Contest history/highlights 2011: USA 2nd Light Heavyeweight; Nationals 3rd Light Heavyweight; 2010: Nationals 4th Light Heavyweight; 2009: Europa Super Show 1st Light Heavyweight; Nationals 4th Light Heavyweight
MAGAZINE MOTIVATION “I was stick skinny all the way through high school. In college I started eating out and drinking and gained 20 pounds in my first semester. So I signed up for a weight lifting class. My uncle used to give us magazine subscriptions for Christmas. I told him to give me subscriptions to Muscle & Fitness, FLEX and Muscular Development. I would cut out pictures of some of my favorites – Lenda Murray, Adela Garcia – cut out the different bodyparts that I liked and kind of piece it together from there.”
FROM SHY TO SHOWOFF “Getting ready for my first show I was like ‘I cant eat this stuff. Why would anybody want to do this? I’m never doing this again.’ But I did that first show and loved it once I got on stage. Just being out there under the bright lights and seeing the transition that my body made. I used to be a shy girl who wouldn’t wear shorts or skirts. Now I’m standing in front of 100s of people in a bikini!”
DIETING DIFFICULTIES The hardest part for me is the diet. Being from the south, I’m used to my y grandmother’s creole – everything is deep friend, smothered, cheesy, crunchy – desert was one of my first words! Now I’m able to do it, but my mother still likes to make my favorite dishes to see if I can resist eating them.
SINKING IN “It still hasn’t completely sunk in. I worked a booth at the Europa [Super Show] and that was probably the first weekened I was like ‘Wow! I really am a pro!’ I just picked up the issue of FLEX yesterday and saw my picture in there and was like ‘Oh wow this is me!’”
LOOKING GOOD “I started competing basically because I liked it so much. When I first started, it was more of a challenge to myself, to see if I could actually do it. I never would have imageined I would be where I am today. Escpecially now that I’m 38 – I think, If I I look this good now, how will I look at 48?”
