After having two children my body changed dramatically. I did not have time for exercise and gained a lot of weight. In 2008, I felt out of breath going up the stairs. I realized that I was too young to be out of breath with such an easy task. In 2009, I joined a gym. I began my exercise routine slowly but fell in love with running. I started to see the weight melt off. In 2010, I got runner's knee and was told to stop running for 6 weeks. This was the worst time for me. I needed to be doing something. My physical therapist encouraged me to do strength training to build my leg muscles which would help me be a better runner. When I was able to start up my exercise routine again, I incorporated strength training. I became hooked. In 2011, I met a special person in my life that not only showed me the correct way to weight train, but he motivated me to challenge myself. I fell in love with bodybuilding. He also encouraged me to eat lean. Eating lean and working out hard has been the best thing I could have done for myself. I have been eating lean, doing cardio and strength training for about 5 months now. There is no looking back. I have a long way to go, but I am already noticing the changes to my body. I aspire to compete one day.

I love how bodybuilding has changed my life. My body is getting better with each week of hard work. I feel happy and complete when I am working out. I enjoy the people I have met at the gym; they are my extended family. Everyone at the gym understands my goals and motivates me to keep going. I like learning new techniques and challenging myself. People are now coming up to me and asking me for diet and exercise tips. Bodybuilding challenges me and rewards me in so many ways. My lifestyle has changed. There is no turning back and I love every minute of it!