The greatest lesson I have learned in the 12-Week Transformation Challenge is that with every decision you make, every day, you have the opportunity to transform yourself and its up to you to find the determination to make the transformative choice.
At the beginning of this challenge I had a dream of competing onstage as an NPC Bikini Competitor and on November 8, 2014, that dream came true! To be honest, 12 weeks ago, I was nowhere near where I thought I should be, to begin preparing for a competition. I still had quite a bit of body fat and not nearly as much muscle tone as I would have liked, but most importantly I lacked the mindset and confidence of a true Bombshell Athlete.
I knew that if I was going to prepare in 12 weeks I was going to have to work harder than I ever had before. My amazing coach, Asia Mendoza sent an email during my training with a quote that stuck with me that said, “Get Uncomfortable!” – explaining that transformation happens when you are willing to step outside of your comfort zone. Over the next handful of weeks I lifted heavier, I ran longer and found the discipline to stay on track with my nutrition. Let me just say, I was plenty uncomfortable! But finding the perseverance for that hard work was where the internal transformation happened and it began to instill in me the mindset of a true Bombshell Athlete! Was I perfect? No. Were there days where I emailed my coach in a panic? Yes. Were there days when I doubted that I would be ready to get on stage in just 12 weeks? Yes. But in the end… every single doubt, every single fear, every single moment of insecurity… it all got washed away, because day by day I trusted my coach, I trusted my plan, I put one foot in front of the other, took a deep breath and let my actions conquer my fears … and I did it! On November 8th I got on stage and I can now proudly call myself a Bombshell Bikini Competitor.
The best part of this journey (and I NEVER thought I would be saying this) was that I didn’t win or even get first call outs. It’s funny… I had spent so much energy afraid to fail, convinced that not winning was a form of failing, but when I didn’t place well, I quickly realized that it didn’t actually matter. The journey of the transformation and becoming a true Bombshell Athlete inside and out was what was so much more important to me. And the most exciting part of all of this is although this may be the end of the 12-Week Transformation Challenge, for me, it actually marks the beginning of my life as a Bikini Competitor and from here the possibilities are endless!
