Susie

Female

39

Georgia, United States

Sr. Project Mgr and Business Owner

Apr, 2008

I remember back in the day, uh, like 20 years ago; a friend of mine worked at a local sports bar called Jocks N Jills. I can remember sitting at a table during lunch watching all the TV's and seeing a fitness competition for the first time. I also remember thinking to myself, "I could never do that!" Number 1, I am too modest and number 2 I could never get my body to look like that!" Well, if that's the way I continued to think, then yes, I was right! It's all in our attitudes and what we think we CAN and CANNOT do. So, fast forward to April of 2008. I was 83lbs heavier than I am today sitting at the computer typing this note. I still, NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS, dreamed I had what it took to compete. Well, things all happen for a reason and my life as I knew it flashed in front of my eyes. Yes, basically hit me dead straight between the two. I had a wake up call or TEXT so to speak. I decided on April 5th 2008, that was the day I was going to change my life before LIFE changed ME. April 16th 2008 was my official start day of my current transformation. I believe everything in life happens for a reason and until July 2009, I still didn't understand the "real" reason yet. I do now. I believe it all started so that I could help other women figure out how "to get themselves back." See, my transformation really started taking shape when I chose to put me first. I was everything to everybody...always trying to be a pleaser. And because I "Thought" I had to be, I was putting myself LAST and inside was just miserable. As Mom's we feel we have to be the taxi cab driver to all the kids activities...we're running from here to there and what are we doing to our bodies? We are feeding it unhealthy food choices because we are always in a hurry to get somewhere. You have to SLOW DOWN to Speed UP....I now understand what that really means. I started out walking in the neighborhood in the mornings for about 30 mins a day 6 days a week. It turned into 45 mins, then 1 hr and I was dripping wet when I would get back home at 8am! LOL I was also following Weight Watchers Diet online. Then in June, June 10th 2008 it became a problem walking in the heat in the early am due to my asthma. I decided it was time to join a gym. So, June 11th I drove down the street and joined the local Golds gym. I started taking all the cardio classes at 545am and the sat step class at 9. This was working for me! I was dropping the weight very well! Then I started getting interested in the nutritional aspect and wanted to know more about HOW MANY CALORIES I was consuming vs. the point system that weight watchers uses. I googled calorie counters and up popped sparkpeople.com I started reading about eating clean...hmmm new concept to me..kept reading! I switched over from weight watchers to eating clean and continued the cardio in the AM. In August, I decided it was time to venture out in the weights area. I was at the grocery store one day in August and saw a photo of Jamie Eason on the Cover of Oxygen Magazine. She caught my eye. Mostly because we had similar haircuts... I bought the magazine and read about her. I read she "eats clean!" HMMMM! What a concept! I also decided to make her my BODY IDOL! I convinced myself if I wanted to look like a figure competitor then I needed to train like one and eat like one! So I googled everything I could find on Jamie Eason...Which also brought me to this site! I even saw a video about how to apply eyeliner and changed my makeup! LOL ok, so to keep going...that month they had a 5 week butt blaster workout. I decided to give it a try. I noticed a difference after the 5 weeks. I also started investigating supplements. I continued to branch out in the gym while keeping up with my cardio classes in the AM. I decided to bring down my sodium intake in the Fall and noticed a big drop in weight as well as the tummy bloat! In November I ended up staying out of the gym for 2 straight weeks per docs orders. I was crawling the walls! At this point I was going to the gym 7 days a week and 3 of those days I would head back at lunch and bust out more cardio! Still kept up with my workouts and continued to read oxygen mag for new routines. I also would check out pages here on bb.com for new info as well. In january 09 I focused on pulling my bf % down. Weight stayed pretty much the same for a couple of months but I noticed my clothes were getting looser. I had heard about Jen Hendershott's Phat Camp from another gymgirl and decided to check it out! Looked interesting so I asked a trainer at my gym if she want to go! That first day of Phat Camp (April 09) www.getphatwithjen.com changed my life forever as I knew it. For those of you that may not be familiar with Jen...She is like the Arnold Swarzeneger of FITNESS for women! 