II've always been a fitness enthusiast, but haven't always lived the lifestyle it takes to stay in shape. I’ve exercised and lifted weights for years pretty steady since 2000. I’ve used different programs to set goals, Body for Life, P90X, etc. However, I took a break from lifting in 2007 to train for and run a marathon, (the Traverse City, Michigan Bayshore Marathon) I finished in a respectable 3 hours 40 minutes. I picked up some bad eating habits during my marathon training (because I could eat just about anything) and the lifting really took a back seat as I increased my aerobic training. I really focused a lot of my attention on endurance training the last couple of years. At the beginning of 2009 I had to make a career change and after moping around for several months I decided I wasn't going to let circumstances I couldn’t control dictate my future. So in June of 2009 I decided to start eating strict and increasing the intensity of my weight training and cardio workouts. I switched all my training around to focus on getting lean and gaining lean muscle mass. I finally got motivated to see what I could achieve with the body God gave me. Now that I've started getting some visible results through bodybuilding I'm even more motivated to continue this journey. During my transformation process I've had the opportunity to help inspire several other people lose weight and begin living a healthier lifestyle. That makes my hard work in the gym even more rewarding!

I like the self-confidence it gives me! In a culture with nearly 70% of the population either overweight or obese, a healthy body (at 46 years old) really makes a statement! I like how I look and feel and I like the influence my fitness gives me with others who are looking for a change!