Most of my life I was effortlessly small (meaning, I exercised sporadically, ate as much as I wanted & ate anything I wanted) & I didn't gain weight. I am 5'10" & hovered around 135 to 140 lbs. Several years ago my metabolism changed and I started packing on the pounds very quickly & ballooned to 253 lbs as of 1/1/2013. Fed up with feeling tired & being fat, I started working out, just doing cardio i.e., walking the treadmill & attending a couple of beginner level group fitness classes. One of the instructors mentioned that our bodies wouldn't transform until we started weight training & building muscle. So I took a group barbell class that's choreographed to music & a group strength training class to learn how to properly lift weights and got hooked on body building, strength training & powerlifting.

Many reasons!! I like the discipline & determination it takes to effectively train. Before I got "bitten by the gym bug" I didn't see the importance or need for exercise, because I wasn't overweight. I was oh so wrong & was missing out on A LOT. It's now more of an emotional experience & has to do a lot more with my mind & outlook on life, vs. what size dress I can wear. I like the sense of accomplishment I feel after each workout, & watching my body transform. I'm completely stoked after lifting, especially when I make it through the last couple of reps in my last set & I'm pushing to complete it. Group exercise weight lifting and cardio classes have also made the fitness journey a ton of fun & it's been a great way to connect with lots of positive folks. More importantly, I like that my loved ones are watching and changing their eating & exercise habits, too. I love that anyone can do anything they put their mind to & I'm grateful that through this sport I'm able to connect with & be inspired by positive people who are working towards their personal fitness goals.I hope to give back by inspiring others to achieve their goals inside & outside the gym, as well. Initially, my goal was to lose weight so that I could like like the person I was before. Now, my focus is to be strong & to live a healthy and fit lifestyle for the rest of my life. Bodybuilding & strength training are empowering to me & my hope is that more people find this hidden treasure & blessing that can transform their lives. Lastly, it doesn't hurt that it's LOTS of FUN!!