Why
did you become interested in fitness?
I was very skinny growing up and had a "stick figure"
so I started to reshape my physique using weights. I found that
my body developed muscles quite easily and within a year I felt
more confident with my once skinny frame. It wasn't until someone
asked me if I was a fitness competitor that the seed was planted.
Although,
I never thought I would end up pursuing a career in fitness, things
began to fall into place. All of a sudden, everywhere I went and
everyone I met helped push me towards competing. Call it fate
or call it luck, I wouldn't be here today without the people I
met who helped me get going.
With
less than three months training and no background in Gymnastics
or dance, heck... I had never even done an Aerobics Class, I entered
the 1998 Canadian National Sport Aerobic Championships. I received
the highest marks for difficulty and execution of elements, but
I had to face it, I was not a very coordinated dancer. Fourth
place in the novice division did not come easily. The basics that
my coach Karl MacPherson taught me during those first few months
of training have carried me through all my competitions and I
owe much of my success to his demand for excellence.
I
had the caught the competition bug and the rest is history! I
headed for the fitness circuit and never looked back.
When
did you first start working out?
I have been involved in sports my entire life. In high school
I was involved in basketball, baseball and track and field. In
my early twenties I progressed to water-skiing and Karate.
I
started working out with weights when I was 19, but it wasn't
until my mid-twenties that I learned the difference between lifting
weights and bodysculpting.
What
other physical activities do you enjoy to stay fit?
I snowboard, water-ski, run 10k races and do lots of hiking. Oh!
I am currently working on a Circus performance called "Silks.
This is a solo act performing stunts on sheets of material hanging
25 to 30 feet in the air. I am having a wild time getting over
my fear of heights and my upper body has never felt so strong.
What
are your goals within the fitness industry?
I want to keep getting better!!! Yes, I want to win... but as
long as I can feel myself improving every time I step on stage,
I will keep going and going. When, if ever, I decide to retire,
I plan to train other fitness competitors full time... Especially,
the ones who don't think it is possible!!
Additional Notes
I have recently started fitness modeling and have had the opportunity
to work with some excellent photographers in the industry. This
has also become a passion of mine!! I can't believe that I have
gone from a girl who was scared of her own shadow to someone who
loves to perform.
