I've always loved fitness. Really. BUT--- it wasn't always easy. I grew up a city kid in a row home with no physical activity. I saw all of my mom's Suzanne Somers, Richard Simmons' Sweatin' to the Oldies" and "Do It with Debbie" videos and tried to do them when I was like 6 years old! haha!
Despite seeing all of the fads and trends that my mom tried, I also saw her yo-yo and struggle with her weight year after year. As I got older, I really didn't make much progress myself, either.
Our lifestyle didn't help. My family wasn't actually invested in fitness the way I am now as an adult. You see... I grew up in an Italian family. A family that ATE. And we ate ALL. OF. THE TIME. We ate to celebrate, we ate to mourn, we ate when we were stressed and we ate when we were bored. My grandmother praised me for eating grown man sized portions and praised me when I had three and four extra helpings of pasta, meatballs and anything else she cooked! My dad used to let me walk to the corner store and get candy every night after dinner.
So.... let's do the math....
No physical activity + Hungry Man sized portions + a candy bar each night = DISASTER
FAST FORWARD....
...to middle school.
I finally had a new school with required physical education classes...
AND. I STRUGGLED!
Run the mile? (yeah that took like 20 minutes)
Do some pull-ups? (I couldn't even hang for more than 1.26 seconds!)
Sit-ups? (forget about it!!)
Sports? (wait, what? you want me to keep up with someone else???)
FAST FORWARD....
...to high school.
I took a liking to tennis and wanted to play. I was weak. After the first practice, EVERYTHING hurt... But of course, I still had this desire to learn about fitness, but now with a greater motivation to increase my chances of playing better! So, I researched... from the age of 14 I read books and books and books on how to get strong and fit and play my sport well. And it worked out! I made my way from the bottom of JV to third singles on varsity and couldn't have been happier. When my tennis coach noticed that I got stronger and was hitting the ball harder, my confidence would soar and I kept researching more and more at the library (yes, that thing that still existed in the 90's with actual books!)
FAST FORWARD....
...to college.
So...here's where it gets dicey... Freshman 15...20...25.... well, who's counting anyway?
Drinking... late night burritos... pizza... I did it all!
I also tried to pursue my personal training and group fitness instructor career and eventually reeled it in and focused on that and saw some great results.
FAST FORWARD....
...to adulthood.
My coaching and fitness career was taking off. I had amazing mentors. I was thrown in the fire with new tasks and responsibilities. I learned everything I could and was always the youngest wherever I worked, so I learned from the best of the best with lots more experience than me...
HOWEVER.....
Bad habits are bad habits, and they resurfaced!
FAST FORWARD....
...to 2013-2016.
Bring on the Yo-Yo! I was a college strength coach at the time, coaching fitness classes and clients on the side, and devoting all of my time to WORK. Work was everything. I gave it 200% - to the point where I neglected myself. One day, I had my breaking point. I decided to go for a run and all I could feel was my butt flapping behind me. It was hard to make it down the street, or to jog up steps. I had been a "role model" to so many...but my own health was deteriorating. My blood tests came back so bad with cholesterol and triglyceride levels, I was scared out of my mind.
IT WAS THEN THAT I NEEDED TO CHANGE!
You know, sometimes people come into your life and stay, and some serve their purpose and continue to pass on by. I'll never forget the sweet gal that came into my life in 2016 who forever changed me. We became friends due to a common ground interest in fitness and wanting to compete.
BUT...
I was 30 pounds over FAT....
All I could see was the mountain ahead of me. For TEN YEARS I looked at magazine covers and thought:
"Oh...those models are just gifted..."
"They were born with abs...."
"It must be photoshop..."
"I could NEVER do that... they're just lucky!"
As I came to discover over a 7-month period (through my own hard work and transformation)...it's NOT. AT. ALL. TRUE.
I teamed up with my new friend....we hired a coach... and I put my nose to the grindstone and WORKED!
Seven months later, I achieved my dream.
I HAD ABS!!!
I HAD A TIGHT BOOTY!!!
I ATE TONS OF FOOD!!!
AND, I HAD DEVELOP THE CONFIDENCE IN MYSELF THAT I NEVER HAD!
You see, the Yo-Yo throughout the years and the weight gain at the highest point in my career when I was in a "role model" position for so many young women absolutely ruined me. I felt like I was living an uncontrollable, helpless, and unfulfilled life of feeling STUCK, POWERLESS, WEAK, AND FRUSTRATED!!!
Needless to say, after I dedicated myself to taking care of me...
EVERYTHING. ELSE. GOT. BETTER!!!
My confidence soared. My body got healthy. My bloodwork went back to normal. My energy levels at work got better. My motivation to continue to learn and grow skyrocketed. My happiness was undeniable. I started to enjoy my job more.
BUT THEN....
FAST FORWARD....
...to 2018...
...my bodybuilding competition career was in it's third season...
...massive changes at work were happening...
...I was at an all-time HIGH in work productivity, personal fulfillment, and positive attitude and influence... YET....major criticism kept coming my way.
You see, most people love to see success, happiness, beauty, positivity and hard work in the works. But there are always those few people that can't handle others doing well. I started to become unhappy when others' criticism and attempts to sabotage my success trickled into what I was always the best at: my profession! I started to get frustrated when my "image" was in question. What was my "image" from my point of view?
FEMININE BADASSERY!
DEFINITION? The ability to DO BOTH.....
Be a BEAUTY.... but also be a BADASS on the BENCH.
Love life and be a cool ass chick, but beast it in the gym and smash goals!!
Needless to say, I HAD TO MAKE A CHOICE....
Accept it and be miserable... OR.... Take a leap of faith and CHANGE.
Just as I had a couple years prior, taking the leap and risk to go all in and change my body, I reflected on that process and used that confidence and motivation that I had developed to overcome this negative situation.
NO ONE should have to feel stuck or trapped.
NO ONE deserves to feel as though they don't have options or choices.
NO ONE should allow the opinions or negativity of others destroy them!
Achieving confidence in LIFE all started from a body transformation.
So...what did I do????
I said GOOD BYE to the old. I welcomed the new. I had to confidence to take a MAJOR risk! I threw my house up for sale, moved the 1,300 miles to Miami Beach to pursue my DREAM life!
NONE of this would have happened without the support of the coach I hired. She literally became one of my closest friends and supporters to this day, guiding me through one of the roughest times of my life when I felt scared, alone, helpless and disconnected from the life I HAD before my Yo-Yo experiences.
Through my BEAUTY AND THE BENCH, LLC one-on-one online customized coaching program, I am determined to pay it forward and guide other women to a life of fat loss, physical and mental strength, improved toned physiques they can be proud of and the confidence to take LEAPS to improve other areas of their lives, just like I did.
I didn't really realized until the turn of the new year how much I ACTUALLY had been through until I started receiving phone calls from friends watching my journey, commending me for doing what they WISHED they could do but would be too scared to try.
SO WHAT'S THE POINT??
You deserve to live your best life.
I'm approaching the 20-year mark of my career as a certified personal trainer / strength coach / and everything else in between.
My one-on one online coaching program is tailor made to support those looking to do what I did.... and just THRIVE!
Click the button below and apply for a complimentary 10 minute consultation call to see if you'd be a great fit for the program!
I am invested in YOUR success!
ACT NOW!
