Erika

Female

25

Seattle, Washington, United States

Biologist

Jan, 2006

I was your typical overweight cardio queen with disgusting eating habits. After getting frustrated to tears over my body image, my husband bought me a subscription to oxygen magazine and suggested i might want to try out a competition. The second I started seeing muscle toning, I felt a lot better about myself

Growing up, I spent a lot of time focused on self-hatred. My fixation on my weight clouded my vision from my virtues and successes in other areas of my life. The day I picked up weights, I transformed into a new and better person. Once phobic of mirrors, I can see now the person in the mirror I always knew I could be, inside and out. My newfound self-confidence and fit body has improved my marriage, my ability to take the lead at work, and to face any other obstacles head on. Bodybuilding gave me a new lease on life and I wake up each morning ready to renew that passion in the gym

There's a saying that Oprah uses a lot. 'Nothing tastes as good as fit feels." This is especially true with people who have chronic illness. When I eat poorly, I feel it. I flare up; become weak, fatigued, unable to keep food down. This can easily lead to a state of depression. I noticed that when I cleaned things up again, so did my attitude! I felt better rapidly, and recuperated so fast I forgot I even had health problems. I crave the physical and emotional wellness far more than any amount of chocolate!

In 2006 during my first attempt at competition, I found myself in sudden need of four emergency surgeries to repair life-threatening defects in my digestive track, and blood clots that were causing my liver to fail. I was told that after the procedures, i would need a feeding tube and a colostomy to live. Therefore, the medical staff was dumbfounded when I left the hospital a week later with a protein shake in my hand. My doctor said my recovery was "purely miraculous" and it could only be attributed to the clean diet and exercise. Still, when I mentioned the desire to compete again, he and 8 other doctors of mine said I would never be able to do it. The nutrition requirements alone were "totally impossible for someone with your complications." Being told that I couldn't only fueled my intuition that I could. and after 5 total surgeries, 19 hospitalizations, and internal bleeding, I made my figure debut at the washington Ironman on October 4th, 2008 I placed fifth, and two weeks later placed third at Northwest Championships. Though I was happy to haul home the hardware, my goal had never been to place. Standing beneath those stage lights was one of the most gratifying experiences of my young life. The swelling sensation of accomplishment was more golden than any trophy!