Monique Cormier, who has overcome obesity and severe depression en route to becoming a world class amateur bodybuilder, joins Dave [ ... ]
Spotlight On NPC Figure Competitor: Jessica Rae Curry
Category you compete in: NPC Figure Competitor
Date of birth: 11/24/1973
Hometown: Fayetteville, North Carolina
Career: During the work hours, I enjoy my role as an engineer in the aerospace industry, dedicated to the International Space Station. Outside of work, I am a proud figure builder, mom, and wife…all of which take lots of energy and keeps me balanced!
Competition history:
· Musclemania, November 2011, Stafford, TX – 1st Place Novice Figure, 5th Place Classic Figure
· NPC Texas Shredder Classic, April 2012, Austin, TX – 1st Place Master’s Figure
· NPC Team Universe, July 2012, Teaneck, NJ – Master’s Figure
· NPC Branch Warren, July 2012, Woodlands, TX – 1st Place Master’s Figure, 3rd Place Open Figure, Class B
· NPC Nationals, November 2012, Atlanta, GA – Figure, Class F
Next competition: NPC California State Bodybuilding, May 2012, Figure Master’s and Open
What do you feel is the WORST part of contest prep?
Honestly, the worst part of contest prep is fitting everything in during a single day. As a mom, wife, and career woman, I have to prioritize these things first…but must find “me” time during the day to get my workouts in, pack food, and SLEEP (some say sleep is overrated…but is so important for muscle and MOOD :) recovery).
Would you please tell us a little about your workout schedule? My schedule varies as I get closer to competition day. Right now, I am over 15 weeks out from my first competition in 2013, and I do 30 minutes of cardio everyday, three 1 – 1 ½ hr functional and high intensity weightlifting sessions every week with my trainer, and yoga/stretching when I can fit it in during my week.
If you had to lose one of your 5 senses, which one would you prefer to lose and why? Taste! For whatever reason, I have really never cared so much about what I am eating (which explains why it’s not hard for me to diet for competition)! I couldn’t imagine not being able to see the world around me, hear my family and friends’ voices and music (how else could I survive a tough workout ?), or feel someone’s touch.
If you could change one things about this sport what would it be? I would like to see this sport advertised more and accessible to more women (perhaps with more novice level competitions). Whatever category a woman competes in, the overall experience along with the goal-setting is empowering and I would like to see more and more women take that first step and compete.
If you had a time capsule what would you put inside it and why? Pictures of my family, 2012 competition season, and photo shoots. This last year, I proved to myself that I CAN compete and do extremely well…and the pictures are just proof that I mastered what I set out to accomplish! I had to add the pics of my family since none of this 
would be possible without their support.
What is your favorite vacation spot? Maui (had my destination wedding and honeymoon there in 2009)
What advice do you have for women who would like to get involved in and compete in the sport of bodybuilding? Just do it once (and you’ll get hooked)! A second piece of advice...figure out first why you might really want to compete. I have found that you can miss so much if you are focused on the placing/award…the journey, getting up on stage and strutting your stuff, meeting fellow competitors along the way, and reaching the “finish” line on competition day can be more rewarding than any placing.
What is a day-in-the-life of Jessica like?
Since I wear so many “hats” in life (i.e., mom, wife, career woman, figure competitor), my days are generally chalked full of activity…you will never find me watching TV or sitting down as part of my daily routine! I generally wake up around 4:30 or 5 am to get in my cardio and then come home to get the kids ready for school. I put in a full day of work and then come home to juggle kids’ activities, weightlifting, dinner prep, helping with homework, cleaning house, and sleep (pretty sure I struggle to get 5-6 hrs/night). I feel pulled in many directions sometimes but I manage to get it all in by “compartmentalizing” or focusing on what I am doing so that I can be the best at whatever I am doing at the moment.
Favorite Motivational Quote:
I like one of my own that rolled off my tongue in one of my first interviews (on Youtube) after the NPC Texas Shredder Classic …”Can’t Should Never Be Part of Your Vocabulary.” It’s really become a motto for me to live by…at home, at work, and in the gym!
In closing, Who would you like to give a shout out to?
I sure hope I don’t leave someone out…but I have to thank my husband, John Curry, who has walked side by side with me in my fitness journey (thanks for all the protein prepping, babe)! I have to also thank my children who cheer me on and have patience when “mommy” is working out. I would be remiss if I also didn’t say a special thank you to all my friends who provide continuous encouragement (you know who you are), my trainers who have placed their confidence in me; I am very privileged to be training now under Ernesto Osorio with One-to-One Training Center in Houston, my photographers and hair and makeup artists, and the Mary Elizabeth Hobbs (a.k.a. BadAzz bikinis suit designer and posing coach).
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