MARIA FRANZOSO

Female

24

United States

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

Apr, 2008

I TURNED 23 ON JULY 26, 2008! FROM THE TIME I HAD GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL AT THE AGE OF 17, MY LIFE HAD BEEN ON A DOWNWARD SPIRAL...I NEVER IMAGINED I'D COME THIS FAR! MY LIFE WAS CONTINUOUSLY IN SHAMBLES. IF I HAD CLEANED MYSELF UP FROM ONE BAD HABIT, I WAS REALLY ON TO THE NEXT BAD HABIT. I TRIED TO FOOL MYSELF MANY TIMES BY THINKING THAT I WAS STRAIGHTENING MY LIFE UP, BUT I WASN'T. NOT ONLY HAD I SERIOUSLY DESTROYED MY BODY IN THE PROCESS, BUT I WAS DESTROYING THE BEST RELATIONSHIP I HAD EVER BEEN IN. A FRIEND INVITED ME TO HER FIGURE COMPETITION AND I WAS TAKEN BACK ON WHAT AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE IT MUST HAVE BEEN FOR HER. I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, THIS IS ME...THIS IS WHAT I NEED, THIS WILL KEEP MY AWAY FOR ALL THE BAD IN MY LIFE, I NEED TO CHANGE. WELL AFTER THAT, I BOUGHT A BOOK! I READ JILLIAN MICHAELS' BOOK, "MAKING THE CUT" FASTER THAN I EVER READ A BOOK IN MY LIFE! I FELL IN LOVE! I BOUGHT MORE BOOKS...FOUND WEBSITES OF THE PROS...WROTE DOWN AS MUCH INFO AS I COULD ABOUT FOODS, VITAMINS, CHOICES, EXERCISES AND THE ENTIRE LIFESTYLE. I FOUND TRANSFORMATIONS OF OTHER GIRLS ON BODYBUILDING.COM AND WOULD COPY DOWN THEIR WORKOUT ROUTINES UNTIL MIDNIGHT. WHEN I HAD NO MONEY LEFT AFTER BILLS, ID GO BUY ANOTHER MAGAZINE OR BOOK! THEY'RE EXPENSIVE! I FOUND MY EXCITEMENT...MY FIRE...AND MY PASSION! I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WILL BE A LONG JOURNEY, ONE THAT I CHOOSE TO BE ON FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. I HOPE TO CONTINUE TO GROW FROM ALL THAT I LEARN AND BE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS AS WELL. NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE GOAL IS IN LIFE, THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS ACHIEVING IT, IS REALIZING IT IS WITHIN YOUR GRASP! "WHEN YOU TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR BODY, YOU TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE!"

WITHIN THIS JOURNEY I FOUND THAT I INSPIRED SO MANY PEOPLE AROUND ME. I WAS AT A VERY BAD POINT IN MY LIFE AND I NEEDED TO CHANGE MORE THAN ANYTHING. IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE I COMPLETELY TURNED EVERYTHING AROUND. I COULDN'T DO IT BEFORE, NOT FOR MYSELF, FRIENDS OR FAMILY...BUT IT WAS BECAUSE I FINALLY FOUND SOMETHING THAT WAS WORTH ALOT TO ME...I FOUND MY TRUE PASSION. I LOVE WORKING OUT AND BEING HEALTHY BECAUSE IT TRULY IS INSPIRING TO SO MANY PEOPLE. IT SAVES LIVES, GIVES PEOPLE HOPE,DEDICATION,DRIVE AND MOTIVATION. IT HELPS PEOPLE LEARN TO LOVE THEMSELVES. IF I COULD PLAY A PART IN THAT FOR PEOPLE, I WOULD BE SO BLESSED!

I CONTINUOUSLY RESEARCH NEW WORKOUTS, RECIPES, AND FOOD PLANS. I POST THEM ON MY MYSPACE FOR ANYONE WHO MAY BE INSPIRED BY IT. THAT ALONE INSPIRES ME. I ALSO HANG UP PICTURES OF GORGEOUS BODIES WHICH I WISH TO ACHIEVE. I READ AS MANY BOOKS AS I CAN GET MY HANDS ON ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT NUTRITION AND EXERCISE ARE.

SO FAR SINCE I HAVE STARTED I BOUNCED BACK AND FORTH...STARTING AT 140LBS I HAVE ATTAINED A HUGE GOAL. I HAVE GOTTEN MY WEIGHT DOWN TO 110. HOWEVER IT HAS GONE UP AND DOWN SO FAST BECAUSE I HAVENT TOTALLY STUCK WITH IT. I USE TO OVEREAT ALOT OR NOT EAT AT ALL, BUT RECENTLY I HAVE REALLY DEDICATED MYSELF TO THIS. I JUST STARTED IMPLEMENTING CARDIO INTO MY WORKOUTS, WHICH IVE NEVER DONE, AND IM CHANGING AROUND MY DAILY SCHEDULE.