I was about 6 weeks out from my first competition of 2020 and for the first time in years, I felt that I was ready to display my best look on stage. Like everyone, I was in total disbelief when the news spread about a virus with the name Covid-19. This virus made an impact on our lives in a matter of days as I watched the life that I was so comfortable with stop abruptly. The fear, doubt and disbelief that plagued most of us during the quarantine was almost too much to bear. All aspects of life including age, occupation, race, religion, gender and your community felt the effects of this pandemic. My community was hit hard by Covid-19 with friends, family and students fighting the virus head on. The governor immediately passed executive orders to shut down all businesses including the gym and all K-12 school buildings. So began the quarantine life.

What am I going to do now?

Here I am prepping for a show and my livelihood has now been taken away and for how long? The two most important places that are an integral part of me and define who I am have been taken away. How can I prep for a show if I can’t train? What am I going to do if I can’t interact with my students and families who depend on me for guidance and support? What will happen to my students? What about my mother who is in and out of the hospital and considered high risk? My mind became consumed with negative thoughts. I became complacent and made excuses as to why attempting to compete during the pandemic was a waste of time. I mean who could possibly think about a diet at a time like this?

I Have to Make a Decision!

After several weeks of being in quarantine things began to shift in a more positive direction. I began to teach remotely while reconnecting with students, staff and family. I was feeling like I could fight through this. My coach, Jay Pratt, made it clear that we had work to do. I had competitive goals that still needed to be met. My goal was still the same, bring the best version of me. He pointed out that I should take advantage of the time in quarantine and make the best of it. He gave me the tools and support that I needed to persevere. He created a quarantine plan that incorporated a more rigid schedule for prepping and eating meals as well as a cardio and training schedule that could be implemented around my remote teaching. This gave me purpose and order among all of the chaos. From there I had to check in 2-3 times
a week with pictures and a log to ensure that I was utilizing all of the tools he gave me. This also allowed him to make any adjustments to meals or cardio sessions. As the show date approached, I was feeling great and back on track. We added grueling posing sessions after each workout to improve my conditioning.

The Tampa Pro

The IFBB Tampa Pro is one of the most competitive shows outside of the Arnold Classic and the Olympia. I have competed in this show five times with placings as high as third and as low as 16th but this time would be different. I really wanted it and I was done making excuses. The Tampa Pro was also an Olympia qualifier this year. This would be the first time in six years that the Olympia would again host a Women’s Bodybuilding division. Most would think that my past placings would discourage me from trying a 6th time to be in the winner’s circle. I don’t give up so easily. Going to the Olympia would be a dream come true. I was determined and focused plus I had something to prove to myself. If I can train, stay healthy in a community that was hit hard by Covid, I can accomplish anything.

Competition Day

This was it, the moment that I had been waiting for. I was ready to take the stage. When I removed my mask and entered the stage, I was confident, poised and knew without a shadow of a doubt that the judges would be seeing a new and improved version of me. Later on that evening, I received the best news of my competitive history, and for the first time since turning pro, I finished in first place with a Ms. Olympia qualification in hand. This was the best feeling in the world.

Presentation Tips

If I could offer any advice when it comes to presentation is to begin posing at least 8 weeks before any competition. You may even want to hire a posing coach in your area. Stage presence is extremely important and you want to make sure that you are confident on stage and showcase poses that compliment your physique.

What I have learned during this journey is quite simple. “If you really want to do something you will find a way”. Patience, perseverance, dedication and a good support system helped me win the Tampa Pro amidst a pandemic. The work doesn’t stop now. I will take the tools that I used during this pandemic and apply it to my journey of the Ms. Olympia.

Beverly International

UMP Chocolate Pancakes

Ingredients: 2 Scoops Ultimate Muscle Protein chocolate, 3 egg whites, ¹⁄₄ cup oatmeal, add enough water to make a batter consistency.

Directions: Mix ingredients. Cook in a pan at low heat until little bubbles appear and pancakes start to brown. Flip and wait a minute or so, and bam! Perfect pancakes!

Even after I earned my undergrad degree there was still one obstacle I had to overcome before I could step on stage – my fear of the unknown. I knew the only way to overcome my anxiety was to take action, and there was no time like the present. I started researching competition prep coaches in the Northern Kentucky area (where I moved following graduation). After a lot of research and several personal recommendations, I joined Julie Lohre’s FitBody Competition Team. With her guidance and knowledge, and the encouragement of the team, I not only stepped on stage, but took home several awards in the Bikini division. In my second show, ever, I won 1st place NANBF Ms. Natural Kentucky Bikini.

