Last Visit: Jul 1, 2009 2:19pm Last Forum Post: Sep 29, 2008 11:44pm Last Photo Upload: Apr 22, 2009 2:33pm Last Profile Update: Jun 29, 2009 11:10am Last Blog Post: Jan 13, 2009 11:14am
First I just want to say that I am not interested in dating. I am here because I love this sport and I am motivated and inspired by others who love fitness!!
I’d been harboring a secret dream to compete in figure for the past five years. But the time never seemed right. I was constantly under the pressures of school, work, and being a single mother.
Throughout my childhood and adolescence, I was never really overweight. Actually, I was more on the ‘skinny’ side because I was so active in sports and outdoor activities. People made comments about how tiny I was, and I didn't mind. I liked being thin. During summertime, I was always swimming or bike riding. Throughout highschool, I was a cheerleader and was full of so much energy. I ate anything I wanted and never gained an ounce. I figured that all the exercise I got at practices justified my eating whopper combos with cheese for lunch and ice cream sundaes for afternoon snacks. It wasn’t until after high school that my ‘skinny’ body started to put on some unhealthy weight. I got complacent, I figured that my metabolism would take care of me no matter what I did. Problem was, I had stopped being active and was still eating all the wrong foods. The pounds quickly added up. I mentally justified every bad thing that I ate, and I never realized just how bad my diet was. When I got marred and had my first child, my weight skyrocketed to 160 lbs. I was resolved to do something about it right then and there. I didn't want this problem to go on any longer. I always know what I want, and go for it. I got a gym membership and started watching what I ate. All on my own, I lost 20 pounds in 2 months. I was excited, but the weight loss wasn’t as quick as it was in the beginning. I still continued to work-out and cut out junk food. I slimmed down to about 120 lbs. From that point on, my weight would fluctuate between 120 and 130 pounds. I went through a divorce, continued college, and worked full-time which all contributed to the fluctuation in weight. I still tried to eat sensibly and get to the gym throughout these ups and downs. I really didn’t know too much about working out and dieting- I basically gathered my knowledge by watching how other people worked out and just avoided the bad foods. So I guess you could say that I was just ‘maintaining’ or ‘inhibiting’ myself from getting fat. I never really had muscle tone or definition. It wasn’t until 2007 that I really started to get serious about fitness, weight training, and dieting. I would hear some of the figure girls talking in the gym locker room about upcoming shows and how they were training for them. This was always a far-fetched dream for me.
When I graduated from college, I decided to make my dream a reality. I researched all of the upcoming figure shows and decided to train for a local show- 16 weeks out. I started gathering all the information I could get my hands on about how to prepare for a figure show. I did not have a trainer and thought that I could do this on my own with just researching and dedicating myself entirely. I started diligently training 16 weeks out (130 lbs at the time) from the show and stuck to a 6 day on- one day off- training routine. I would train each body part twice weekly. I would do cardio (elliptical machine or treadmill) about 3-4 times per week for 30 minutes. When I was 6 weeks out, I would kick up the cardio to 5-6 days a week for 45-60 minutes (sometimes 2 sessions per day)! I also stuck to a very strict diet plan. Egg whites, chicken breasts, oatmeal, yams, broccoli and protein shakes were the basics of my nutrition.
I have always been a go-getter. I like to challenge myself by setting personal goals and competing with myself to reach them. When my mind says to quit, I push myself. I am constantly testing my drive and I force myself to face what it is I fear and think that I can’t do. These are the reasons that I find fitness so fascinating…your mind and body are always at war! But it’s important to always make time for yourself because without helping you, you can’t possibly be effective for anyone or anything else. Nurturing yourself emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically is essential.
Well I finally fulfilled my dream and competed in my first figure show in 2007! To my surprise I came in 1st in my class- short division- and also FIRST OVERALL!! WOW! I had no expectation of even winning! The entire experience from beginning to end was more than I could have ever prayed for! Thanks to all of the articles, training advice, and inspirational stories I gathered on this site, I was able to bring my body weight down to 107lbs and 10% body fat by competition time. After four long months of training and dieting, I had all the confidence in the world! There is a lot to be said about competing in a figure competition, but there is even more to say about the support you get from individuals in your life! I thank God and my family (and my BODYSPACE FRIENDS!) for all the support and encouragement to fulfill my dream. It wasn’t easy on my family putting up with my “low-carb” edgy days and endless hours of training at the gym! They are truly a blessing in my life. My son is my inspiration! Take it from me, always put your family first no matter what! Through family I find all my strenghths- They are definitely my everything.
Since then, I have continued to compete and plan on doing more shows and helping others fulfill their dream! The knowledge I acquired from this journey has improved the quality of my life, and I plan to take it as far as I can. My life goal is to be remembered, to teach, and to be a good example. I am happy and fulfilled.
Why I Love It:
Endorphin release! And the energy that comes along with it.
KellyKel74 changed Overall Goal: "Taking a little break =)Enjoying summer and have some nice vacations planned. Still living fit and healthy in the meantime!." - 11:10 am - Comment
KellyKel74 updated Fit Status "Gearing up for MuscleMania May 30th!!! Keep it rollin.....Nutrition provided by Davevignasse.com (BRETT123)!" - 4:21 pm - Comment
KellyKel74 changed Overall Goal: "Taking a little break =)Enjoying summer and have some nice vacations planned. Still living fit and healthy in the meantime!." - 4:20 pm - Comment
Cardio 5 times a week which includes- One hour kick-boxing class 3 times a week, half hour session on elliptical or stair climber twice a week
- Updated Sep 30, 2008 10:01pm
What is your favorite cardiovascular exercise? Why?
Kick-boxing class. The kicking repetitions define the legs and gluts! And an hour flies by while in the class- unlike a treadmill or any other stand alone piece of cardio equipment- DREADFUL!
- Updated Sep 30, 2008 12:36pm
Do you monitor your heart rate while doing cardio?
Yes
Do you use a heart rate monitor? Which one?
(No Answer)
What heart rate do you aim for while doing cardio? Why?
Kelly , i was thinking... you should email Sandy at Beverly and maybe they will feature you in their No Nonsense Newsletter. you would make an awesome story.
