This blog I would like to dedicate to a brief auto-biography of my motivation, passion and determination for goal accomplishment, both for myself and helping others. I am asked daily what inspires or motivates me. I tend to be long-winded and passionate about many things so I will try to keep this to a minimum. This is informal so bare with me.
ABOUT ME
I am a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutritionist, in my mid-twenties, and striving to make a difference for others in my lifetime. I believe I was put on this earth for a purpose, and that purpose is to touch the lives of others by sharing knowledge, tools, enthusiasm, and fun!! You cannot take life too seriously, or it will consume you. Every trial is a challenge and opportunity to grow!
I love to spend time with loved ones, travel, be outdoors, barbeque, hike, watersports, write poetry, blog, research, workout (duh!), and network with people. I am very social, and enjoy being around people of all ages.
MY PASSION FOR FITNESS
My passion for fitness, overall health & wellness, and helping others developed by accident while seeking knowledge for my own wellness. While exploring different avenues of ways to be healthy, as cancer, obesity, autism and mental illness are very prevalent in every generation of my family, I found that exercise in general was my biggest stress relief. Exercising was the thing that balanced me, helped me cope with traumatic events, and feel better about myself. In fact, exercise quickly became an addiction.
As most young women, I struggled with exercising too much, eating too little, and ultimately damaging my body. It wasn’t long before my body finally spoke to me. I was determined to figure out how I went from feeling great to horrible. In college, I was uncertain of what to study, so I decided to study the only real thing I was interested in. Exercise and Nutrition. Made sense to me so I decided to continue my education in the nutrition science, and personal training field. My primary focus at this time was a healthy population (aka athletes). Of course, my close ones thought this education choice was somewhat ridiculous and I may never make a career or life out of becoming a personal trainer. I should be a lawyer or a doctor instead; not waste my brain. Who needs a personal trainer anyways? (Really, think about it)...
Through my education, I obtained textbook knowledge on the need of preventative care in the medical, wellness, and fitness fields; I sparked interest. However, my primary goal has always been to coach athletes. I became certified as a Personal Trainer in 2006, and obtained my AAS Dietetics degree in 2007. At this time I decided to train for a figure fitness competition.
MY STRUGGLE, TURNING POINT & INSPIRATION
Three months into my fitness competition training, I failed. I began gaining weight – rapidly! Within 4 months I went from a slim/athletic build of 5’7” 132 pounds, up to 200 pounds! I was devastated.
I had been training hard, exercising correctly, eating correctly, and still felt sick and tired all the time. I was even working in a hospital as a Clinical Nutritionist by this time. It took months and months of doctors and specialists to diagnose me. Meanwhile, I felt hypocritical, lethargic with little energy to do day to day tasks, let alone workout anymore. Especially carrying 65 extra pounds. My passions seemed to be taken from my grasp.
Finally, diagnosed in 2008 – Hypothyroidism; a metabolic disorder. My metabolism hormones were barely working. Finally, an answer, but I knew I had to figure out something to get back to healthy and quickly. Despite fitness and diet efforts, it took another year to regulate my medication and lose weight, but I still returned to personal training. It was my passion. I worked hard, lived by the rules, so I was determined to regain health while doing what I love. I found that I was able to relate and help so many other people who had medical limitations. In fact, I found that my limitation was becoming a mere emotional crutch, and I needed to not make excuses anymore. I needed to learn my body and do something about it!
So, I did and now I get to help other people too! My interest is still athletic populations; afterall I do run a bootcamp, take a bootcamp, and participate in HIIT (high intensity interval training) most day of the week, but I also have a desire and passion for medical disease management and prevention. Do NOT let your health concerns be a crutch. Learn to work with, around and against them!
LOOK AT ME NOW
I am healthy, happy, and committed to overcoming obstacles. I have quit buying into negativity or limitations that others have put on me. I believe in pushing myself mentally, physically and emotionally to push my boundaries, and also discipline myself into balance. Balance is important. When my clients ask me if their goals are realistic, I say "Don't let anyone tell you they aren't!". I refuse to let others determine my accomplishments anymore.
Currently, I am pursuing competing (finally), in the NPC Nevada State Figure Fitness Competition on June 9, 2012 in Reno, Nevada. I am 20 weeks out, and just began my first leaning phase. I am leaning earlier than most competitors because I want to to know all the rights and wrongs of my body transformation, and have time to make adjustments.
My current training program includes: Strength training, HIIT training, balance / coordination training, power / agility training and yoga. I am currently exercising 2x per day most days of the week to prepare. I am doing this because it is a dream of mine, and also because I believe it takes a competitive athlete to understand the psychology of athletes.
My secret to this attitude? I don’t listen to the limitations that others put forth. You are greater than you think. With discipline, sacrifice, time, energy and FUN anything is possible. For awhile, I accepted the limitations other put on me, and damaged myself emotionally, physically, mentally. Are you limiting yourself? I`m not! Not anymore.
Please follow me in my journey of the next six months of a total emotional, physical, and mental transformation. If I can rise above, so can you!
WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Write down your goals on an index card & post it in a visible place. Include the following on your card...
GOALS:
Long-Term
Short- Term
Strengths:
1
2
3
Weaknesses
1
2
3
What you need to most improve on?
"If you have a body, you are an athlete!" - Bill Bowerman
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