It's been almost a year since I took the stage to battle for Pro in my first year of Figure Competing. It doesn't seem that long ago when I decided to make a change, a change that quickly became a full hearted passion. I still remember when I made the decision to compete, it changed my life! I was scared, excited and doubtful, but I was absolutely determined to take on this challenge. It was a personal decision that wasn't just about losing that 10lbs of annoying baby weight or trying to get into that old pair of jeans. I wanted the full shebang and I wasn't going to settle for any of this half way business.
Lisa Weber was one of the first people I approached with my idea to compete, it was literally "meant to be" getting connected with her. She new exactly what type of commitment it took to compete but more importantly she was the first person to believe that I could do it. We went to work right away, training and planning for our big moment. I'm not exaggerating when I say this was she was "meant to be"! It turned out that Lisa was doing some training of her own. We both had our sights set on the same exact competition! She would be bringing down the house in bodybuilding and I would be rocking the stage in heels. I was determined to get snug under her wing and absorb every bit of information I possibly could from her. To this day I'm not sure how I ever would have gotten through it without her by my side.
On June 19th, after only 12 weeks of training, I stepped out on stage for my first ever Figure Competition. I was 22lbs lighter and had a brand new confidence. I took home second place in my height category and realized right then and there it WAS NOT over. I had the bug to compete and I was going to keep going. Since my first show on June 19th I entered two more NPA shows where I placed 1st in my height category and last year on October 16th I took the stage to battle for Pro. I was 25lbs lighter and sat at 10% body fat. I placed 5th in the NPA Pro Classic barely earning my Pro Status and winning my first check! Lisa was there with me every step of the way. She helped transform and mold my confidence. She taught me to be proud no matter what the outcome is and to always focus on how this sport makes me feel and to always remember why I started on this journey. It's so easy to get caught up in the moment and the emotions but every bit of her advice as kept me grounded in this sport and I find myself constantly remembering and reciting her advice as I move forward with new goals.
It's been almost two years since I made the decision to compete and I haven't stopped yet. After winning my pro status with NPA I decided to take it to the next level and train for bodybuilding. I entered my first bodybuilding show last spring and I'm currently training for a second show scheduled in 2012. I no longer live in North Carolina but Lisa's advice rings in my ears daily. In this sport people can be faced with a lot of obstacles and pressures along the way. Lisa isn't just about making you push a heavy weight, she listens and speaks with her heart. I am so grateful that I found a mentor who gave me positive, sound and healthy advise. Lisa taught me to always stay true to myself, to be proud and to always remember why I started this journey. Her advice will stick with me always and it will carry me through the road to becoming a bodybuilder.
