MY STORY
July 11, 2000 I was on an
operating table, cut open head-to-toe, having 7 vertebrae fused together to correct
idiopathic scoliosis. July 12, 2003 I was on a stage at a
bodybuilding/fitness show competing in my first figure competition.
See images of my
surgery here...
Diagnosed
with scoliosis at age 12, I endured 2 years of unsuccessful electro-stimulation treatment
on my back muscles. Fortunately, I never had
to wear the ugly Milwaukee brace commonly used to
treat scoliosis in teens. I was under the care
of my orthopedic surgeon for 3 years, from the time of diagnosis until my hips and wrist
bones fused- a sign that growth has stopped and the curvature stabilized. Although the curvature of my spine was quite
severe, it stabilized and I avoided spinal fusion to correct it. The next 10 years, I finished high school and
college and began working full-time.
I
spent the year 1999 in unbearable back pain, visiting doctors, urgent care, physical
therapists, orthopedic surgeons, until finally the decision was made to have the spinal
fusion procedure (regularly performed on severe scoliosis patients in their early teen
years). At age 25, I had seven vertebrae fused
with 2 Harrington rods and a bone graft from my hip. I spent 8 days in a Children’s
hospital and the surgery went off without a hitch. A
month later I was back to work. Two months
later I was back in the gym. Six months later
I had resumed all of my normal activities- except my 5 mile a day running habit. At 1 year post-surgery, I finally felt 100%.
My
recovery was relatively uneventful. There were
no post-surgical complications or infections. Since
I was strong and in great physical condition at the time of surgery, I was able to bounce
back rather rapidly.
My Passion for Fitness
My quest for
fitness and optimum body weight began at age 16. I
worked out 5-6 days a week religiously since ninth grade.
I obtained a BS Degree in
Kinesiology and became ACE certified in
personal training and just recently passed the NSCA
CSCS exam.
Natural bodybuilding
has long intrigued me. I subscribed to all the
health, fitness and bodybuilding magazines. And
when I saw the Fitness America Pageants on ESPN, I was really interested as it was much
more feminine than the traditional bodybuilding look, but with an added gymnastic
component. I had visions of doing a fitness
competition, however, gymnastics was, and is, obviously impossible for me. The new Figure division really caught my attention-
the same feminine muscle, yet WITHOUT a gymnastic routine.
Goals Interrupted
But I had let
my weight creep up a little during late 2002. January 1, 2003, I listed my goals and
decided the time was NOW to pursue fitness competition!
I needed a motivating goal and the upcoming March 2003 NPC show was in my
sights. I began training and steadily dropped
fat. Until I was blindsided with a traumatic
shock- a phone call in the middle of the night. My
dad died suddenly and totally unexpectedly on January 26, 2003 in Texas, where my retired
parents spend winters. I let my goal slide due
to several trips to TX and MN to help my mom settle the affairs.
The last week of
April, I returned from my last trip to MN to assist in family affairs- a short 10 weeks
out from the July 12 NPC show. I weighed more
than 140 lbs with slightly higher than 18% body fat. Ignoring
the few trainers who told me I did not have enough time to lean down, I found a trainer
who thought I could do it in time, signed up and got to work immediately.
During the family
trauma, I had managed to keep my diet clean and was following a cyclical ketogenic diet (high fat, low
carbs… basically the popular Atkins diet with one carb-binge day). Together my
trainer Erik James, owner of LifeLong Fitness, and I agreed that I would diet and train as
if I was doing the July 12 competition and decide later if I didn’t lean out
enough. I could bail out later if I was going
to humiliate myself and opt for a show in the fall.
At 4.5 weeks out, I
was at 15% body fat and 135 lbs. Frustrated,
impatient and seemingly stalled, I began double and sometimes triple workouts per day. To add to my stress, I was laid off without notice
from my job of 4 years on July 1, 2003. While losing my job and income was traumatic, the
timing was perfect (trying to remain totally positive here!)- I had 2 weeks to focus
solely on my diet/training and stage preparations. At
the same time, my trainer left town for a week’s vacation in celebration of the
Fourth of July. Without his guidance and
reassurance, the head games took over and my eyes played tricks on me. I nearly withdrew from competition training while
he was gone.
If the stress level
was not fully maximized, my boyfriend and I decided we would move in together- we were
serious and the timing was right for financial reasons.
So during my final competition prep, I began unloading my fully furnished
one bedroom apartment to my boyfriend’s place.
Perseverance Proves Victorious
I met with Erik
as soon as he returned. Like so many times
before, he ignored my ‘freak-out’ and took my body composition. He measured my body fat at a shocking (to me) 10%. By Friday, the day before the competition, I was at
9.4% and 130 lbs- by far the leanest I had ever been in my life. I far surpassed my ‘realistic’ goal of
12%.
I participated in the
competition, but did not place in the top five. I
looked like I belonged on that stage! My
overwhelming fear was looking totally out of place compared to the other lean competitors. Considering all the obstacles I faced during the
past 6 months, I am very happy with my achievements. I
DID IT! What a thrill- especially considering
the anniversary of my spinal fusion surgery!
My intent for the
first competition was to segue back toward my first love- muscles and fitness. I am returning to personal training and freelance
writing and am currently seeking an agent for my 3 fitness books.
I hope to inspire
others, showing that obstacles may delay your achievements, but should never stop you. In fact, they make the achievement even sweeter!
Perseverance and the right mindset are key factors in success of any kind!
See my 2003
transformation photos...
My Mission
While I hope to inspire others, I also intend
to open a few eyes. I think the fitness industry AND many competitors themselves
have created an illusion- one that is phony, detrimental to the psyche of women, and
frankly sick and wrong.
Prior to my competition endeavor, I suspected
something was contrived about the fitness/bodybuilding competition experience... but I was
uncertain and lacked concrete proof, so I created 'My Little Experiment,' a daily journal
of my thoughts/discoveries/diet/training during my competition experience. I decided
to share my raw, uncensored experience with others on a fitness message board.
For years, I read the fitness magazines
longing to look like the models. I worked out HARD and meticulously watched my
diet.. but why then, did I not look like the fitness models? I discovered the
reason. I was comparing myself to girls who spend hours and hours in the gym
everyday, performing hours of cardio on diets that are extremely low in calories.
After weeks of increasing exercise duration and concurrent reductions in calorie intake...
in the final weeks before taking the stage competitors are virtually walking
zombies. No energy. No life. Miserable, vile human beings.
Competitions are NOT about health and fitness. I often wondered if I had signed up
for an eating disorder contest. I digress...
To be succinct, my whole mission is to provide
others a REAL, NO BS, uncensored commentary on what it really takes to get on stage at a
single-digit bodyfat percentage- the behind the scenes dirt. I, in no way
whatsoever, am implying that I am better than anyone else. I am not turning up my
nose on those who chooe (quite intelligently) not to compete, nor am I saying I am
anywhere near the top figure girls. Just a regular fit chick, taking it to the next
level to find out for myself what its all about... and telling my story along the
way.
Read
what others have said about my journal...
