I started working out at a young age. Since I was in the fourth grade, I competitive cheered, up until my sophomore year of high school. Competitive cheer is seriously one of the roughest activities but it shaped my life and body. Once I left the cheer world, I still maintained a competitive attitude. Obviously I worked out everyday but I was not super toned because of my diet. My diet was awful, I was not getting adequate nutrients or protein because I ate fast food and a lot of carbs. At the age of 15 I became more self-concious about this notion. I hit the gym more often and started buying protein. I could gradually start seeing my body change and it was amazing. Throughout high school the gym was not just a way to transform my body, it was to gain an outlet from the world. The outlet where stereotypes and stress was not present. Throughout my whole life, my social life has been interesting. Every time I had an issue, whether that be a boy or life issue in general.. the gym was ALWAYS there. Once I realized the gym was always present in my life, when others were not.. I started to pour my whole heart and soul into it. I always tell people I have no love life because I am married to the gym. I kid you not! It is less stress and less demanding. I believe it is okay to be selfish and to focus on yourself, every once in a while. In the current years, I attend college and attend the gym everyday but one. The one day I am not working out, I am prepping to workout the next day. Of course this seems like a lot of activity pertaining to the gym, but it is because I want to compete and help others become healthy and fit. There are ways to get healthy without "marrying" the gym.