Colette Nelson

Early life and education

Colette Nelson was born in 1974 in Southfield, Michigan and grew up in Royal Oak. At the age of 12 years, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Her doctor told her that he would start her on insulin and she has to exercise to keep her blood pressure under control. She attended Clarence M. Kimball High School and graduated as part of the class of 1992. In high school, she became obsessed with exercise, teaching up to 20 aerobics classes a week. She attended Michigan State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in dietetics and a minor in dance. After graduating from college, she moved to New York City to attend New York University. She finished her masters degree in clinical nutrition and became a registered dietician and a certified diabetes educator. She also passed a board certified exam to become a sports dietician.

Amateur

During her freshman year at Michigan State University, at the age of 19 years, she started to develop an interest in weight training when she attended the Powerhouse Gym and encountered her first female bodybuilder working at the front desk of the gym. Prior to weight training, she was a aerobics instructor, who was teaching up to 20 aerobics classes a week, and dancer.

She met a male bodybuilder who began training her and helped with her diet. The male bodybuilder introduced her to a female bodybuilder and suggested they start training five days a week and work one body part a day. She gave up aerobics classes and started serious bodybuilding training. By the time she had completed her undergraduate degree in nutrition, she had gone from 120 lb (54 kg) to 155 lb (70 kg).

In 1999, after 6 years of consistent training, at the weight of 165 lb (75 kg), she began competing and won her first the middleweight class at her first competition. In 2000, she won the heavyweight class and overall at the Northeastern Championships. That same year she also came in first in heavyweight at the USA Championships. In 2001 and 2002, she came in 1st in the heavyweight class at the USA Championships. In 2004, she won the heavyweight class at the Team Universe. That same year, she won her IFBB pro card at the North American Championships and qualified again for an IFBB pro card when she won the overall at the World Amateur Championships.

Professional

In 2005, Colette attended her first professional competition, the New York Pro, which she placed 5th in the heavyweight class. In 2006, after coming in 3rd place the 2006 Europa Super Show, she qualified for her first Ms. Olympia, which she placed 13th.

Retirement

After competing at the 2010 IFBB Phoenix Pro, Colette retired from bodybuilding to compete in women's physique.She competed in 2014 in the Omaha and Toronto Pro and has now officially retired from competition to focus on her medical career.

Contest history

Contest history

Personal life

Colette currently lives in NYC. She has been in a relationship with IFBB Pro Bryan Paz for three years. She is a diabetes educator. She helps competitors with diet, training and posing. She performs choreograph routines, mix music, and web designer for the sites of many athletes as well as corporations. She also owns her own spray tanning business and does hair and make-up for many competitive female bodybuilders.