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I want to be a super hero.

That’s what I thought when I was little. My whole life I’ve been inspired by strong women, real and fictional, whether they be comic book super heroes or Olympic athletes. I wanted to be like them because, to me, they embodied everything that I had hoped to be… strong, beautiful, daring, confident… but despite how much I admired them I never thought I could ever be one of them.

I’d been battling my weight for almost my whole life. My self confidence was low, and my health was being affected. I was diagnosed with scoliosis and asthma and made monthly visits to hospitals and doctors for check-ups and x-rays for many years. On top of that, I found myself being constantly teased at school because of my weight and I held back from trying many new things because I didn’t believe I could do them, or I was simply embarrassed to try. I drown myself in food for emotional comfort. I frequented fast food restaurants (getting the largest combos available), ate whole pizza pies, and usually followed up with desserts. Let’s also not forget my endless cookie and milk binges while watching hours of television.

Despite my unhealthy patterns and numerous ailments, I was hesitant to really work to alleviate them. I always thought about losing weight, feeling great, and becoming one of those strong women I admired so much, but I didn’t move on it. I was looking for a "quick fix," or a "miracle pill" that would take all of the work out of it. I was ashamed of myself but unwilling to do the work necessary to accomplish what I dreamed of. I didn’t believe in myself.

Everything changed for me on one late night when I couldn't sleep due to insomnia (a frequent occurance). I turned on the television and I saw a group of real people, just like me, who had achieved their dreams. They were strong, beautiful, daring, and confident. I could see myself in those people. I picked up the phone instantly and ordered Power 90. There was no looking back, only moving forward. At that time I was at a pretty low point. I had been graduated from college for two years, had moved back in with my parents, and was barely making ends meet working two jobs. I lacked drive and motivation, and was hoping that this program would help me find what I was looking for… me.

When I started Power 90 I could barely crank out a single push-up from my knees and I got very winded during the cardio. I had to take many breaks. However, I tried to embody those strong women I admired and pushed through. My diet changed drastically. I left the fast food restaurants behind and opted for healthier well-balanced meals. I stopped drinking soda (which was hard because it truly is an addiction!) and have now become a water addict. I told everyone what I was doing and what my goals were and I was surprised that I got so much support! My mother added things to her grocery list just for me, and she even joined me in eating the healthier meals! With Power 90 I dropped 25 pounds!

Since completing Power 90 I have gone on and also done rounds of other workout programs by Tony Horton and Beachbody (including P90X). I've lost more weight and gained so much strength and endurance... not to mention inspiration! I’m now in the best shape of my life. I’ve gone from bicep curling 5 pound to 20 pound dumbbells. I can do 35-40 push-ups from my knees and 20 from my toes. I’m even working on pull-ups, which is something I never thought I’d be excited about. What I once viewed as torture I now view as an adventure!

Not only have these programs helped to shape my body, but they’ve shaped my life. After completing P90 I moved out of my parents’ house and headed to Chicago in pursuit of my career. These exercise programs gave me an undeniable passion for fitness. My life path started to change in December 2006 when I earned my first fitness certification as a Turbo Kick instructor. I then went on and earned my AFAA group fitness certification and my ACE personal training certification. I teach Turbo Kick and yoga regularly and I have many devote regulars who love my classes. It makes me feel amazing to know that I’m helping them find their own passion for fitness as well as continuing to expand my own! I continue to learn new things by attending workshops and certifications... I LOVE fitness and helping people now, so I never plan to stop learning new ways to help.

So, here I am today. I am strong, beautiful, daring, and confident! I haven’t visited the doctor for scoliosis in years and my back pain is gone! My increased aerobic capacity has made my lungs stronger, and I haven’t had one instance of bronchitis since I started working out back in 2004! I care about my body now like I never did, and because of that I do my best to feed it right and get proper amounts of rest. I'm learning to love myself more and more every day. I’m not afraid anymore, and love new adventures! I've tried a beginning aerial arts class, swimming with the dolphins, and a tree top zip line obstacle course... just to name a few things. I figure that if I'm going to be a superhero, I might as well learn to fly too!