Lifestyle Challenges

Before getting into my actual diet and workout schedules there are a couple of lifestyle challenges I faced that I’d like to share with you.

My job is not the typical 9-5, which makes staying on top of my nutrition, supplement, and exercise schedule a task in itself. I work for Central Clinic, an extension to University of Cincinnati's psych department. The division I work in is focused on trauma treatment therapy for children, visitation for foster kids with their biological parents, and alcohol and drug dependency group therapy. I work 10 hour days, with a 45 minute commute each way. I wake up around 5:30am to knock out some cardio before starting my work day. After work I drive
directly to the gym for weight training and any remaining cardio. By the time that I get home in the evening, it's around 9:30pm. That’s when I prepare my food for the next day and complete any homework I need to do for either of my school programs. I carry my Isolator Fitness cooler everywhere I go, which is how I'm able to stay on track throughout the day. Being gone so long, I eat all of my meals while I'm at work, so preparation in advance is the only option for me. I fix and weigh out all of my food the night before, that way in the morning I can just throw everything in my cooler and go. It's always comical the looks I get from my coworkers and sometimes clients when I drop everything I'm doing to take my supplements or run and get my Tupperware every 2-3 hours.

Another area I've had a hard time adjusting to throughout prep is the fear of "missing out" on social events with my friends and family. My goals and fitness ambitions are different than a lot of other 24 year olds, so making plans becomes a little more complicated for me. I love to travel, so I was weary of how that would work with my prep. If I go out of town, I have to be sure that I plan everything out, which is sometimes kind of stressful. But it's doable. I spent 10 days at the beach with my family in the middle of my prep, and it actually was easier than I thought it would be. My suitcase contents were 50% clothes and toiletries, and 50% UMP tubs, food scale, and my other Beverly supplements. My carry-on was my Isolator Fitness bag (which is TSA approved, ice packs and all), filled with everything I needed in order to stick to my plans during a full day of airports and flights. Again, it's all a matter planning.

My Contest Prep Plans

Contest prep definitely took some getting used to; however, I’m thankful that my coach, Julie Lohre, made it as straight forward as possible. My plans were altered based on check-in’s and body comps throughout my prep, so as I was changing, so were my plans. But, here are the basic diet, supplement, and workout schedules that I used for my contest prep.

Training Schedule

I work out with weights five days a week taking Sundays and Wednesdays off. My favorite muscle group is a toss-up between legs and shoulders. I think that it is very important to push myself every week to go up in weights and increase strength, even if it’s just 2.5lbs. Here’s my workout.

Cardio

I do high intensity cardio on the StairMaster for 45 minutes, 4 times per week. I split it up in 2 sessions, if my schedule allows. I tend to lose some steam after about 25-30 minutes, so in order to make sure that I am giving it 100% the entire time, splitting the 45 minutes into 2 sessions works best for me.

Presentation Tips

Practice makes perfect!! I can’t stress that enough. Your posing routine is what ties in all the hard work and preparation you have done leading up to the show. Looking comfortable and graceful in 5in heels is not as easy as it looks. Also, trial runs on your hair and makeup BEFORE the show are super important. That way you already know what works and what doesn’t so that you don’t have to stress out on show day. There is so much happening on the day of your competition, usually starting at 8am, so there is very little room for trial and error

Some Final Advice

It's okay to say no. It took me a while to understand that when I changed my priorities, I would have to say no to some things I’d normally do if I were not prepping for a contest - usually food related. Sometimes the people around you, no matter how supportive, won't understand your journey unless they are going through it themselves. And that's okay. It also doesn't mean you have to be antisocial. The best thing you can do if you are struggling with this, like me, is to surround yourself with supportive and understanding people. Joining the FitBody Team was the best thing I could have done. You will undoubtedly find yourself messaging your team members and coach about the most off the wall things. I constantly reflect on some of my conversations with one of my teammates, who has become like a second sister to me, and laugh because who else would understand how to measure the perfect tablespoon of peanut butter??? Looking at the big picture and setting/tackling personal goals is what helps me every day. When I step on stage, I take great pride in knowing that I didn't cut any corners and deserve to be standing next to some amazing athletes.

