I had been lifting weights for several months and finally decided to start working with a personal trainer so I could take my goals to the next level.  At that time, my trainer was preparing for his first bodybuilding competition.  I watched him go through his prep and compete on stage and that’s when I knew that I wanted to do it too!  As I was progressing with my training and seeing gains, many of my friends at the gym asked me if I was planning to compete.  I brushed them off at first thinking that was a crazy idea and not something I could do.  But over time and as people kept asking me about competing, I finally started to think about it seriously and eventually came to the decision to compete!  My first competition was in April 2023.

What was the hardest part of the prep?

Everything!!  I love it all!  The whole process is so fun!  Getting the tan, doing hair and makeup, putting on the suit, and then finally getting on stage and showing all of your hard work come to fruition.  It is a blast.  Once you get on stage, it makes it all the hard work on prep feel worth it.  It is your chance to celebrate and show off the months of hard work! 

I had so much fun at the NANBF Natural Iowa show because it was the first time I traveled for a competition.  It was fun to have the experience of being away from home.  It felt really different than being at home because I didn’t have the distractions of home-life.  Being at the hotel forced me to be more focused and it also forced me to be more relaxed because I wasn’t at home.  

Another aspect of competing that I didn’t know I would enjoy so much is all the friends I have made along the way!  Meeting fellow competitors backstage or “meeting” fellow competitors on social media and later in real life, has been so much fun!  I’m so grateful for all the connections I’ve made along the way.

This means everything to me!  Competing as a natural athlete has always been something that is very important to me.  I take pride in being a drug-free pro.  It feels good knowing that everything I’ve built and everything I’ve achieved has come entirely from the hard work I’ve put in.      

I started bodybuilding at age 37.  I won my pro card at age 39.  I’m a mom and a teacher.  I hope what others can take away from my story is that it’s never too late to chase your dreams!  It’s never too late to get in shape!  It’s never too late to build the body you’ve always wanted!  I also hope others can see what is possible when you are disciplined.  Like so many other women, I am the definition of busy: I have a full-time job, a family, pets, and a home to take care of.  But that doesn’t stop me from taking the time to eat healthy food and exercise.  You will always make time for what’s important to you. So, what’s important to you?