Categ
ory you compete in: Bikini
Date of birth: 4-18-80
Hometown: Choctaw, Oklahoma
Career: Owner and Trainer at Next Step Studio
What is your favorite childhood memory?
This is a hard one. My dad passed away a year and a half ago and I have so many good memories with him. Looking back I think some of my favorites involve my entire family. Holidays were always big at my house. My dad was Italian so the Thanksgiving meal wasn't just a turkey. We started with the lasagna and pasta dishes and ended with an amazing stuffed turkey my mom cooked. We would have my entire family from everywhere come to our house and it was always a full day celebrating and enjoying family and fellowship.
After losing a parent you tend to spend a lot of time reflecting on memories with them. There were many times I often wondered with tennis, school and life in general if I made my parents proud. After my dad passed I received boxes and boxes of items from his wife. These boxes were filled with memories, pictures of trips taken, all his kids growing up, newspaper articles of every tennis event, school event etc.. I was featured in. There are so many memories that just make me look back and smile. Sunday morning trips to Basha’s grocery store for donuts and newspapers, family vacations to the Grand Canyon, traveling to tennis tournaments. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't reflect on a certain memory or two. My goal as a parent is that hopefully one day my kids feel the same way I do now when they think about their childhood.
Name a song that m
otivates you.
As I am answering this question I have one of my clients rapping 'I Like Big Butts and I Cannot Lie', but the song that motivates me the most is 'The River' by Garth Brooks. I played competitive tennis since I was 5 and especially throughout high school and college. Every time before I stepped foot on the court I had The River playing on my Walkman (shows my age a little there). It just relaxes me and makes me focus on what my goals are. It reminds me that nothing's given but it's earned, no matter the obstacle in front of me to stay focused on the goal and what I want to achieve. I also like some good Hip Hop to pump me up. In the gym we play top 50 hip hop iTunes Radio. It's a good mix of music and most of the time appropriate for everyone in there.
What is your biggest gym pet peeve?
People who don't pick up after themselves. Being a gym owner I see this often. Water bottles, towels, trash, and weights, people just leave it all around. Racking weights seems to be the hardest for people to remember. Also, people’s stuff on my desk. When you walk into my gym my desk is right there, it seems to be the catch all for everyone's belongings. It's shocking how many people must think their mom works here at the gym too.
How do you like to reward yourself?
Massages!!!! There is an amazing massage therapist in Choctaw that I love going to see. I try to incorporate her into my training as much as possible to help my muscles recover throughout the process. I don't like the soft relaxing massage, I get deep tissue. One that hurts and almost makes me cry to get the knots and pains out of my muscles.
If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?
There are two different ways I can answer this question. From a work standpoint, I would change the way bodybuilding is viewed. On Friday before this past competition, I got a text from someone who meant to send it to someone else. The text was a picture of me with the question of "How am I supposed to go and support her at her competition when I think she's incredibly unhealthy and way too skinny looking?"I responded with I didn't need their support. I also let them know I eat 6 full meals a day, work out, and do cardio. This is the best shape and healthiest I have ever been in my life. I think so many people see things and they make assumptions without really knowing the hard work and dedication that goes into this sport. 
We're not just a bunch of women who throw on a bikini and walk on stage. They don't understand the diet, the lifting, and the hard work that goes into every moment. It's a long hard process.
On a non-work related note, I think I would love to change the fact that so many of today's youth have health issues. I feel so many people look for the easy way out. Kids get lost in their electronics instead of going outside and playing and being social and active. Parents run through drive-thrus instead of cooking meals and having family time. I remember growing up playing with neighbors, making up games, sitting down to do homework, chores, and having family dinner. So much of that is lost and sadly today's youth is suffering because of that.
What do you do right before you step onstage?
Minus the normal shot of honey, oil and pump, I take a moment to just take it all in. I get a quick pep talk from Jason, my nutritionist, to remind me to smile and what points to hit. I say a prayer, go through my walks in my head and take a deep breath and then step out there and rock it the best I can!!
Nook, Book or Kindle?
BOOK! My first instinct is Kindle because I carry mine everywhere, but I love the traditional book. I like to turn pages, hold it in my hand, mark quotes or different passages and go back and read them and reflect on them at later times. Even when I download books on my Kindle I still tend to buy the actual book as well.
Competition history:
NPC Heartland Classic October 2013, 3rd in Novice
NPC Battle of the Bods May 2014, 4th in Novice; 4th in Open
NPC Oklahoma June 2014, 1st in Novice; 1st in Open
Next competition:
Looking at national shows now and may do the NPC Oklahoma Grand Prix. I want to take a few weeks of hard core training off to let my body recover. Back to back shows really took a toll on me mentally and physically. I know in order to get ready for nationals I am going to have to build some and improve on a few areas if I want to compete well. I will be at all the Oklahoma shows though because of clients I am training for them.
If someone followed you for the day what would they be most surprised about?
How much on the go I really am. My day normally starts between 4 and 4:30. I start training clients at 5 and then head home to get the kids up and ready for the day and fed. Then I have more clients throughout the day along with kids activities and my own work outs. I have twin 8 year olds, Tanner plays competitive travel baseball and Teagan is involved in competitive cheer. Most of my days are scheduled around their practices and school. Weekends are spent traveling with them and our baseball or cheer families. Add my training and being a wife to the mix and I am on the go all day long. People ask me how I do it all the time, I usually explain that it's the choice I make. I am not a mom who is going to miss their kids events, neglect my family responsibilities or even my own training, I just go and do it and not even think about it. As long as I don't sit down through the day I am usually pretty good.
What is your preferred tanning product and why?
Pro Tan all the way. I used it for the first time this past competition and absolut
ely loved it. The control I had with it was amazing and after three shows I think my tan was finally spot on! I have had issues with different spray tans in the past. Pro Tan was spot on. I was able to fix any problem areas and it looked flawless on stage.
Favorite Quote:
'You will pass out before you die' this is something we live by at my gym. I have new people through the door every day. Some starting for the first time ever, some just starting over. I let them all know it won't be easy, we may have times we want to quit, but we won't die... In fact we will pass out before we die and I know CPR so we are safe.
Who would you like to thank?
I think this list may go on forever. I need to first thank my family, Shawn, my two kids Tanner and Teagan, my sisters, brother, mom, step dad and in laws. They have been an amazing support group for me throughout the entire process. I know it's not always easy to deal with someone who is competing and they do it with a smile on their face. Also my nutritionist,, Jason Lyle. I started working with him before Battle of the Bods and it has helped me tremendously. Kelsy, Krystal, Keylee, Jennifer, Stacy, Amberly, Michelle, Liz, KK and all the members and clients at Next Step a huge thank you for putting up with my crazy schedule and training and moods! My amazing chefs, Candice and Thalia with Lifesavr Chefs. Without them meal prep would be a nightmare. Day or night I can call them and they are always there! Also the amazing staff at Central Physical Therapy in Choctaw and my therapist, Jeff Hogan for watching me closely through my training process. A special thank you to Jennifer Burgess. She owns Legacy Elite Cheer gym that backs up to my gym. She gave me my first group exercise job and motivated me to follow my dreams and open the location that I am in now. A major thank you to NPC Oklahoma. They always are top notch in their organization. Their staff is amazing and helpful and they blow me away every time!
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