It was at the 2004 Kentucky Muscle show that Iryna met Sandy Riedinger. “I asked Sandy for her feedback on my physique and how I can improve because I knew deep down inside that there is no turning back for me!” Iryna not only received competitive guidance from Sandy, but she was introduced to the Beverly International products, which have contributed greatly to her progress.

Iryna has created a foundation and support system of like-minded women that bolsters the support she receives from her family and clients. “Meeting so many wonderful and strong women inspires me to continue. I am now officially hooked! I approach my daily workouts with great enthusiasm.” She looks forward to her training sessions each day, as it helps her relieve stress, sharpen her focus and discipline and continually challenge and improve herself. “Staying healthy and fit is necessary for me to have the energy to balance my busy life. It is necessary for me to stay sharp in all areas... mental, physical and emotional... and is something that my healthy lifestyle affords me.”

Since starting, Iryna has become a student of the game, learning everything required to optimize her training, nutrition and supplementation. This has allowed her to share that knowledge with her clients, both those that train in her commercial gym and those she helps through her online coaching business (www.irynamccraw.com). Their progress mirrors her own and not only has driven the success of her coaching, but made her work extremely fulfilling. “I can't imagine myself living without working out and the way it makes me feel.”

Supplementation Guidelines

Iryna has been taking Beverly International supplements since 2004! “I subscribed to the Beverly No Nonsense magazine and also received one of their books about the benefits of taking BI products. It provided easy, step-by-step guidance for beginners all the way up to advanced bodybuilders.” Beverly is more about passing on proper knowledge than selling products. That said, they also have a line of supplements of the highest quality. “Our bodies must recover with best available supplements on the market,” says Iryna. “You can’t go wrong with Beverly. I have been using it for years and it works!”

The Beverly line of products have become a consistent part of Iryna's daily intake. She also lists the Super Pak and/or Fit Tabs among her regular purchases, and adds in 7-Keto MuscLean and Lean Out as a contest approaches. “I also take them during work travel and family vacations.”

The Beverly International products are well-regarded by all members of the McCraw family. Iryna's husband Ron also set a goal to feel better overall and lose weight (he lost 50 pounds) and included Beverly supplements in his diet. 14-year old son Daniel, who plays football, uses Glutamine Select for post-workout recovery. “My 3-year old daughter Eva even likes to sip on my vanilla UMP shakes!”

Since her livelihood is based on providing results, Iryna also makes it a point to recommend Beverly products to all of her clients. “The changes with using Beverly have been unbelievable!” says Iryna. “Supplements help my clients to stay focused and always on top of their game. They are busy people so if I can teach them to incorporate a shake and supplements into their routine, it will easily fit into their hectic schedule and keep their energy levels stable. And the taste of Beverly’s protein is truly the best. I dedicate my life to helping people who want to achieve their goals, and Beverly is a helpful part of that.”

Iryna McCraw serves as a great example of how a person can make the decision to go from a life of quiet desperation to accomplishing amazing things. “With the right nutrition, training, supplements, unwavering focus, determination and belief in yourself, magic happens! I truly believe that there is nothing that is unattainable. Trust yourself. Trust results. Trust Beverly!”

Most of my workouts incorporate a variety of basic exercises. I add in ab specific movements a couple days a week. One of my current workout innovations is to alternate various plyometric moves with my standard exercises. Here’s an example of how this works on my Friday leg workout.

• Squats alternated with “low jumping jacks”
• Sumo squats alternated with “woodchopper lunge”
• Seated leg press alternated with “split squat jump”
• Standing hamstring curl alternated with “bench jump squats”
• Lying hamstring curls alternated with various “high knees” exercises

Note: you can Google these exercises to view proper performance. Work into them slowly. At first, you might want to do each plyo exercise for 15 seconds. Slowly work up to 30-45 seconds per exercise. A great device to measure your “work” and “rest” intervals is the Gymboss. I’ve been using mine every workout to set predetermined rep and rest times.

Cardio

My cardio is minimal compared to many competitors’ standards. Off season I do 15-20 minutes, 4-5 days a week. Precontest I typically do 20-40 minutes, 5-6 days a week. I add it in a little at a time to make sure I don’t compromise my hard earned muscle. I tend to use the stair mill most often and work in 1 minute on - 1 minute off intervals. I also enjoy spinning and doing lunge intervals on the treadmill at a high incline.

