Filed on 1/1/02

Career Highlights
I won the overall at the "NPC Muscle Beach" in Galveston, TX in October 1999 (it was actually the biggest fitness show in texas of the year!!). I also won my height class at the NPC Junior Nationals in June 2000. I could not believe it!! I actually won!! Then, at the NPC USA's (2001) I placed second in my height class (which is the "short division") and that meant I won my pro card!!

I was also asked by the infamous Alex Ardenti to shoot for an Italian mag (August of 2001)... he encouraged me to contact Oxygen mag for contribution writing/photo work. Well, it worked: I have a sports nutrition article being published in the Oxygen mag in the March issue (on the racks in mid-January 2002) & I am also featured as a "new face" in the following month for Oxygen mag!!

Another huge career highlight: establishing my website (this is a big deal to me!!). Think about this, when I sold my first photo at the olympia (I mean, my first photo sell ever!!...) I was so astonished!! I am a "no-name" who has very little exposure & some guy wanted to buy my photo!! I was so happy that I freaked out in front of him & I think that I freaked HIM OUT AS WELL!!

The latest career highlight, other than the website, was being asked by a supplement company, Nuclear Nutrition, to work at their booth in Olympia. Somebody actually wanted ME to work their booth...WOW, I was so honored!!

Why did you become interested in fitness?
I saw Minna Lessig in a mag while on a plane to a national cheerleading competition (I must brag, my squad is a 6-time national champion in NCA which means "national cheerleading association"). Anyway, I saw her & for some reason I knew that I was meant for encouraging others to train & feel confident about themselves (yea, I actually got that feeling just by looking at Minna's picture!!).

A guy named "Nacho" (yes, Nacho) referred me to an IFBB Pro fitness competitior in Dallas, TX named Shena Forkner. She helped introduced me to her trainer while aiding me in getting ready for the show (i.e. referred me to her suit designer, the NPC chairman of Texas, etc). Yep, and from there, I've been a hard-headed Texan who love to compete!!

I mainly compete for the fact of being able to show others motivation to do what you love, whether it concerns fitness or not. I am a huge beliver in motivation and "spirit" involvement... your body is controlled by the spirit that makes you believe, feel, and decide!!

When did you first start working out?
I got a job at a gym in Arlington in the summer of 1997. I started to train (in my room at freaking 6:00 am every morning before school... I did aerobics for 10 minutes then onto abs, calves, and the "body-part-of-the-day" which usually meant working out the ass!!) my last year in high school: fall 1996 to spring 1997. Once working at the gym, I started to incorporate weights. I did this mainly for looks that were required by our cheerleading coach.

From there, I enjoyed training & performing routines more than cheerleading (now i'm going back to why I started fitness). I saw that I impacted people with the fact of my determination to train and have self-confidence. I learned, mainly from my peers, how many people do not have self confidence.... that's what kept me to train: to show people how you can keep going & what the positive outcome is when you do what you love (regardless if it is training or not).

What other physical activities do you enjoy to stay fit?
Well, I would say sex, but I do not get any (boo-hoo!!), so I have to say anything aerobic!! Honestly, I walk much on campus (UT is a HUGE CAMPUS!!), and so I walk for cardio. Really, I enjoy any activity. I am not good at many, buy I enjoy trying!! I love to dance, and you will always find me on the dance floor whenever I attend a club/bar!! Yea, I establish a dance floor at a bar even if one does not exist... funny, regardless if I am sober or buzzing, I am still dancing!!

What are your goals within the fitness industry?
Well, to be the best competitor I can possibly be... I would also love to be fitness spokeswoman/model. I so enjoy being in-front of people & inspiring people to give the best they can to whatever. In the long run, and a long shot, I would like to try the acting route. I have experience in acting & maybe I could use the fact of being comfortable in front of people to that extent... we shall see, huh?

 Additional Notes
Yea, there are so many people I would like to thank that I do not know where to begin!! I believe in helping others in their success & I hope that I personally can make dreams of others come true! Working hard for two weeks satisfies others, working hard for two months pleases your mind, but working hard for eternity will proliferate your soul...

Also, I'm a Sports Nutrition Major (will graduate in May 2002 from University of Texas at Austin with a BA in Science). I do supplement demos for E & J Distributing (located in Austin) for various supplement companies. Like many others, I am an NCSF certified personal trainer.

I am also very proud of the fact that I will be involved in a research program at UT which will be dealing with "genetic nutrition." Overall, I will be doing in-depth research for the chairman of the human ecology department (professor: Dr. Steven Clarke) that deals with lipid (fat) metabolism & the genetic effects/defects of specific nutrients. Oh yea, by the way, uh, I think that I am somewhat smart... or so I have been told!!