Many of you who are reading this probably already know a little about me. So a quick refresher; I am training for my first NPC (National Physique Committee) competition in the bikini division. Yes, it is bodybuilding but not what most people think of. As a female I will not look like a man or Arnold, although I would like to have a foreign accent, maybe just not his. There are three categories in which to compete. Fitness, which is fairly muscular, still feminine, and you have to perform a routine. Figure, which looks very much like fitness physique but you do not have to perform a routine. Bikini, is a less bulky more feminine class. Your goal is be symmetrical, toned and curvy. Bikini is the class I am aiming for at the moment.

When I first started training for this I never thought in a million years it was something I would be able to do. The time, dedication, and determination required were very intimidating. Of course at the time I couldn't have imagined the pay off that would follow. 

I had reached the point in my 36 years that I needed to figure out what I was doing with my life. Unhappy in most all areas of it, body image, relationships, jobs, finances, you name it. People often speak of some "aha moment" but if it is not yours you think it is somewhat bogus. It never occurred to me that I would actually have one. Then in the middle of winter (February) I was reading through my favorite magazine Oxygen. There, gracing a 3 page spread, was a girl from Whitehall, MT. I couldn't believe how excited I was to see a girl from a town I knew in a nationally syndicated magazine. I was completely inspired. I decided right then "Why can't that be me?" Turns out there is no reason why it can't. 

I FaceBooked her and wrote her a message how she had inspired and motivated me. She wrote back and said the best way to get started was to become a competitor because that is where most of the fitness models are chosen. Yes I said it fitness model. Everyone always thinks "I can't be a model, I am not (insert compliment i.e. pretty, thin, tall, good) enough". What if people think I'm vain for saying my goal is to be a fitness model, what if... what if... what if...".  

So that is where my journey began. I had desire and I had faith, the two most important things to possess when pursing a dream. 

The first thing I did was contact an athletic team called "Bombshells" to apply for member ship per my new role model's suggestion. It was the team she was on and nothing but great things to say about. I was accepted and began their training regiment. It scared me to death the first time I read what I was supposed to eat and what workouts to do for the first four weeks. I wanted to quit right then and there. In fact I couldn't even read through the whole plan the first couple of times because it seemed impossible. I thought, I have to quit trying to read this whole thing at once. I will take it one day at a time, one workout at a time and one meal at a time. 

This is the beginning of my journey. After 16 weeks of training I am taking a six week break for personal time. The gains I have seen and the emotional processes I have gone through have been unlike anything I could ever imagine. My next episode will go in-depth into those epiphanies. I will resume my training in the middle of September.