In Closing

I often have people asking me why I work out as hard as I do. Well the answer is simple, “It’s fun!” If I could give one piece of advice to people looking to change their bodies it would be, “Get comfortable with being uncomfortable”. Figure out what will inspire and motivate you and keep that in your mind every day. Don’t set an end goal or a finish line- reach one goal, set a new one, and keep going.

Helpful Tips To Get Started On Your Own Personal Weight Loss Challenge

You cannot out train a bad diet! Diet is over 80% of the equation for fat loss while exercise is 20% or less. Diet comes first and then the rest just falls into place. You have to get your eating under control to get the results you desire. If you want abs, crunches will not cut it alone. Eat right first and the abs will follow.

1. First thing every morning—drink 2 huge cups of water. This gets things moving and starts your day out right. I personally swear by this regimen.

2. Log your food. This helps hold you accountable from day one. Once you see the number of calories in a favorite food, you might think twice before eating it. For example, instead of the calories in a cookie, you can eat an entire plate of veggies dipped in salsa along with ½ cup of cottage cheese, or you could have an apple with 2 rice cakes and peanut butter

3. You should not LIVE TO EAT but instead EAT to LIVE.

4. Find a trainer to help keep you accountable. I found Julie Lohre online.

5. Get a Fitbit to keep your body moving. Don’t let your day be done until you have reached at least 10,000 (10k) steps. Park furthest out in the parking lot, walk the long way around the grocery store, take a walk during your lunch break. Do whatever you can to get those 10k steps in each day.

Final Thoughts

It’s now been 18 months since I started my body transformation journey. Since then I have been able to keep off the weight while building much more muscle. I could not have done it without my family and my gym, MVP in Rockford, Michigan. Julie Lohre has been a huge help during the building muscle / competition prep portion of my journey. She has shown me that building muscle and maintaining weight is NOT about NOT eating. It is about eating the correct proportions of protein, carbohydrates, and fat throughout the day.

What I love most about my transformation is SHARING my story. I believe God helped me on my journey so that I might inspire others to improve their lives. It took me 39 years for clean eating and working out to come together for me. If I can do it, I know you can too! So many people want to lose weight and get fit and healthy, but they don’t know how to start. You just need to wake up one day and make the decision to change your life. Once you do, you will find that you’ll NEVER want to turn back.

In my mid 30’s I started lifting weights seriously. Finally, I began to see the results I had always wanted. My shoulders began to fill out, my glutes became more rounded, and yes, I could see my abs! The next step was competition. I stepped on stage for the first time in 2009 and have been competing ever since. My best placing was at the 2014 Flex Lewis Classic where I placed 1st in the Open tall class and was the overall Masters champion.

I'm so honored to be in the No Nonsense magazine, I always look forward to receiving it in the mail. I read it cover to cover absorbing all I can from each issue! I love Beverly International products! UMP is awesome for muscle recovery and I love the taste! I also take Mass Aminos, Glutamine Select, Ultra 40, Creatine Select, and Quadracarn day in and day out to help me to continue to build lean muscle. When a show is approaching I add Lean Out and Density to increase fat loss and muscle density.

Tell Yourself You Can... And You Can

I meet women all the time who think that working out is not for them because they are 40 plus. I say NEVER put a limit on yourself! We are all capable of great things if we put our minds to
it! Your weight does not define you, your age does not define you, your economic status does not define you! We make what we want out of our lives and God has a plan for each of us. But, we must engage to our full potential. Tell yourself you CAN... and you CAN! Never speak negatively about yourself, positive words and thoughts only! It certainly can be a challenge as we age, our metabolism slows, while our work and family stresses seem to increase. Sure, there are road blocks, but that doesn't mean it's impossible! If this 43 year old Kentucky girl can do it, you can too! Just get up, get your mind right, set out a plan of action and then get to it! You will never be sorry for trying to improve your life, body and fitness level!

Growing up in small town West Virginia, fitness was not an important facet of my life. Although I enjoyed track and volleyball, church and school took precedent.

This changed when the youngest of my three children was diagnosed with a seizure disorder and mild autism.

To help combat the stress of my life’s constant uncertainty and changes... I joined a small gym.

