New Year, New Goal

After having my second child, I really let go of my health. My pregnancy was tough, leaving me on bed rest for the final months. I gained fifty pounds and felt too embarrassed to go back to the gym after the birth of my son. I just let it all go.

Three years later, on New Year's Even 2008, I promised myself to be in the best shape of my life by my 30th birthday. It was ten months away and I had a ton of work ahead of me. Two month later, I decided I wanted to compete in an NPC Figure Competition. I went to a seminar and learned about competing, dieting, and training for a show.

I was hooked. I started hitting the gym hard, changed my diet, and began taking posing lessons. Having that goal really helped me push through and work harder than I ever felt I could. My body started changing, driving me even more.

Five things that helped me reach my goal:

Journaling- I wrote down all of my workouts, how I felt when I lifted, how much weight I pushed, and how much cardio I completed. I also wrote down everything I ate, what time I ate, and how it made me feel.

Community- I found an online community for competitors. It was full of ladies who provided great support, advice, and understood what I was going through. The diet was tough and the mental games were tougher. Having other women who understood me really helped.

Family- my family supported me every step of the way.

Coaching- I had a posing coach to help me with stage presence, and a diet coach to help me balance my macronutrients.

Determination- I did not want to let myself down. I was determined to reach my goal and refused to give in.

After thirteen weeks of hard training, I competed in my first NPC show. It was a small local show and I did not place, but I wanted to do it again. I began training for a state show a few months later. One month after my 30th birthday, I competed in the NPC Western Regional and placed third in my class (on 11/28/09). This qualified me to compete at the National level. I couldn't believe I made it this far only eleven months after I set my goal. It was an amazing ride and I can't wait to do it again.