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It all began with “Fatty Fatty Two by Four”…

Allow me to explain:

When I was a wee tot, my best friend’s cousin used to tease me at every chance she got for being overweight. The teasing didn’t end there. All throughout elementary and into the beginning of junior high I always felt like an outcast for not “fitting” in. I survived senior high on a high note but knew that going to university was yet another challenge. I always heard about the college fifteen and was terrified that I was going to be another statistic. I had battled my weight all my life and soon realized that I was also battling an eating disorder.
“Skinny” – being very thin was not the same as being fit and healthy. I admired the models that graced the cover of Oxygen magazines or the girls, (coming from the North we didn’t see as many) float on the beaches of the Okanagan in the summer. I wanted to be just like them but didn’t realize that my behavior was sabotaging my goals and even worse my health. I needed to change. I was miserable, tired, depressed and extremely unhappy.

I started to research a healthier lifestyle. I invested in “The Body for Life” book by Bill Phillips. I realized that instead of eating less but more well balanced meals and incorporating cardio with weights the pounds started to fall off….”Who knew!”. A year later, as it did not happen overnight, I entered my first fitness competition. I knew I was not going to place but I was happy that I was there. I never dreamed in a million years I could of got on stage in front of a thousand people in a two piece bikini.
Since then I have got married, and was blessed with two beautiful girls. Having said that I discovered that after both babies I was right back to where I started. I was 182 pounds and extremely unhappy. How did that happen? I couldn’t use the excuse I just had a baby as my youngest was just about a year old. Back to square one. With diet, exercise, a goal to compete again, and a good trainer I buckled down. I needed to be the best role model possible for my two girls! I set foot on stage the following year with the biggest smile on my face.
In that moment I realized that the biggest obstacle that stands between you and your dream is yourself

I’ve been fascinated with personal fitness ever since.

And from struggling with weight issues to managing a family to competing, setting examples and leading a healthy lifestyle will always be my work.