Last modified: Monday, April 28, 2008 2:44 AM EDT Attleboro’s Agatha Kolodziejczak, 26, who went from being a high school girl with a slight weight problem to a bodybuilding/fitness champion and trainer with an Attleboro studio. (Submitted) Reshaping fit for a champion ATTLEBORO - Agatha Kolodziejczak was getting a little too plump eating gwumpkie and pierogi. There was a fear within her, because her father once tipped the scales at a nearly fatal 400 pounds. After spending a year abroad in her native Poland, Kolodziejczak had come home to face admonitions from her mother, imploring her to lose weight. But it wasn't until she met her boyfriend Reda Ahlouche - an Albanian native with a sensible, dynamic plan and regime to get people fit - did she reshape her body, mind and attitude into something wondrous to behold. Known as AggiK to clients, the Dedham High and UMass grad is now a champion female bodybuilder. She recently won 1st place in both the 2007 NPC Rhode Island and New Hampshire Championships in the novice division as well as finishing in the Top 5 of the 2007 Miss Hawaiian Tropics Nationals event in Florida and the Top 10 in the 2007 Fitness Atlantic for Sports and Bikini Models. She also recently appeared in Oxygen Magazine as one to watch in the world of women fitness trainers. Living in Attleboro, she and Ahlouche co-own Reda Nation, a fitness training studio at 182 East St. in Attleboro. AggiK, 26, trains about a dozen women there, three of whom recently entered fitness/body building competitions after reshaping themselves under her guidance. SUN CHRONICLE: What did you learn from your father, in terms of making it in America, working hard, and, ultimately, from his genetics and thus, your own? AGGI K: My parents came here with nothing, $20 in their pocket. What my father has always taught me was, 'You are a product of your success.' When I was young, he always would say, 'Dawaj! Dawaj!', which means, 'Go! Go!' He worked his tail off and made it here. He was my shining example. But my father was almost 400 pounds. He had to have gastric bypass surgery. He almost died through that surgery. So, I made fitness my life. SC: You were worried about your own weight, then? AGGI K: In high school, I was athletic. However, I went on this foreign exchange program to Poland for a year and I came back and my mother said, 'My God, what happened to you?' I had gained 25 pounds. I was determined to take the weight off. SC: When did you start bodybuilding? AGGI K: My first interest in bodybulding and physique conditioning started when I met my boyfriend, Reda. When I saw how he transformed so many people, I challenged myself to do the program and to go on stage. After 120 days on the program, I dropped over 40 pounds and won first place in my first competition attempt. Now, it's become a way of life and I am training so many people to tone up and compete to make their dreams come true, like I lived mine. SC: Were you always so high energy, or did getting into this kind of world-class shape increase that energy level? AGGI K: Before I started (Reda's) program, I used to be tired all the time. I never had enough energy to do hard physical activity, but now I train clients 12 to 14 hours a day and still have a ton of energy. All my life, I've been on a timed schedule. I've always lived a stressful life. This job is always stressful. But I love it. My job is my high. SC: What do you say to those critics who see really cut or ripped women and proclaim them ugly or too much like men? AGGI K: To those who criticize the really cut or ripped women, especially those who get ripped unnaturally, I don't blame them. However, those women who get ripped in a natural way by dieting and working out hard every day, I have the utmost respect for, because I've been doing it and I know how hard it is to maintain that physique. SC: Where has your bodybuilding career taken you? Who have you met along the way? AGGI K: I must say my biggest accomplishment so far is winning my trophies without giving up. I also have been to so many states and so many shows. I did Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, and my next big show will be Universe Weekend in Miami, Florida, June 20-21. SC: How and what do you eat? Do you ever eat junk food or fast food? AGGI K: I follow the most rewarding program (within) Reda Nation and it consists of complex carbs, lean proteins, healthy fats, protein shakes, a lot of water. But I'm just like every other girl. I'm not perfect. Yes, I have cravings, I may eat junk food, but the next day, I move one. I just regroup, work hard the next day and move on. SC: If you cheat a little with the food, what is your favorite guilty pleasure? AGGI K: Soft serve ice cream and gourmet pizza. SC: How do you stay so motivated? Why do you love this so much? AGGI K: I must say that living by example is my ultimate motivation, seeing people struggling with weight drives me to be my best so I can be their role model. SC: You still keep connected with your native Poland. What do you love most about your old country? AGGI K: I love the people, the culture, some of the food and family. SC: Tell me about your new world of competitions. What's better, being on stage yourself or seeing the women you train up there? AGGI K: In competition, I've met so many women who have been so inspirational. I met a woman in the last competition who lost 120 pounds! She didn't win anything, but she should have. She was phenomenal. I've met women who have had 3 kids who look better than me. Again, phenomenal. Behind the scenes stuff is crazy and chaotic, but I love it. I couldn't sleep all (that) weekend, worrying about the girls I train. These girls really went through a lot and I go through it with them. One of my girls got engaged on the last day of the competition. She told her boyfriend, 'Get me a cupcake!' All she wanted was one cupcake. And when she opened the box, there was an engagement ring on top of the cupcake. What a nice shock. Jamie merolla can be reached at 508-236-0431 or jmerolla@thesunchronicle.com.