Body Transformation: Filling In Goals

AGE 21 HEIGHT 5'6" WEIGHT 125 lbs BODY FAT 21%	AGE 23 HEIGHT 5'6" WEIGHT 119 lbs BODY FAT 8%

I was born and raised in the small town of Kaukauna, Wisconsin. When I was 16 years old, my father walked out on us, creating never ending obstacles for my family. I'm lucky to have the love and support from my mother, sister, and brother. Growing up, I was involved in soccer, tennis, and wrestling, although I never classified myself as athletic. I enjoyed being active, but didn't have the knowledge of what it truly meant to be healthy.

Fitness always intrigued me, but I didn't know how to be healthy. In May 2010, my younger brother, Josh, started training for a bodybuilding competition, the Fox Cities Showdown. I watched him progress and get closer to his goal each day. I went to his competition not knowing what to expect. When I saw him onstage, my heart went out to him and I was so proud. His hard work, sacrifice, and dedication paid off.

I was also blown away by the female competitors at the show. I didn't realize there were so many categories for women. I wanted to do it. I wanted to be strong, beautiful, and inspiring.

It all began the following Monday for me. I started training so I could compete with my brother in the 2011 Fox Cities Showdown, gave my food away to my roommates, and started fresh with foods to fuel my body for what was to come. My brother took me to the gym three days in a row and showed me different workout routines. He was away for the summer, so I was on my own.

Now, I inspire others to change their lifestyle by motivating them to pay attention to nutrition or to hit the gym. I love knowing I'm a role model. Aside from being an elementary school teacher, I'm currently sharing my inspiration with others as a brand ambassador for Barlean's Organic Oils and Powertec. I'm also a FitPro athlete for FitPro Milk and a writer for Ripped Fitness.

This lifestyle makes me healthy and more confident. I'm continuously creating goals for myself and setting the bar high. I've never been happier or more proud of myself.

I'm self-motivated and do whatever it takes to accomplish my goals. I make sacrifices daily and do everything with a purpose. I remember why I started, where I came from, and how much I accomplished. I used to be very reserved and insecure about my body. Now, I'm full of confidence and take pride in my accomplishments.

My friends, family, and students inspire me to be successful. They inspire me to work hard and never give up. I feel motivated to set new goals and reach them. I'm driven by my own success and the feeling of knowing I can achieve anything I put my heart into.

Pick 5 different muscle groups and do 3-5 sets of 10-20 reps depending on the exercise. Use this day to work on areas that are lacking. Go heavier with lower reps on upper body exercises and do higher reps to balance out your physique on legs.

I love going to the gym every day. That was never a challenge for me. It was difficult to manage a personal and social life during college. You have to be willing to sacrifice. The biggest challenge is learning about your body and listening to it. Everyone is special and unique. Diet and training specifications are different for each individual.

I have a lot of goals for my future. Here's a list of 10 things I want to accomplish by the time I'm 30.

You have to work each day towards your goals and know the work you put in will pay off. You cannot achieve your goals in a day; you need to put in the time, dedication, and passion to get there.

Don't compare yourself to everyone else. Your body is special and you should love it at every stage. Learn to listen to your body and your heart.

Bodybuilding.com provides the resources to achieve my success. When I first started training, I used the exercise guides to learn how to capitalize on each muscle group, focus on weaknesses, and learn from my strengths. I order supplements from the Store and I'm very satisfied with the customer service.