I got started because I had always been relatively skinny. I know as a young teenager 12-14 you are supposed to be naturally skinny, but when I mean skinny I mean too skinny. I always saw pictures of actors or movie starts and how they bulked up in just a few months. I admired how they achieved such an amazing physique so quickly. However I thought in order to do that you need top notch equipment and the best personal trainers to do that. On the other hand my dad ha always been overweight. He trimmed down to about 180 before I was born, but quickly put weight back on since he had to take care of me. His whole life he had been overweight and about a year ago he decided to change that. I didn't really follow him at first, but eventually as I saw him lose weight week after week by just running, I decided maybe I should do a few things to get a little muscle and maybe just not be as skinny. My intention was never to get into bodybuilding and getting a physique, just to maybe put on a few pounds so I didn't look bone thin. I started out with push-ups and sit-ups in my room, because I had no equipment. I eventually convinced my dad to buy me two twenty pound dumbbells around mid July of 2015. Every so often I would do curls with them, dumbbell bench presses, squats, and other workouts with them. I never took it too seriously though. One day my dad decided instead of just slimming down, he wanted to get muscle out of his weight loss journey as well. He was originally going to get a gym membership, but with his work interfering he knew that he would never me able to make it. It took a while, but he eventually bought a free weight set and put it in our garage. On January 10th I did my first true workout. When I was done with probably the hardest workout of my life, I knew I wanted more than to just get a little bigger. I wanted mass. I no longer was gonna be the bone thin kid everyone made fun of. From that day on I lifted 6 days a week consistently and avoided as much junk food as I can. Of course there were a few cheat meals here and there (I am 14 it's bound to happen haha) but for the most part I was sticking to a strict diet of protein an antioxidants. As time went on I began to crave junk food less, and noticed results. And here we are now. When I first decided to do a few push-ups and sit-ups in my room, I never expected to get where I am today. I am not even where I fully want to be. If it had not been for my dad wanting to lose weight, I probably never would've wanted to start working out in the first place. I cannot thank my dad, and everyone that supported me through this enough for who I am today.

I love working out for multiple reasons. I love the feeling after a good workout with the satisfaction of knowing I got better today. I love the pump it gives me and I love the results. When someone comes up to me and says "Wow you look great!" or "Dang! For a 14 year old you sure are muscular!" I know the work I am putting in isn't for nothing. Working out has made me a better person in general as well. According to my mother. family members, and friends, I have become a lot more pleasant to be around since I started lifting. Working out makes me feel good about myself and makes me feel like I am doing something with my life. Sure there are some times where I doubt myself and wonder if I actually am getting somewhere, but those are few and far between and I just push those thoughts out of my mind and keep moving forward! Weight lifting is by far my favorite hobby in the whole world and I do not know where I would be without it. I want to eventually become a personal trainer and sports nutritionist. I also want to start my own fitness line.