The combination of weights and cardio gave me the stress relief I was looking for, and as an added benefit my body was beginning its transformation from “skinny fat” to “fit”. In 2008 I hired my first trainer, Joe Newland, at the local Rec Center. My progress accelerated under his expert guidance. Joe introduced me to my first Beverly International supplements. Adding Lean Out, Density, Glutamine Select and UMP to my nutrition program took my training and development to the next level.

Over the next few years I worked full time as a retail store manager and struggled through a painful divorce while raising my three children. The gym became a stress-free sanctuary for me. A couple of competitors there encouraged me to give competition a try. I competed in my first show in 2010. My first win as a Fit Body competitor was in 2012, and I eventually earned my INBF/WNBF pro card in the Fit Body division. My life was falling back into place. I met and married Todd, who is a main part of my support system. I am now focused and my next goal was to compete in the NPC Women’s Physique division. Although I had achieved a “lean” physique, I now had to add more lean mass. Todd and I devised a two-year plan to add needed size.
 

The challenge I faced was that it had become harder and harder to build muscle in the off season, and then holding on to it when dieting down for a show. Luckily, a simple recommendation from the Beverly Advisor Team solved my problem. I added Mass Aminos, Ultra 40, and Quadracarn, not only during the building phase, but also while cutting. Within two weeks I felt and saw a difference. My energy levels improved. I recovered from my workouts much quicker. And I attained a level of muscle fullness and hardness that I had never had before.

I felt confident as I stepped on stage for my first NPC Women’s Physique contest. I placed 2nd and was very happy with the progress I had made. My next competition was in the fall of 2015. I took 1st place in Class B in the Women’s Physique Open division at the West Virginia State/Mid Atlantic Grand Prix and 1st in the masters division.

Now, I’d like to share my nutrition, supplement, and training programs with you. Whether you wish to compete, or just add some lean, shapely muscle to your physique, I’m sure you’ll get great results like I did.

Presentation

Offseason I hit key poses between sets when my muscles are full. Closer to the show I have a designated session just for posing! This helps me feel confident and look polished on stage. Always smile and have fun! Remember how hard you worked for that moment on stage and take that time to shine!!

In Closing

I started my fitness journey as a "skinny fat" mother of three with zero weight training experience. When I walked into the gym for the first time in 2008; I was intimidated by the machines and wouldn't even go near the free weights. Some of you reading this may be in the exact situation I was in - nervous, scared, and clueless. If you are uncertain where to begin, do what I did - reach out for help and ask for guidance. Soon you’ll be as confident in the gym as anyone. If you are more advanced and perhaps considering a competition, there are no better competition plans than those you’ll find in Beverly’s No Nonsense magazine. Page through some back issues or visit the “Articles” section at Beverly International.com. Find someone who is similar to you and your goals and simply follow her plan. Or, I’d be honored if you follow the plans that I have laid out in this article. They’ve worked for me and very likely will work for you too.

As I grew older and my mom’s career became less intense, my life normalized. I participated in figure skating in middle school, but not much else in the way of exercise or sports. When I went to college at FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising), I did start working out again, but without my mom I was lost. I gravitated to the exercises that I was comfortable doing on my own, primarily cardio and abs. Believe it or not, after all the time I had spent in the gym with my mom, I was not confident enough in my own knowledge to train myself. I continued like this for years – trying to eat right through the week, but then binging on the weekends – lots of cardio, but hardly any weights.

By this time I had moved to Florida and found there was not much opportunity for fashion design or merchandising, so I jumped into real estate and have been part of the “At the Beach Team” for the past five years. My workouts were still going nowhere so I decided to set a big goal – to enter an NPC bikini competition. I knew I couldn’t do it on my own. Heck, I’d had zero results for years. So I reached out to my mom for help. What a difference her diets, workouts, and recommendation to get on Beverly International supplements made. It took almost a year of intense workouts, strict dieting, and targeted supplements, but I lost 25 lbs and won first in my class at the 2017 NPC Renegade Classic.

Presentation

Bikini posing has been one of the hardest things for me to master. It wasn’t enough to put in all the hard work and discipline it took to develop my body; I had to be able to display myself to my best advantage to the judges. After my first couple of shows I knew I needed help. I hired a professional coach to help and it made a world of difference.

Tips: Stand tall, lifting your chest, tighten the waist, breath shallow from the chest, walk slow.

