Update: Augusta University alumna competing to be featured on fitness magazine cover

Update: Dr. Laryssa McCloud has advanced to the second round of the competition. Voting runs from July 31 to Aug. 6. Click here to see her page and to vote.

Dr. Laryssa McCloud, who graduated with a doctorate in 1998 from Augusta University’s Department of Physiology, is competing for Ms Health and Fitness with the chance to be featured on the cover of Muscle and Fitness Hers magazine. The contest runs through July 30.

McCloud, who is currently a research manager in the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, said she is using the contest as an opportunity to both promote health and wellness as well as focus attention on the need to overcome adversity to achieve goals.

“If I win the contest, I plan to use the winnings to fund my mentoring foundation, Worth the Hooplah, which will work with little girls to stress the importance of holistic health, self-esteem and education,” said McCloud, a former world champion powerlifter who was also featured in Muscle and Fitness Hers magazine in 2002. “I will also use my platform to reinforce the power of positivity and the importance of making your mental and physical well-being a priority.”

McCloud, 52, who just returned to the campus after having worked remotely from home for the past three months, said she is thankful to have the stress relief of exercise and meditation as part of her daily routine. She said her routine has helped her deal with the suffocating stress caused by the pandemic and the social unrest.

One of her recommendations for a fit and healthy life is to smile and have a positive attitude.

“Be sure to incorporate meditation and exercise into your daily routine and make a commitment to yourself to be as happy and healthy as possible,” McCloud said.