How this whole Figure thing got started…

I have always been an athlete, really for as long as I can remember. Basketball, track, cheerleading, gymnastics; those were my sports of choice. So competing is not a foreign concept to me - I actually think it makes up a large part of who I am (you may be able to relate).

When I was young, my mother tells me I would beg her to come and "watch me" practice my cheers, or "watch me" practice lay-ups with my left hand. See the pattern here? Hey, I was a born performer. I loved being in front of an audience.

In high school, elected by my teammates, I was both the basketball team captain and the football cheerleading team captain. Guess that honor came from my attention to detail. After high school I played competitive basketball on a basketball scholarship - yep, you guessed it, at 5'6" I was a shooting guard.

After college, I needed an outlet for my athletic needs so I took up weight training and aerobics instruction and I became a personal trainer. My body took very well to training with weights but it wasn't until 2003 that I did any kind of physique competition.

I decided to try my hand at bodybuilding. In 2003, I competed and won the WI State Fair Physique Championships. At this point, I was so happy with my results but was not sure I wanted to hold that much muscle. Funny thing too, the head judge of that show commented to me that even though I had great muscle and symmetry, "I would do better in fitness…"

A few years later, after I had completed my MBA (yes, I seem to always need a challenge in my life) I got the itch again to compete but I knew I would not do well as a fitness competitor, even though I did have a few years of gymnastics under my belt. Plus I had read so many comments about the injuries and pain management the fitness ladies were enduring, I realized I did not want to go that route.

In early 2006 though, I heard of a local bodybuilding and figure competition. My husband and I agreed and we began training for that show; I was only 9 weeks out. I ended up winning the tall class and the overall title…yeah! From there, I competed in three national shows in 2006 and again in three national shows in 2007. And as you may already know, I won that third show earning my IFBB Pro card in Figure. What a ride!

I now look forward to kicking it up a notch and bringing my best package to the Pro level in 2008!

FAQ's

1) Is competing worth it?
I normally get this question during my "pre-contest training" from people who have never competed in a sport. Competing in anything comes from within and is a personal choice. For me, it is something that has always been inside me and thankfully I have been able to use sports as my outlet and now Figure competitions as my goal. So yes, all the dieting, training, cardio, and time spent IS worth it to me. Setting goals and reaching them and then setting new goals inspires me! But it is YOUR life and you must do what makes you happy!

2) How often do you workout?
Pre-contest (12-15 weeks out), normally I weight train six days/week, doing cardio twice a day but off season I weight train for about an hour and perform cardio five to six days per week for 30-50 minutes.

3) Favorite movies:
Dune, The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Legend, Hoosiers, Star Wars (yeah, I am a Science Fiction nerd)

4) What is your view on life?
Be who you are! If you try to change yourself over and over again, you begin to forget "you!" Not everyone is going to like you, and that is ok! You will not please anyone (especially yourself) being something you are not.

8) Can I eat after 7 pm?
Yes! Most people do not realize that what counts is how many calories you have consumed through out the day. If you take in more calories than you burn, you will gain weight but if you burn more calories than you consume you will lose weight. Remember to avoid lots of extra fat and starchy carbohydrates late at night since it is harder to burn these off because activity levels have a tendency to drop late in the day.

9) Who helps you get ready for your competitions?
First and foremost, I could not do what I do without my husband's help! He cooks, cleans, critiques, supports and encourages me through it all! My friends and family are great supporters too, although they do not always understand my drive. I used my own diet and cardio program but after turning Pro I decided I needed to tweak some of my body parts so I am using a professional figure trainer now. Just a note - I do recommend using a figure coach or trainer who has worked with figure competitors if you are just starting out. There is just too much information to leave your body (and your ability to place well) to chance. Do not waste time and money with trial and error!

10) Best thing about competing? Setting a goal and reaching it. I love to inspire others and to be a positive fitness role model.