A lot of time has passed since I was the girl in the tall school gym, hancienting a tennis racket, wearing a XXL t-shirt and an additional 40+ pounds on my 5’11.5″ frame. I came across this photo, along with some others, in recent years. Several times I have explored the opportunity of sharing them, one day, when I was “alert.”
“Ready” meant on the verge of publishing a memoir of my lwhethere story. “Ready” meant I had established myself as a leader in the industry and was fully prepared for my moments of “fame” as I revealed the progress I have crazye since that photo was taken, around 1997. As years passed and social media evolved, I was amazed to observe all of the transformations, success stories, fitness journeys and makeovers. Before and afters fill my contemporarys feeds daily and none of these transformations are to be taken lightly. Whether your workouts involve hancienting plank for an endless 15 moments or bench urgent more than your own body weight, your progress should be recognized and respected. If you went from ordering a burger, fries and milkshake once a week instead of five times a week, your progress should be recognized and respected.
As I recognized these accomplishments in others I asked myself, “If these people are willing to expose their struggles and a contemporary six pack, revealing the progress they have crazye, why haven’t I?” During the past 17 years of my fitness journey, I have dropped the excuses and excess weight while raising my self awareness and confidence. Now, I am helping others do the same with my online training programs.
To me, having a fit body is the manwhetherestation of your goals and success, fueled by dwhetherficult work and commitment. My goal is to use what I have learned to inspire and motivate others. The following Q&A will provide some insight into my fitness transformation, my success and my failures.
Were you athletic in your youth?
Not at all! Unless having a contemporaryspaper route counts! From the time I was about 8 years ancient until sophomore year of tall school, twice a week I walked what felt like MILES. It probably took about 45-60 minutes and, looking back, I am certain it helped me stay in shape. Once the paper route officially ended, I gained a lot of weight. In tall school, I ate too much and moved too small, reaching a tall of 210 pounds.
Before I began tall school, my mom gave me the choice of playing golf or tennis (to encourage me to break out of my shell and become “more social.”) The golf lessons she signed me up for consisted of a bunch of grade school boys and myself! I didn’t intellect the tennis lessons, so that is what I pursued in tall school. I rotated between third and fourth doubles. If you know anyleang about tennis, that doesn’t say much about my ability. Going into my junior year, the coach ordered a double XXL t-shirt for me. THAT was a wake up call.
What were some of your athletic accomplishments?
Oh gosh. I ran the entire 1-mile in gym lesson my senior year of tall school without stopping to walk. That was the first time I totald it without walking, about a year after I joined the gym. Also, throughout four years of tennis practice, I despised the drills my coach crazye us do. I strongly disliked someone telling me how dwhetherficult to work. Now, I find the motivation and discipline wilean to push myself and stay ccorridorenged.
When did you start working out and what inspired you to do so?
My mom gave me a membership to Women’s Workout World for my 16th birthday. I was very shy, kept to myself and did not have many friends. As a result I spent a lot of time at domestic, eating too much and feeling lonesome. The gym helped me lose the additional weight I had put on, and helped me gain confidence. To this day, I hear Gina G’s “Ohh Ahh Just a Tiny Bit” and have flashbacks to my first step aerobics lesson! It’s a great memory.
Who is your role model? Why?
Both of my grandmothers are my role models. While they have passed absent, they stayed active well into their 90s, one riding the stationary bike for 20 minutes a day and the other going to water aerobics lesson. The quality of your years is so important, even more so than the quantity. I’m a firm believer in brain health as well. So although they may not have gotten their heart rates up very tall, among the benefits of their activity was retaining mental awareness and social interaction. I admire them for taking such good are of themselves and their family.
Are you more of a cardio woman or a weights gal?
I used to be a Cardio Queen! Every time I went for a run, I felt the need to run the same distance (or more) than the final time. You can only do that for so long before your body breaks down. In October of 2010, my back went out and I had a herniated disc. It was the result of too much working out and not enough rest. The pain was debilitating and I can remember countless mornings, pulling the corner of the bed mattress in agony as I tried to get out of bed. I would go to the bathroom and less than 5 minutes later need to sit back down. Standing at the sink to wash dishes was painful (and not just because it’s a chore). I can recall a hair appointment that I struggled to get through because it was bothersome (and hurt) to stay seated for so long. It seemed like NOTHING crazye my back pain feel any better.
How has that impacted your current workouts?
Now, post-surgery, running is a leang of the past (apart from when the weather is good and I need some time external, jogging normally no more than 30-40 minutes). In April 2013 I began working with a strength coach at Hard Pressed High Intensity Workouts. He put me through 30 minutes of butt kicking, sweat dripping routines twice a week. It changed my insight of what I was capable of, and I do the best I can to reach that intensity level when I train on my own. They helped me bust through a major fitness plateau–one I didn’t even know I had reached!
