I started doing cardio in Spring 2011 because I was cast in a role that required some leggy-ness and midriff, and I wanted to look my best. I had been at my heaviest weight at that point and this was the perfect reason to start getting serious about burning that fat. It helped me lose weight for sure, which was great, but I did basically nothing but cardio and diet for the rest of that year.
In January 2012 I began taking BodyPump class, which is where my love for lifting was kindled. I enjoyed the class very much and went 2-3 times a week, and I could see myself getting more tone. I kept at this style of lifting (low weight/high rep) for all of that year, along with my diet and cardio.
January 2013 was when I made the jump into heavy lifting. I was working on a cruise ship at the time, and while I hadn't gained weight I wanted to challenge myself to tighten up. I had seen posts online about lifting workouts from girls who had the type of physique I'd always dreamed about. So I made it an experiment for myself - give the lifting a try, and see what happens! I LOVED the heavy lifting, it made me feel like a rockstar! I was hooked.
I started messing around with my diet at the same time. I tried high-carb for a while, but that just left me feeling heavy and bloated all the time. I finally found the e-book "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle" by Tom Venuto, and it straightened out EVERYTHING about my nutrition. It taught me about macros and carb cycling, the two biggest components that went into my contest prep. He spelled everything out in a way that I could understand and adapt to my lifestyle (which, being on a cruise ship, was not easy). So now armed with proper nutrition and heavy lifting/cardio regimen, I was able to effectively prep for my first shows, and it felt amazing!
I recently returned from living in Singapore for a year working as a singer/dancer at Universal Studios theme park. I always aim to stay healthy and lean year round - partially because I want to, and partially because of my job. Being in top physical condition allows me to - literally - perform my best! :) While in Singapore, I trained with Augustine Lee, professional bodybuilder, and was coached by Joan Liew as well at Fitness Factory.