With that summer heat blazing across Long Island today, one Long Islander is taking a different approach to cutting fat and getting her body "bikini ready."

But all that work, is not necessarily meant for the beach. News 12 Long Island's Stephanie Rose has the story of the Merrick mother of five and master hairstylist.

These days, Nancy Hansen is reaching for more than just the scissors. 

With the help of a professional coach, at 45 years old, Hansen decided to enter the world of competitive bikini bodybuilding.

Hansen says it's a total commitment to a lifestyle of dieting and training. And the gym is her second home.

The Bev Francis Powerhouse Gym in Syosset is where Nancy gets her inspiration.

The gym is known as "The East Coast Mecca for Bodybuilding."

Opened in 1986 by then bodybuilding champion Bev Francis and her husband Steve Weinberger, it continues to be the place "where legends train."

"And it's not even about winning the trophy, or winning. If you can take your body from this - to this, and you've got the pictures - you'll always have the pictures. The reward is, the fact that you had to work this hard," says Francis.

For Hansen, winning the trophy comes in second to what for her is truly the best prize of all.

"Age is just a number in bodybuilding. You can be what you want to be. As the chair turns, I meet more and more women like myself, and I love that I can inspire them," says Hansen.