I grew up an athlete, involved in Gymnastics, Soccer, Dance and Cheerleading. I strayed away, getting involved with the wrong group of people who started doing unhealthy things my senior year of high school. I got sucked into doing meth because I just didn't know where I belonged. I didn't feel like I really fit in during high school. I never felt like I had a purpose. I mean I never even knew what I wanted to do with my life. This unhealthy behavior went on for 10 years on and off. During that time, I always felt like people needed me and liked me. As bad as it was for me, I still felt like I fit in. I look back and think about what a sad girl I was. How sad that I felt like I had a "purpose" in something that was so awful and wrong. I always tried to quit but found myself right back in the middle of it somehow.
When I was 19, during one of my attempts to quit doing what I had been doing, I got a job in the Child Care at a local gym. I began learning how to work out from all of the people who went there. I liked it! It was fun and felt great. Then that gym closed and we got transferred to a larger facility. At the new location, they trained me to become a Program Instructor, which was their in house version of a Personal Trainer. I had to go through lots of classes to learn how to work out and show other people how to work out. I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately before Thanksgiving that year I injured my back at home and was off work for a while. They had to let me go due to not being able to work. So once again, I found myself right back in the same unhealthy things I was doing before. It seemed like I failed at everything I always tried to do that was actually good for me.
During my adventures, I witnessed may things, theft, drug overdoses and even murder. I lived on the streets a lot of the time. Sometimes I slept in cars, closets and sheds. I just didn't know how to escape. It was always very scary. I thought those people were my friends but nobody ever was. Everybody turned on each other all the time. The longer I did meth the more in got into it, it went from snorting to smoking, to eventually doing it intravenously. A very scary cycle.
It didn't end until I got pregnant with my oldest son, who is almost 11 now. After getting pregnant I knew I needed help to change my life! I found myself in Church, giving my life to God. I accepted Jesus into my heart and he saved me! I was instantly delivered from my addictions! Unfortunately, I then ended up in a very unhealthy marriage. It was abusive, controlling and miserable. Being a Christian, I did what I could to try to make the marriage work. However, I was the only willing party that was trying. We had two boys by this time and it was very hard on them to see their mother having to go through what I did.
During my marriage I always did home workout videos, and other workouts at my home. I would run or bike, but I was never aloud to go to a gym. Towards the end of the marriage my friend across the street introduced me to Bag-Impact Kickboxing and I fell in love! i ended up even getting my own bag and doing it all the time! It felt amazing!
It wasn't long before I left my ex husband and joined a local gym who offered a Bag-Impact Kickboxing class. After about 6 months, my instructor was leaving. She asked me if I would like to take over her class since I was always there and was really good at it...heck yes i do I told her. Although I was afraid, I knew I could do it because I loved it so much! I knew in my heart that this was the beginning of something unreal and life changing for myself and two boys!
I began teaching the classes and loved it. I was instructed on getting an actual Certification to be able to continue teaching. I loved that idea. I passed with flying colors! It didn't take long for me to start seeing and hearing my students whose bodies and lives were changing just from taking my class. That filled my heart with pride and great satisfaction. I wanted more! I had been working out myself for quite a while now so I then decided to get certified as a Personal Fitness Trainer. I already knew how to workout and I know how amazing it made me feel! I wanted to help people. I saw how just my class alone helped people so how much more could I help if I did it all! It didn't take long for me to get certified as a Personal Fitness Trainer and start that new part of my life.
On Labor Day 2009 i happened to be in Venice Beach and saw they were having a body building competition so we watched. I feel in love with the Figure category. I told myself, "I want to do this!"
I went home and started looking up shows. I found one that was 2 1/2 months later and immediately began training. I worked my butt off! I had never worked so hard ever! That show was through the INBA. They allow cross-overs so I did the Bikini Division as well as the Figure Division. There were only 4 girls in each of my classes. I won the Bikini Division and was told by the judges that the only reason I won was because there was no competition. I got last place in the Figure Division and was told it was because of my tattoos. I was devastated! I didn't understand how they could dock someone after working so hard, because of tattoos. I didn't deal with it that well. I would get so down on myself for having my tattoos. I wished I had never gotten them because I loved the feeling of competing so much, but now I felt I couldn't succeed because of something that I couldn't change. I hadn't done anymore research on competitions. I didn't realize there were other organizations.
