WHEN BIANCA Growden was a swimsuit model for top men's magazines she won a national title for ZOO magazine.

But even with her success she felt something was amiss.

"Swimsuit modelling was about being a sex symbol," the Coolangatta resident said.

"That wasn't me and not the person I wanted to portray.

"I was too fit. I was always lean and had a six-pack.

"After a friend suggested it to me, I decided to try natural body building instead."

It's been four years since and Ms Growden has stuck to a rigorous training schedule with 5am starts and a strict diet, featuring eight egg-white pancakes for breakfast and chicken, broccoli, sweet potato "and nothing else" for dinner and lunch.

Her mantra has been "if it was easy, everyone would do it".

Last month that determination paid off when she won two medals at the World Championships in Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness, held in Slovakia.

"I bawled my eyes out, I just didn't expect to get the result that I did," she said.

Ms Growden won gold in the best fitness category and came fourth in the bikini against 30 women in each division.

"It was extremely hard and testing," she said.

Ms Growden returned home with her medals last week after a trip through Europe, including competing in the running of the bulls in Spain.

She said she'd been overwhelmed with support upon her return back to work as the manager of Anytime Fitness in Tweed.

"It's been surreal. Every-one has been coming in and giving me hugs."

She credits her winning smile for the judge's decision. "I don't care how good your abs are.

"If you smile it's like giving your business card to the judges to say you want to win, and that you are the whole package."