I have the drive, confidence, and strength that I have been looking for over the past 30 years!

All my life I was always known as the “thick” girl, admiring athletic looking females. I first started having an inkling of a thought of this a few years ago when I purchased my first gym membership and really started hitting the weights pretty hard. I loved the results I saw, but was isolating each muscle group which never allowed me to get that “lean muscle” look I was striving for. A few of the bodybuilder types at my gym suggested I start training for a competition. I laughed them off, but the thought stuck in the back of my mind. I got obsessed with Oxygen magazine. I would look at those girls and think…wow, I wish I could do that! I changed my eating habits and started eating clean, but still, I wasn’t getting the results I wanted. After completing 3 half-marathons with another planned for May, I had shifted gears somewhat for another, totally different fitness endeavor: competing in my first Fitness/Figure competition in June 2011.

I turned 30 in December and got engaged which fueled the fire in me even more so, to enter a figure competition…it seemed like the perfect opportunity. Now just to find that trainer to aide me in my journey.

In February I met with Kevin at Cardinal Fitness and asked if he would take me on as a client. That day I weighed in at 149 lbs at 19.5% bodyfat, which was the norm since I can remember. At that point I had no idea what I was in for, what to expect, when I would shoot for competing, etc. Kevin is so motivating and comforting…he totally put me at ease and told me I totally could do this, and that we would shoot for something in the June/July time frame. I entered two NPC Figure competitions back-to-back, shooting for the June NPC Indianapolis show and the NPC GNC Classic in Anderson. That really made this little dream of mine suddenly more real! Training/diet was very time-consuming but I had my fiancé and family as a wonderful support system. I was amazed at the results I was seeing week after week, and trusting in Kevin was crucial. I knew he had a method to his madness!

For this experience, it is all about stepping out of my comfort zone, having the self-discipline to push my body to new limits through strict diet and hyper-focused training, having the self-confidence to get out there in a barely-there bikini and strut my stuff, and to break down barriers that I have put around myself for way too long. I didn’t care if I came in dead last!! Bring it on!

Well, I didn’t come in dead last… I placed 3rd Open Novice Figure/4th Open Figure in my first show and 3rd Open Figure in my second show. The day of the show I weighed in at 127 lbs and 8.5% bodyfat…a feat I NEVER thought I’d reach. Going out on stage was icing on the cake- I’m so proud of myself for the discipline and drive I had to make it to this point. I am a product of what Kevin teaches me, and the best piece of advice I could give anyone is stick with Kevin through & through- I am a product of what Kevin has taught me. It is up to me to be a positive example of his teachings. I needed to not only reach my goals so that I can motivate others, but to make Kevin proud too. Never in my life have I ever felt as good as I do now. With this transformation, I have the drive, confidence, and strength that I have been looking for over the past 30 years. This has driven me to want to train and inspire others like Kevin has done in my life. Thank you Kevin for giving me such a gift.

Brieanne