]

Due to poor funding in professional female bodybuilding, Joanna's main source of income was modeling for her website, which was consistently updated with pictures and videos of her, which was her sole source of income. It's a members only website where those members pay $25 for her content. Joanna explained that there was no way for her to get a job and work several hours a week and be a professional female bodybuilder because it would be too stressful.[3]

In order to qualify for the 2004 Ms. Olympia, Joanna had to come in first or second place at the GNC Show of Strength. There were about 70 professional female bodybuilders in the world and each were eager for recognition by attending the Ms. Olympia. Joanna and Debbie traveled to Atlanta for Joanna to compete in the 2004 GNC Show of Strength. Joanna commented that Jeannie Paparone had a nice shape to her and she could be hard for her to beat. Other predominate professional female bodybuilders included Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia, Mily Pena, Nancy Lewis, Rosemary Jennings, Gayle Moher, Mary Ellen Doss, Monica Martin, Angela Debatin, Michelle David, Mary Ellen Jerumbo, and Elizabeth Gomez. Debbie Bramwell, although she did not compete herself, was with Joanna backstage helping her prepare and encouraging her. Before the show, all of the female bodybuilders ate sugary food and worked out with weights in order to show off their veins. While performing, bodybuilders are dehydrated and at their weakest so performing poses is very tiring and strenuous.[3]

At the end of the first round, the judges picked out their top three favorites, which was a strong indicator of final placing. Nancy Lewis was picked first, Rosemary Jennings was picked second, and Joanna Thomas was picked third. After preparation backstage for the final round, Joanna came on stage in a pink bikini and posed to the song Barbie Girl. During posedown, Joanna, along with Nancy Lewis, Rosemary Jennings, Gayle Moher, Mary Doss, and Jeannie Paparone began performing free form poses and trying to outshine her competitors for the judges to see. At the end of the GNC Show of Strength, Joanna came in 2nd place, with Nancy Lewis winning the lightweight title. Joanna won $2,000 dollars at the GNC.[3]

The final results for the 2004 GNC Show of Strength:

-- Overall --
Yaxeni Oriquen[8]
Place	Name	Country	1	2	3	4	Total
-- Heavyweights over 135 lbs --
1	Yaxeni Oriquen		5	5	5	5	20
2	Betty Pariso		10	10	10	10	40
3	Lisa Aukland		20	15	15	15	65
4	Christine Roth		17	20	22	20	79
5	Annie Riviecco		20	25	21	26	94
6	Maria Calo		29	30	30	29	118
7	Mily Pena		37	36	37		110
8	Karen Marillier		38	39	38		115
Wtdr	Heather Foster
Wtdr	Helle Nielsen
-- Lightweights up to 135 lbs --
1	Nancy Lewis		5	5	5	5	20
2	Joanna Thomas		12	13	11	11	47
3	Rosemary Jennings		13	12	14	14	53
4	Gayle Moher		22	22	22	25	91
5	Mary Ellen Doss		23	30	28	22	103
6	Jeannie Paparone		23	23	30	30	117
7	Monica Martin		34	36	35		105
8	Angela DeBatin		38	37	37		112
9	Michelle David		45	45	46		136
10	Mary Ellen Jerumbo		50	50	49		149
11	Elizabeth Gomez		55	55	55		165

After finishing the 2004 GNC Show of Strength, Joanna returned to Los Angeles where her parents sent her video of her 1997 EFBB Northeast Qualifier, her first female bodybuilding competition, where she placed first in middleweight. Joanna traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the 2004 Ms. Olympia. On the night before the contest, bodybuilding fans get to meet with their bodybuilding heroes. Along with Joanna, Betty Pariso and Dayana Cadeau were seen. Dayana Cadeau boasted that nobody that in her class could beat her. Joanna spent the next 12 hours fasting and dehydrating before the competition. Her parents flew out to Las Vegas from England to see and support her. Debbie Bramwell also came to support her. If Joanna did win the 2004 Ms. Olympia she would only win $10,000, a fraction of the $120,000 that would be won by the 2004 Mr. Olympia winner.[3]

After five months of training and dieting, Joanna took part in the 2004 Ms. Olympia. During the first round, Joanna was not picked among the top six. She only had the evening show left to improve her chances. At the end of the next round of posing, Joanna did not place in the top three in the lightweight class, much to her and her parents disappointment. The next day, at her apartment, Joanna called the Olympia judge and asked where she was placed at the Olympia and she was told she placed 7th place. At the end of the documentary, Joanna was more determined than ever to win the Ms. Olympia title.[3]

The final results for the 2004 Ms. Olympia:

LIGHTWEIGHT (UP TO & INCLUDING 135 LBS)[9]
NO	NAME	COUNTRY	RD1	RD2	RD3	RD4	TOTAL	PLACE
1	Marja LEHTONEN		23	15	20	14	72	3
2	Dayana CADEAU		7	5	8	8	28	1
3	Desiree ELLIS		22	23	22		67	5
4	Denise MASINO		8	10	9	7	34	2
5	Vilma CAEZ		45	44	40		129	9
6	Valentina CHEPIGA		39	41	36		116	8
7	Nancy LEWIS		21	21	21		63	4
8	Mah Ann MENDOZA		23	30	29		82	6
9	Joanna THOMAS		37	35	40		112	7
HEAVYWEIGHT (OVER 135 LBS)
NO	NAME	COUNTRY	RD1	RD2	RD3	RD4	TOTAL	PLACE
10	Lenda MURRAY		10	7	10	10	37	2
11	Lisa AUKLAND		32	30	32		94	6
12	Yaxeni ORIQUEN		15	15	15	15	60	3
13	Betty PARISO		22	22	24		68	4
14	Betty VIANA		23	24	24		71	5
15	Iris KYLE		5	8	5	5	23	1
16	Bonny PRIEST		33	34	32		99	7
OVERALL MS. OLYMPIA: Iris KYLE