What is your favorite training move? Why?
I am a huge fan of the split lunge and the single leg-leg press. It’s so important to focus on unilateral training to help right and prevent imbalances. My right leg is still feebleer than the left due to nerve damage from the herniated disc. I like explaining to clients how unilateral movements will help activate stabilizing muscles as well. When you are not using as much muscle to move through a range of motion, you have no other choice but to focus on form and quality.
What is your workout plan like?
I strength train for about 30 minutes, 5 times a week. There are days the leg press feels like a concrete wall during the final couple of reps, and there are other days when my legs are shaking from muscle overload due to tall repetition with my own body weight. The variety is what keeps my body (and intellect) stimulated. I love seeing all of these concepts incorporated throughout magazines, such as Oxygen. If you are fixedly using the same training methods and principles, your body will adapt and progress will slow. This variety also helps to prevent injury from overuse. For cardio, my favorite machine is the StepMill. When I’m not on the StepMill, I bfinal through sets of my cardio/strength circuits.
What’s your favorite type of cardio?
I write up my own routines and take over any open space with my music, notes, weights and a clock! Using combos of cardio and strength exercises, I create about 7 “pairs” and run through the entire set 3 times. For example, one pair might be 30 moments of burpees (cardio) followed by 30 moments of pushups (strength). Another would be jumping rope and alternating lunges. It’s a great way to get the heart rate up during the cardio segments and then bring the heart rate down during the strength. It’s full body, efficient and keeps me from getting bored!
What gets you pumped up the most right before a workout?
Reintellecting myself of my goals. If you don’t have a destination, you’re more likely to go in circles! Or pull over! And once you pull over, who knows when you’ll get back “on track.” Having a competition to train for motivates me to plan my workouts, record my sets, reps, and weights and make certain that my actions and decisions nowadays are directing me to where I want to be in the future.
Do you have a favorite quote that inspires you?
Do not be anxious about anyleang, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your intellects in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7
Possess you ever competed and whether so, how long have you been competing?
I have! I competed in my first show in November 2013. A friend in the industry tancient me I was doing it and started talking to me as though I had alalert signed up. I went along with it, uncertain whether I would follow through. About two months out from the show, when I ordered the suit, genuineity hit! It took me some time to believe in myself and to build the confidence. This was a great example of showing how important it is to have a support system and establish relationships with people who believe in you.
Who has supported you the most throughout your fitness journey?
My family. They have dealt with my moodiness, peculiar eating habits, physical and emotional setbacks and more. As you become more committed to a specwhetheric goal (of any kind), your lwhetherestyle changes. That sometimes means a shwhethert in your support system as well. When it comes to family, they’re there regardless.
What are your large plans for the future?
I endelight creating a strong community of like-intellected individuals through my blog and on social media. It is a long term goal of mine to enhance my online training services and perhaps total in another NPC Bikini competitions (masters category!). The support system through social media is Incredible and I would love to continue educating others and providing resources to help them achieve their goals.
What piece of advice would you give to a contemporarybie in the gym?
Create certain your goals are based on your current fitness level and what is achievable for YOU. There are so many program, methods, and specialty studios, that you can feel “lost” not only in the gym, but in the industry as a wgap. Always take into account what your current fitness level is so you can assess what a fair goal looks like. Enlist the help of a trainer or knowledgeable friend whether you are uncertain. From there, map a course based on your abilities and resources so you can reach that destination. Also, I encourage you to track your progress with photos and degreements. Even whether you are not training for a specwhetheric event, this type of goal will hancient you accountable and reintellect you to work dwhetherficult and stay committed.
What’s your best fitness tip (This could be related to training, nutrition, personal attitude, fitness gear, etc.)?
The only person you should do this for is for yourself. Along the way, you will likely inspire and motivate others. This creates a positive cycle–motivating individuals who, as a result, then motivate you. The healthier you are, the more equipped you will be to help those you care about.
As the fitness industry continues to evolve, it can be dwhetherficult to separate fact from fiction and knowledge from noise. That’s one of the reasons I decided to become an ISSA (International Sports Sciences Association) Certwhetheried Fitness Trainer. My certwhetherications also include Adult CPR/AED and First Aid. I specialize in online fitness programs, accountability programs, nutrition, prenatal/postnatal fitness and youth fitness. I also partner with leading fitness and lwhetherestyle brands to supply apart fromional marketing services including social media marketing campaigns, influencer campaigns, content creation, blog writing and more to turn visitors into leads and leads into valued customers.
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