I ran road races here and there starting in 2009, in 2012 I started doing Crossfit to help improve my race times. I know that there are a lot of negative connotations associated with Crossfit, but it works for me, just like free weights, Zumba, or road racing work for others.
Since 2012 I have been super consistent with my workouts and as result I have put on a good deal of muscle, one of the members at my gym is a prep coach and I was really impressed by her approach to bodybuilding-- a natural, healthful way to challenge yourself.

Over the past 2 years of being consistent with my workouts I have put on muscle, become much stronger physically and mentally and I'm doing things that I never thought possible.

Since doing my first bodybuilding competition I was amazed to see how much diet affects physique, diet definitely previously hindered my progress, so it was great for me to experience how changing that affected so much. I am also a big believer in doing things that you think you "can't" do, bodybuilding was a way to push me outside of my comfort zone and do something that I never thought I would do.

At school, work and among family and friends I have the reputation of the "workout girl" which always garners questions, but more often than not it can motivate/inspire people to make positive health and lifestyle decisions.

So in short I enjoy working out because it allows me to constantly learn, improve myself, and encourage others to do things they didn't think they could do.