How I Got Started

I’ve been asked several times how I got started or interested in bodybuilding, so I thought it may be time to just create a post about it! So, if you were curious…here are the answers!

I started my fitness journey in the spring of 2013. I realized at a family event that everyone was talking about their ailments. That was literally the primary topic of conversation the whole day. I decided that I didn’t want that to be me! I realized that if I didn’t change my lifestyle, that I was well on my way there. So I knew I needed to start working out.

I was NEVER an athletic person. I was the girl who preferred to spend her time in drama class/club, painting, teaching myself HTML, hanging out at the mall, shopping, or being with friends. I hated sweating, and was/am a bit of a germaphobe. I did enjoy when we would go to the weight room in Jr. High PE but we rarely went. I didn’t know why I enjoyed it, but I did. I absolutely HATED playing sports/games. I was awful at all of them and got made fun of. So I avoided them.

So, when I decided I needed to workout, I got a gym membership and made a commitment to myself to go to group classes 3x a week. That’s where I started! I had no clue what I was doing, knew nothing about nutrition, weight lifting, or anything. I thought I needed to do cardio and work abs. I saw progress, and was enjoying it. One of the trainers at the gym started to show me how to use the different weight machines and that’s when I began lifting. Now, it wasn’t anything like I do now, but I started!

I have taken progress pictures from the very start every week because I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t. I’m SO glad I did! I started to see changes and I got more and more excited. I still didn’t know about bodybuilding and had very little idea about nutrition.

I joined Instagram, and suddenly I found an IFBB Bikini Pro and it was the very first time I thought that a female could look ripped and muscular but still super feminine. I had been totally susceptible to what our culture teaches women: that muscle is manly. The moment I saw IFBB Jessica Arevalo’s account and photos, my mind was blown. I was forever changed.

I had no clue where to start. I ended up learning a lot by asking my brother questions, and he helped me set up my initial split. I still had a lot to learn but I began! I didn’t tell anyone, not even my husband, for a while about my dreams and goals. I was too afraid! They seemed so far away and so daunting. I wasn’t even sure I could achieve them.

Eventually I did share my aspirations with my husband, and he was super supportive. I started researching all that I could online and at Bodybuilding.com. I learned about macros and carb cycling. I tried all sorts of combinations. I kept my cardio minimal for a long time and relied on diet and lifting. I knew that if I wanted to step on stage, I’d need a coach because I simply don’t have the knowledge.

I reached out to my first coach and began the journey. I felt like I had a good base to begin with as I had built some muscle. But looking back, I was still a baby. I wasn’t training correctly for my goals, and I changed my macros way too often and too quickly to know what worked and what didn’t. I got super close to stepping on stage when I was with that coach, but fell ill and ended up on antibiotics. After my set time with that coach ended I chose to not renew with them. I won’t go into details here, but they just weren’t the right fit for me. YES, even after getting results, and rather quickly, they were not a good fit for me personally, so we parted ways.

I took some time to breathe, get away, eat!!! And enjoy life. I still worked out at least 3x a week, but I took more rest days and ate foods I hadn’t had in months. Mentally, I needed that. I found my current coach, IFBB Bikini Pro Diana Graham, and couldn’t be happier! My training is totally different from before, my nutrition is different, our relationship is different, and I am in a really good spot mentally and emotionally. I am SO happy to say that I have found my long-term coach and couldn’t have found anyone better!

So, it’s all a journey. Learning, growing, adjusting, exploring, and sculpting my physique. I found this sport through Instagram, and I am eternally grateful that I did! I found a passion, a challenge, a routine, goals, and balance. I will never go back to my slothy old ways.

I think something that really connected me to this sport though is the constant challenge and goals. I’m an extremely goal oriented person, I am always trying to improve (whether it’s improving at things personally, in systems, in procedures, etc.) and this sport is so goal oriented. You can also make it what you want! Get creative! Sculpt your physique to what you like and enjoy. Sure we’re trying to impress judges and meet certain criteria, but you can always do things how YOU want.

Anyway, if you have questions, feel free to ASK :)