My passion to compete all began when I picked up my first Oxygen Magazine. I was in my early 20's and I wanted to get a six pack! All the women in Oxygen looked amazing and inspired me to eat as clean as I possibly could. I started working out twice a day to accomplish my goal. I would do cardio in the morning and weights later in the day. I did this for a year and still NO SIX PACK! What was I doing wrong? I could not figure it out!
One day I was at the gym when I saw a sign up for posing lessons. I contacted the women that were putting them on Martha Grant-Lombardo and Karma Schoop. It was a great experience and very educational. I met a woman who did not take care of herself after her competition was over and got very ill. There was a woman that taught gymnastics and competed as well as women who were currently training to compete. I met with Martha after that and made my final decision; I WAS GONNA COMPETE!!!! I got a diet and a training program to follow, this was the BEGINNING! I also met with Karma to talk about her experiences in the industry. She is still inspiring me today with her writing and passion for competing!
I was training and dieting when an unfortunate trauma changed things in my life. I did not continue my journey after the tragedy. My first attempt failed. This not an uncommon circumstance. If this has ever happened to you just know that there are future competitions and life just wasn't ready for you to grace the stage quite yet!
I still thought about competing for a few years after that. I lived in the Bahamas for a few months in 2009/2010. I was unable to work and enjoyed every aspect of the Island I could. Having drinks on the beach, eating what I wanted, the pounds were packing on! I was 135 pounds (normally 110-115) and on a 5'2'' frame 20-25 pounds looks A LOT DIFFERENT!!!
I was not happy when I came back to Canada and realized what I had put my body through. I was back in Calgary, AB and needed a job so I got one at Goodlife Fitness! I started working out again, eating as clean as I could and in no time I was down to 122!
My passion for fitness was back and here to stay or so I thought....?