Conclusion

Although I watched my mom do it for years, I never realized how much work it took to transform one’s body. Having competed three times now I'm addicted to the process and love the results! My favorite thing is making improvements from show to show. A big plus is the increased confidence that my more muscular shape has given me. I can’t wait to continue to work on my body and get on stage again! One other thing I learned is you need a strong support system to help you get through the contest prep grind. I can't thank my mom and fiancé enough for putting up with me during the toughest times!

I have always enjoyed physical activity and competitive sports. I started playing T-Ball at age 5 and played catcher throughout my childhood. Once in Junior High, I participated in volleyball, basketball, cross-country, track & field, and cheerleading. I continued to participate in volleyball and cheerleading throughout high school, where I graduated in the top of my class at Permian High School in Odessa, TX.

After high school, my activity level began to slow down. The environment and relationships I developed at this time had a negative impact on both my physical and emotional wellbeing. I was living a harmful lifestyle indulging in alcohol and drugs. My life had become filled with toxic relationships, chronic stress, anxiety, and depression. My weight ballooned up by 35 pounds. During my junior year of college I was prescribed Xanax and anti-depressants.

It was in August of 2013, after a night of excessive partying, that I began making a turn for the better. I realized that I was in an unhappy relationship, not just with those around me, but with myself. I began changing my diet, eliminating processed carbohydrates and sugar and eating smaller, more frequent meals. I started working out with the Insanity program in my kitchen in the mornings before classes or work. Despite the physical improvements I had made, I was still lacking in how to properly diet and train for the goals I wanted to achieve. I had become skinny, but with little to no muscle tone and was unsure of how to take my physique to the next level.

I began working on my certification as a Personal Trainer. In February of 2014, I began working at a local gym here in Odessa. I felt blessed having the opportunity to help others improve their daily lives with physical fitness. Slowly, I began building a client base for my personal training services while still attending college and working as a server at Saltgrass Steakhouse. I realized that helping others had become my passion and when my client base became large enough, I quit my serving job and decided to focus all of my efforts on personal training and graduating from college.

Working within the Odessa fitness industry introduced me to many people with similar interests and goals regarding health and fitness. One of those people was Clint Gillispie. We began working together at Anytime Fitness in July of 2016, where I oversaw the personal training program at the club. A year later, I became co-owner, with Clint, of Anytime Fitness Odessa. Our business partnership eventually turned into a romantic relationship and we became inseparable. We began working together on developing our PT program and opening additional Anytime Fitness locations in the Permian Basin. This loving and healthy relationship has been such a blessing! It was at Anytime Fitness that I was introduced to Beverly International products. Clint, along with his father, had both been long time advocates and users of Beverly products.

After graduating from college in May 2017, I decided to compete in my first bikini contest. Clint and I sat down and put together a regimen that I would follow all the way up to my first show in November of 2017. (For a look at my exact programs, see the diets, supplements, and training sections of this article). It was also at this time that we reached out to Julie Lohre to help me with my bikini prep. She provided me with an incredible amount of advice and inspiration leading up to show day. I competed at the Lackland Classic in San Antonio, TX where I placed first in the Class D Novice and fourth in the Class D Open. After the show, I realized that I was hooked and that the bodybuilding lifestyle was something that helps me cope with life’s challenges and allows me to focus all of my energy on something that is positive and fulfilling. I competed in my second show in June of 2018 at the Dallas Europa Games where I placed third in Open Bikini Class D. Despite finishing third, it was gratifying to see the improvements that I made in such a short amount of time. I have no doubt that my gains and improvements would have been severely limited without the use of Beverly International supplements.

Final Thoughts

No one can stop you from becoming your best self and having the life you want but you. Your self-worth begins inside you. I believe the mind and body are intrinsically connected and that positive thoughts and actions influence your physical, spiritual and emotional health. Beverly International athletes prove that your goals can be achieved with consistent exercise, training, a healthy diet and quality supplements. Nobody can teach you to have discipline and will power. That is something only you can create.

Health and Fitness saved me from destructive behaviors while helping me learn to love myself and others. It inspired me to live my purpose by helping others achieve their goals, while also pursuing my own. Establishing a healthier routine helped me manage my anxiety and depression symptoms. I was able to come off all of my medications and my mood and life improved significantly. Every once in a while, my anxiety will creep in, but the severity is nowhere near what it used to be. I love the life I live and I am proud of who I am. I’ve come so far!