There are tons of personal trainers roaming the depths of Instagram claiming they can transform your body from flab to fab, but how many boast experience to match? Thankfully, Tawna Eubanks McCoy’s results can’t be denied—she’s a 4X IFBB Pro League winner, after all. McCoy has an absolutely sculpted physique to show for it, and occasionally posts her own transformation pics to add a personal touch to her motivational messages on Instagram.
What’s the draw of being a posing and fitness coach?
“I started out doing beauty pageants, and I thought I would love to help other girls because it’s not as second nature to everybody as it was to me. My favorite part is helping other women look their best, feel their best, and bring out the confidence.”
“Shoulders, no doubt. My husband showed me this move, heavy side partials. You only do two sets of 35, with a heavy, heavy weight. You start down by your side and go up, like, halfway, and it will just light those pumpkins up!”
What do you miss—or not miss—about the beauty pageant circuit?
“After a few pageants, I was like, ‘Mom, I don’t really want to do all the things—is there a way I could just do the swimsuit portion?’ I kind of miss the evening gowns, but I don’t miss the judges’ interviews at all.”
Growing up less than a hundred miles from Dallas, did you ever think about being a Cowboys Cheerleader?
“I actually went to a couple of the boot camps. But I was around 20 and very wild. So when they’re like, ‘You’re going to have to practice for three hours every day,’ I was like, ‘What? At 7 a.m.? No.’”
Your husband approached you by offering to train you after a swimsuit show. On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate this strategy?
“Obviously a 10 because I ended up marrying the guy. I kind of knew what he was up to when he’s like, ‘Let me give you my business card…’ I think he really did see potential in me, but then he was like, ‘This girl’s pretty hot, too, so extra bonus here.’”
There’s a lot of great food down south. What’s your go-to cheat meal?
“A good ol’ hamburger with sweet potato fries and frozen yogurt for dessert. And I am a bornand-raised Texas girl, so the more barbecue sauce, the better. And a lot of people think it’s weird, but I love pineapple on just about everything—pizza, burgers, pancakes. Love it.”
You’ve done a lot of modeling. Which gig was the most memorable?
“The Interceramic Tile promo model gig, because I got to go to Vegas for the first time at 20 years old, for eight days, and I got paid for it. I was on cloud nine.”
What’s been the high point of your modeling career?
“Getting into fitness magazines. I was stoked to finally be in Muscle & Fitness. When I flip open these magazines or even see myself on the cover of one, I’m like, ‘Is this real life?’ It was always just a dream to me.”
