Skinny Fat to Sculpted Physique

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.