2 Time Ms. Olympia Fitness and 2 Time Fitness International at the ARNOLD CLASSIC! SHE IS THE REAL DEAL! Let me tell ya! So, back to Phat Camp...She is a very personable and approachable gal! She was going around the gym meeting all the women...There were about 50 or so there and when she got to me, she asked "so, when are you competing?" I was thinking to myself, wow, me? Like why the hell is she asking me that? (Little did I know, I was in better shape than I realized) I said maybe next year (2010) and she was like, well I'll have you convinced by the end of the weekend to do it this year! I thought to myself, "wow, is Ms. O is asking me when I am competing...that is really a compliment!" "if she only knew where I really came from just over a year ago!" I had to look away because tears were in my eyes after I said that.... Later that evening, she asked each of us to write something down on a piece of paper that People would find amazing about ourselves....and not to sign our names. She later started reading the pieces of paper...There were some amazing stories.....Single women raising a family getting through cancer, an abusive marriage, overcoming major health obstacles and of course losing weight. Then she read mine. I remember what I put on that piece of paper. ~ Since April 08 till April 09 I have lost XX weight going from 51% bf to 17% bf. Lately I have been getting asked if I compete and everytime someone asks me that I started to tear up and get goose bumps. I am a wife and mom of 2 children. She stopped dead in her tracks. Looked around and asked who this was....and it was pretty firm! LOL I hesitated for a sec..not sure why..but then raised my hand. I was sitting in the back (and those of you that know me well know that I am a "sit in the front" kind of girl) She looked at me and looked back at her AWESOME PHAT CAMP Trainers, Heather Bear and Lishia Dean, and said, "we were just talking about how awesome your legs were!" OMG, I thought. So, yes, by the end of the weekend...I was thinking I could do this...I could compete this year. I mean if MS. O thinks I can, then I KNOW I CAN DO IT! Sometimes in Life, just one encouraging word or act can change how a person thinks. For me, It was April 21st 2009. The weekend continued and I LOVE LOVED LOVED everything Phat Camp stood for...It was for women of ALL ages, sizes, and fitness levels. From beginners to girls I was up on stage with at my first show! It was about training, cardio, lifting, nutrition, and life balance! Of course, Jen brought her bling bling for shopping too! Jen is about empowering and helping women. It truly shows and I am forever grateful to call her my friend. Her and her team helped prepare me for my first show. I had another show in mind that was local, but again, everything happens for a reason and I changed my mind. I want to be my first experience with Jen and her team! I joined her "Phat Girlz" team at the end of May and they provided my workouts, cardio, and comp diet. I didn't have to THINK too much! I just had to FOLLOW THE PLAN! I had access to them as I needed 7 days a week via, email, phone, and text. Thank YOU to all of Jens trainers Latisha Wilder, Sandy Lentz, Lishia Dean, and Heather Bear for all your support and help. Poor Latisha, she is the one that had to deal with me about wearing eyelashes for the first time in my life! LOL Latisha, you told me how it is, AND I APPRECIATE IT! Sandy, Thank You girl for everything! I love my CARDIO DIVA SANDY! Finally, I got to Thank JEN and we cried together over my "Most Inspiring Award" Love Ya Girl!!!! Keep doing what you are doing! You ARE MY INSPIRATION!!!!So, for my first competition on July 18th....I LIVED MY DREAM! That dream 20 years ago sitting at Jocks N Jills thinking I could NEVER DO THAT! It takes a lot of support from a lot of different people and I can't tell you or express to you how much I appreciate it! I took 4th in Masters, 3rd in Short, and was the recipient of Jen Hendershott's Most Inspirational Award. This was huge to me....I want to be known in life to inspire others...and I truly believe this is the reason for my transformation. JEN - Thank you for believing in ME and cheering me on! OK, who is going with me next year to PHAT CAMP!!!! I want to have a whole crew of you with me!!! I will find out the schedule later...this past year it was april!!! www.getphatwithjen.com I want us to pack out that gym and have a FUN Girls Weekend Together with my friends! It was truly a turning point for me and my transformation! Will I do better than my last comp? Who knows, different set of judges and different venue all together. But what I do know is that I know in my heart I have given it 110% Effort and that is all that matters! I've gone from Phluffy to PHIT! Get ready for my next walk in this journey called life: WWW.ONEPHITMAMA.COM Stay Tuned for exciting updates! Live YOUR Dreams! It's what is in between the DASH that counts the MOST!

When I'm working out, ITS ALL ABOUT ME! I'm not busy being a wife and mom! IT's my ME time! It gives me a chance to unwind...now, my gym friends will tell you that it doesn't appear that I am unwinding...again, I'm a 110% at the gym. I have to make the most of my time and I have made it my goal to be the sweatiest HUMAN leaving the gym...I have to say, MOST Mornings...I AM!!!

Well, when you've been phluffy most of your life, just the satisfaction of knowing how you feel being FIT is enough to keep me motivated! My support group is huge and I'm asked all the time to help other women out! That motivates me to stay in SHAPE!

Winning "Most Inspirational" at Jen Hendershotts All Womens Weekend Figure Bikini and Fitness Competition...MY FIRST SHOW EVER!

I'm an ATHLETE; I'm a MOM! www.onephitmama.com Sponsored NPC National Qualified Figure Athlete PGN Nutrition, Scivation & primaForce Croc Muscle Profiles Hair Studio & Unique Tan LIVE YOUR DREAMS!