Over 40 Amateur Of The Week: Training Tracks

From day one, I was a tomboy. As a child, I was always outside climbing trees and doing kid activities. It wasn't until I hit puberty that I began struggling with weight. I didn't know what to do with my new body.

School sports like track and soccer helped me shed some of the weight, but that was nothing compared to the transformation I experienced when I joined the Army in 1992.

I started seeing muscles develop and liked what I was seeing. Then I watched Lenda Murray on ESPN do a pose down to "Planet Rock." She was the perfect combination of strength and beauty. At that moment, I decided to pursue bodybuilding.

I became a fitness instructor and a personal trainer. My years of education built a strong foundation in bodybuilding, but I needed a coach to prepare me for the stage.

I'm a fitness instructor. My coach took my teaching schedule into account when customizing my plan (I teach 10 classes a week).

I am currently prepping for a show. My coach takes my 10-class teaching schedule into consideration. I eat this every day.

The human body is a fascinating machine. It's the only machine that looks better the more it works. I began working to keep my weight down to make me be a better fitness instructor. Running 5ks and other events were fun, but didn't give me the results I was looking for.

I wanted to be a bodybuilder, so I got a coach and decided to start competing. Competing allows me to put my hard work on display for others to critique and to compete with my former self. When you compete in bodybuilding, you're competing with the body you used to have. I love seeing my body change and the way I feel. Transforming week by week is a great motivator for me and competing in bodybuilding gives me a goal to aim for.

My mother did not take very good care of herself. She was always sick. She battled diabetes and always appeared unhappy. I swore I would never repeat this mistake. I'm grateful to be married to a man who shares the same ideas about health and fitness. My husband, Dean Demarest, my brother Wayne Crear, and my father, David Crear, are my biggest fans. They keep me motivated and encouraged to take the next level!

I battled weight challenges as a teen. Then, I was involved in an abusive relationship about six years ago with a man who didn't approve of my desire to be a bodybuilder. The final obstacle was the knee arthroscopy I had in June of 2010. That was it.

Once I healed, I felt enough was enough and decided to no longer allow anything to hold me back. I was given a second chance. It was time to put away the excuses and begin preparing for my first show. I did my first one Oct 23, 2011 and now I'm addicted.

I competed on April 23, 2012 in the Orlando Europa. The ultimate goal is to obtain my Pro card and be an example to women over 40 that you can do it if you put your mind to it.

Put God first and respect the process. Things change in their due time.

Lenda Murray, Cheryl Brown, Nicole Kreiser, and Teresa Anthony.

I truly enjoy using BodySpace. It's great to communicate with other fitness enthusiasts. I also love purchasing from the Store. I purchased Metaboderm from another website and never got my product or my money. The Store offers a secure purchasing site and gives comparable sale prices, if not better.