I continued doing my thing...training and working out just for myself. About 1 1/2 years later, in March of 2011, when I was working at a different gym, an old student of mine from kickboxing came running up to me begging me to compete with her. I told her about what happened to me and she told me she was competing with the NPC. I began looking at photos from their shows and saw competitors with tattoos. I was once again motivated! So we started training. She chose a show that was 3 weeks before the one we were going to do together and I went to watch her. While I was there I spoke to the judges and they assured me I wouldn't have any problems with my tattoos. I was so excited!
I did my show and took 1st place against one other girl in the Masters Class, but didn't do so well in the Open class. My body structure and shoulder base is very narrow and small. I learned over the several shows that I did, that while you can overcome some "lack of genetics", there are some that you just can't. For example, I couldn't make myself 4" taller if I wanted. Same thing here, I can not make my shoulder base wider. Even as I capped out my shoulders, I still didn't have that V shape that the judges look for.
I finally made the decision to try the Bikini Division. I told my husband I think I may be built better for Bikini and he said Well, give it a shot!
My first bikini show was sooo much fun! I didn't do very well because I was told I was too lean and hard looking. I actually took it as a great compliment! I knew I needed some structure and guidance. I had never had a coach or instruction from anyone before. I loved bikini so much that first show that I knew in my heart that this is what I was meant for. I spoke with Ingrid Romero the day of that show about joining Team Edge. She said absolutely, we would love to have you. She said there was just small things that I could do that would greatly improve my performance. So I joined the team and 3 weeks later did my second Bikini show. The only time I met with my coaches was the night before the show, before the check-in meeting. We had posing practice in her room. She showed me how I was supposed to be posing and her and Joe were very impressed with my physique.
I went on the next day to win the Masters division out of 7 girls and 2nd place in the Open class out of 14 girls.
And Nationally qualified!! This was it!! I had never done so well before! It was the most amazing feeling! And most importantly it was soooo much fun!! When I competed in Figure I was always so stressed out...trying to get the posing down right, and trying to make that V shape. It was always so hard and frustrating. Competing shouldn't be that way. It should be fun!
Two months later I competed again. I won the Masters class again and didn't place in the Open class. There were 27 girls in that class! However, I did win the Overall in the Masters 35+ and what an amazing feeling! I had always wanted that and did it with my 3rd Bikini show! I was a little discouraged with my placings in the Open class but the more I thought about it, the more I decided that Im meant for the Masters Division! And the NPC has just recently created a Masters Pro Division. Thats what Im going for!
I couldn't have done anything without my amazing Team Edge coaches and family! The support that I receive from all of them is more than money can buy! And the things Ive learned from Ingrid and Joe couldn't have come from anyone else.
Before every show I pray. I pray on stage. I pray off stage. The Bible says, Pray until something happens. Well one of my prayers was answered when I took home that Overall Sword! Now I pray that I learn more with each prep, and that I rely on God more through each prep. And that I can make myself better and stronger, not only physically but mentally. My next show is Las Vegas on Feb. 1, 2014. I will be praying to take home the Overall one more time on the Las Vegas stage. Each regional show I do now will need to be bigger and more experienced. I can not go back to doing small shows which is fine anyway because I want to progress, not go backwards. I will be doing the Masters Nationals in Pittsburg, PA on July 19, 2014 and will be praying for my Pro card! That's my main goal. I want to be an IFBB Masters Pro Bikini Competitor.
I never understood why God aloud me to go through the things that I have. But I know now that it was because of the inspiration that I can give so many other people. I have had so many people tell me that because of me, they are inspired. What an amazing feeling. I know now that God had a bigger purpose in allowing me to go through what I did. Its to help other people change their lives. Not everybody has suffered from the same kind of issues I have, but I know a lot of people can relate and knowing that I have made such a huge difference in my life, shows anyone that they can over come anything!
I guess to sum it up, through my fitness, Ive gained the confidence and acceptance of myself to be able to conquer the world! I know now where I fit in and where I belong! I also owe so much to my amazing husband and children for always believing in me and always being there to support me. For the longest time I got so down on myself for basically ruining 10 years of my life. I used to think, where would I be in life already if I hadn't wasted so much time. It wasn't until recently that I realized that Im exactly where I should be. I wouldn't change where I am for anything. Im growing in so many ways and I owe it all to God. And since joining my Team Edge Family, they have helped me discover new things about myself and get more support than I ever thought possible. They all make such a huge difference in my life every day! I will be with Team Edge forever!

I absolutely love bodybuilding and working out simply because of how it makes me feel! Watching my body change and progress constantly keeps me motivated. Setting dates for shows to compete in, keeps me going. Its the best addiction in the world!