Before joining the Army in 2001, I was a competitive athlete throughout middle and high school. You can say that I have always had a level of fitness. That level of fitness grew after I entered the military. The military forces you to maintain a level of fitness by having you perform a physical fitness test every 6 months. The physical fitness test is a requirement that you have to pass according to Army standards, based on your age, in order to remain in the military.
As long as I can remember, I have always idolized the men and women who were bodybuilderâs. I would say to myself, I want to be just like them. After completing Officer Candidate School in 2005, I started basic weight training. The Army demands that a leader, leads by example. I wanted to be that leader who would do exactly that.
In 2006, I got serious about my fitness and focused on developing my body. January of 2009, a friend, who became my trainer, encouraged me to start bodybuilding. The transformation from physical fitness for the military to serious body builder took place. Online research helped me combine a proper training split with great nutrition. Within thirty days I noticed a drastic change in my physique. After 90 days of training, at 31 years of age, I entered my first Figure Competition. I walked away 1st in Novice, 1st B class and Overall. Thirty days following my first competition I entered the OCB Pride of the Atlantic taking home 1st Open and Overall. One could only imagine going from the person who idolized to the one being idolized.
In 2010, I assumed Command of the Logistics Company in the 82nd Airborne Division Fort Bragg, NC. Command forced me to take a brief stint from competing in order to focus on my career and the Soldiers with whom I was responsible for leading. After 20 plus month in command and 60 plus airborne operations, I was ready to get back on stage.
April 2013, I competed in front of my home crowd in the Panhandle Showdown in Pensacola, Florida. I took 1st place in Figure Class B. My intermediate goals are to receive my NPC NQ status, to compete in the USA Bodybuilding Figure Championship in Las Vega, Nevada (July 2013) and the USA Nationals in Ft Lauderdale, Florida (November 2013). These will lead to my ultimate goal of competing in the Arnold Classic 2014.
As with anything and everything we do in life, letâs be honest, it is for personal satisfaction. You have to start with the basis, which is improving yourself, before you can begin to influence the improvement of someone else. I love the fact that I can influence people by showing them where I started from to where I am now. A simple girl, who decided to take fitness and dieting seriously. I want to join the elite team of fitness models who promote a healthy life style while being a public figure for the Army displaying the Army values.