Ryan and Amy are Mr and Miss Universe!

[Bodybuilding News]

Two bodybuilders who met via amorous texting during lockdown were the first pair to be awarded "Mr" and "Miss" Universe on the same day. Amy Scholes-Higham, 30, drew Ryan Mackins' attention on social media, and sparks flared between the two when he said she'd "truly improved" his morning.

The pair enjoyed a long-distance relationship until a year ago, when they purchased a property together in Bolton, Lancashire, near three gyms where they work out twice a day. Despite the fact that they train separately, Amy, the teacher, says it's "wonderful" to live with someone who "fully understands" her requirements as an athlete and as a spouse.

The duo participated in the PCA Universe tournament in May, where they faced off against some of the world's most toned amateur bodybuilders. And, having won the top men's and women's championships, they may now participate as professionals at international competitions.

"Living with someone who truly understands the process has been great, and it's still sinking in," Amy said. We consider ourselves really fortunate to have each other.

"I don't believe any other pair can claim to have gained "pro" status or to have been Mr. and Miss Universe on the same day - it's really unique."

"It's really nice to have someone who understands you," Ryan continued. I'm not sure whether I could have achieved the same level if she hadn't been there."

Amy, a primary school biology teacher from Bolton, stated that she first saw Ryan on Instagram around two years ago. "I was following a lot of other bodybuilders when I saw him on someone's account and I just thought, "Oh, I rather like the look of him," so I followed him," she said.

"He then messaged me, saying, 'Oh, you've truly made my morning.'" It was so corny, but then we started conversing."

"We really spoke about music and cuisine and many of stuff other than bodybuilding, so we knew right away that we bonded."

Ryan, who competes in the super heavyweight division, said that he began bodybuilding at the age of 17 after being inspired by beefy Hollywood action heroes. "It's pretty corny, but I saw Arnold Swarzernager in Terminator 2 when I was maybe five or six, and I was just a little enamored with strong dudes," he said.

"I was always intrigued with superheroes and stuff like that, and then I began training at 17, but I didn't take it really until seven years ago."

Amy said that powerful action figures had also inspired her to get in shape as part of the "strong not thin" women's movement. "I really adore weightlifting," she remarked. I found it to be incredibly exciting, and I discovered that you can push yourself throughout every single session.

"But I was also striving for a powerful feminine style, with a "X" form - so a tiny waist, huge legs, broad shoulders, almost like a superhero, like a Wonder Woman figure." I found exercising in a specific manner for aesthetics to be quite motivating, and I began to appreciate my body more than ever before. It gave me a lot of confidence."

They moved in together last year and now spend hundreds of pounds each year on gym memberships, supplements, and competition equipment. They also eat a lot of food together, with Ryan consuming around 6000 calories per day and Amy eating approximately half that while they're bulking up.

"Our lifestyle is very, very normal to us, but it isn't to other people," Amy said. For example, we consume the same things but in varying proportions, and every meal is weighed.

"However, bodybuilding is really costly - my bikinis alone start from about £250, and I'll have a number of them each season." The tans you need to acquire are about £70, the make-up is around £65, the stage shoes are around £70-80, and all of your jewelry is around £10.

"We're a little hesitant to put a figure on it, but it'll be in the thousands." Despite this expense, Ryan believes that the time and money spent on muscle growth is an investment in oneself.

"Because we're so enthusiastic about what we do, a little bit of a cost here and there isn't an issue," he said. That's how we perceive it: an investment in ourselves."

This investment, along with their twice-daily gym workouts, paid off when the pair won the top titles at the PCA Universe amateur tournament on May 15 of this year. Ryan, who was named "Mr Universe," said the title was a huge step forward for him.

"It's difficult to put into words since I've been competing since 2015 and have done 17 performances," he remarked. I won my first show in 2016, and it's taken me another six years to reach to the next level.

"It seems like I've gained fresh respect from my peers." "I definitely feel different now; the way others engage with me seems different."

Amy, who joined her first bodybuilding competition in 2020, said she was "proud" of her amazing growth in only two years. "Before I won the Miss Universe title, which is essentially the global championships, I was also the Bikini North West
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