I turned 29 June 2012 and came to the conclusion that if I did not compete that year, it just wasn't going to happen. I had been physically active for most of my life and I had wanted to do a fitness/figure competition ever since I was 17. I came close to being contest ready back in April of 2009, but if I am being honest, I wasn't really eating right and I wasn't really supplementing right either. I was working out for 2-3 hours per day and then going in to work on a virtually empty stomach. Then I would waitress until about 10pm and would have a large (albeit healthy) meal. I hurt my knee in May of 2009 and then it all fell apart and I never quite felt like I had that intensity or that drive in me again. One month after my birthday in 2012 I finally got sick of my own bull**** excuses. I realized that the only WHAT IF? in my life that I wasn't comfortable leaving unanswered was the one concerning me competing. I searched for hours on Bodybuilding.com looking through their database of ametuer compeditors of the week. I looked for women my age with similar goals and body type. I found a few and came up with a game plan. I stumbled upon Kathleen Tesori and decided to use her 'Cutting Program' as a start... and I still use that plan on occasion to this day- even now as a WBFF Fitness Pro!!