Holding two Guinness World Records for the heaviest weight moved by a woman is no small feat, but that’s not what makes Tamara Walcott the strongest woman in the world. Her strength, power, and prowess are not defined by her physical capability but by the volume of self-confidence, she carries. Through life changes, divorce, and loss, she found herself and has committed to moving weight and lifting others while showing out.
Becoming the world’s strongest woman was not on the list of things to do for this mompreneur and plus fitness influencer; it was divinely centered and appeared only when she was ready. At her heaviest, she was addicted to food and could not find the balance between being a loving and devoted mom and a self-confident Tamara. In 2017, after a divorce and needing to reclaim herself, something shifted, and for the first time in a long time, the plus-size powerhouse from Mon Bijou put Tamara first. That decision catapulted her on a journey that landed her on Ellen, established her as the newest ambassador for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s #ProjectRock, and a fresh face for Ulta Beauty. It is a story that even her wildest dreams could not fathom, but she is in it and has no reservations about taking it as far as it can go.
Like, I must be dreaming! I actually did this, and it was that moment of WOW! You set out to do something and be good for yourself but end up just being great; you realize you’re good enough. I had that ‘you’re good enough moment.’
But be clear, had you told her when she started her journey that she would be one of the biggest rising stars in powerlifting, she probably would have laughed at you. What you see is a testament to her self-confidence and betting on herself. Breaking a powerlifting world record lying uncontested for thirteen years broke a historic dam. A success that Tamara did not and sometimes still cannot believe was such a meaningful opportunity.
This moment was exhilarating and life-changing, but one that she could have missed. Her journey to success has been challenging, from training to crushing records. In 2019, a tumultuous year marked by her grandmother’s death took a toll on her mental and physical journey. In between training, work life, and mom life, while processing grief, the full extent of the pressure was evident when she missed a deadlift at the 2019 USAPL Raw Nationals. The deadlift is her sport; in that space, she knows her power, but to cut a lift that she knew she could make; was another qualifying moment. That miss was her ‘AHA” moment. It reminded her that if she could pick up her life after divorce and food addiction, she could do the same after losing the beloved matriarch in her life. Her aha moment made it clear that she could do more than she gave herself credit for, and Tamara has proven it.
Not only has she proven that she is good enough, she sets an excellent example of being enough wherever you are. As a mom, her main priority is ensuring that her children know they are fully capable and have everything they need to become whatever they may dream.
Being an example, a role model that her children can always look up to is her raison d’etre. Shattering stereotypes and breaking molds that have often stood in the way of plus-size women in powerlifting and the beauty industry is a passion that developed as a byproduct. Tamara is showing others that there is strength in being consistent and authentic every step of the way. Contrary to popular and false belief, mass does not move mass, but confidence, a strategic work ethic, and steadfast commitment to yourself can move mountains whenever necessary. The ultimate power lift is picking yourself up after a setback and moving any dead weight that blocks you from tapping into your best self.
You plant a seed you have yet to see sprout, and you think it’s not working, but it takes time. One of the biggest things that keeps me pushing is knowing that every day I’m doing something that gets me one step closer to my goal. And the most important factor is that I‘m showing my kids better than I can tell them. I am showing them that the impossible is possible. I’m showing them that the things they see in school and in their dreams are possible, and they can achieve them. So I think that’s one of the biggest things for me – my kids.
Being true to who you are in the midst of uncertainty, pain, and grief can unleash a force hidden inside of you that weaves incredible realities. Tamara’s successes, the brands she has partnered with, and every opportunity that has not yet manifested result from that force, faith, and action. She uses the power of visualization, reminding herself with videos, pictures, and letters of the goals and connections she sets out to achieve. Visualization and consistency have been the main parts of the equation that has gotten her where she is. “You have to put out that positive energy no matter what. It’s going to come back, and I truly believe in that with everything that’s happening. I’ve manifested it. I’d tell my team, “I’m going to be a model one day, then boom- Ulta reaches out. It’s those seeds that I planted and continue to water. And I’m not planting it just for me; I’m planting it for people that look like me, women that look like me, and people that thought that they weren’t good enough. The moment I broke that world record. The first thing I said was- this is so much bigger than myself.”
And indeed, it is bigger than herself. Tamara represented what black women who embody strength and confidence from a small US territory in the Caribbean can achieve. Breaking records, pushing stereotypical boundaries, becoming the best version of your wildest dreams, and being unabashedly authentic are goals that every woman has on their vision board in some way. Her name is synonymous with strength, confidence, and record-breaking, but the woman herself is a vessel of positivity, hard work, and graceful resilience. She is the first of her name, and the great things that come are a shining testament to who she truly is.
Tamara Walcott is a professional Powerlifter, mompreneur, and plus-size fitness influencer from St. Croix, USVI.
Social media: @theplussize_fitnessqueen2.0
Facebook @plussizefitnessqueen
Email Contact: info@tamarawalcott.com
Records Held:
Heaviest Elephant Bar Deadlift (female) – 291 kg (641 lb),
Heaviest Cumulative lift for Bench/Squat and Press in competition (female) – 737.5 kg (1,620.4 lbs)
The Strength of Her Name: Tamara Walcott