It’s been some time since we last heard from Jorie. Like anything else, life can sometimes get in the way of our hopes and ambitions. Grand plans and goals can get sidetracked and inevitable feelings of doubt and questioning set in. This happens to all of us.

Jorie has not had the easiest time recently. But as anyone who has ever traveled down a hard road before knows, it is the journey, and not the destination that matters most. We’re with you Jorie and we know you’ll achieve your dreams.

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As of late, I found I absent mindedly, yet with full intent, fell victim to over-training, inattentiveness, lack of form and discipline… all of the above, x10.

With the recent escalation of my Grandmother’s cancer from ‘non-existent’ to stage four, I had been trying to spend as much time in Ohio as possible. Her unexpected and sudden passing was a hard blow to myself and my family.

I, of course, took time to be in Ohio for the viewing and funeral, and I just wasn’t concerned about training. As most people who know me can attest, my grandparents are my heroes.

Coming back home, I felt pretty overwhelmed that I had fallen behind my workout schedule, and off track with my diet. I had already picked a date to compete that was cutting it close if not too soon, and I felt kind of like a failure… if I was going to miss that competition date.

I hit the gym full speed and tripled my cardio sessions, which my body did just fine with. However, somewhere along my haste and inattentiveness… I began rushing my workouts too.

I work fulltime during the day and also attend school full time at night. I was squeezing in a lifting session at lunch, and literally… rushing it to get back to work on time. On chest day, doing Pull-Over’s, and what I attribute to lack of form, I pinched a nerve in my neck.

Thankfully, nothing as serious as to require surgery. Just the Doc giving me some Celebrex (anti-inflammatory), instructions on ice/heat swaps, and assurance that in time, the body just kind of works those things back into place. Great.

I don’t know what I’m more disappointed with; missing the competition date, or being careless enough to injure myself in the process.

I’ve been back in the gym for about a week now. And I’m still going to squeeze in workouts in my lunch breaks; I just got a swift kick in the butt about paying attention to doing things correctly. Taking time to make sure I don’t injure myself possibly worse next time. And well, stretching too. Because I really haven’t been doing that.

I’m pulling a buddy in to do some pictures of my workout here and there. Basically progress pics without me feeling like a weirdo for having mastered my self-timer on my Nikon.

It’s been a humbling experience, having to tell people I’m not ready for April 17.

A Fitness Journey- Meet Jorie

A Fitness Journey- Week 1

A Fitness Journey- Gina Aliotti Lends Her Thoughts

A Fitness Journey- Pictures

A Fitness Journey- Ramping It Up

A Fitness Journey- Path of a Champion

Another fitness legend lends her thoughts to Jorie’s journey.

Nita Marquez is a world accomplished fitness competitor, business owner, motivational speaker, author, and mother. An IFBB Pro who has conquered the fitness landscape, Nita wanted to share with Jorie a little about what got her to where she is.

*You can buy Nita’s book, Fit For Combat, on Fittron and learn how to train like a Marine. Nita is also available for speaking and sponsorship events, so contact her through her profile if you need a professional and accomplished fitness representative.*

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Being on the journey into figure greatness is a path more highly tread now than ever before, as there are many more opportunities to compete with increasing show (figure competitions) availability nationwide. However, the road many choose to travel is not always traveled with efficiency and much less, with effectiveness.

Training with the best helps, and even being the best on paper is a wonderful thing, but mentally, there is a place commonly referred to by all athletes as “the zone” wherein its space a competitor must live full-time in order to feel their best while being in the race to show up the best. It has been spelled out countless times over the past century since the first pioneers of the “positive thinking movement” coined the phrase, “YOUR ATTITUDE DETERMINES YOUR ALTITUDE IN LIFE.” None but those who have accomplished true greatness will tell you that the tools to keeping your mind focused in training for any prize come from keeping your mind clean. This means to remove the unnecessary distractions from your thoughts and rid your daily activities of useless makings while also practicing activities of mental building to the point of making those things habitual.

A few tools I have learned in the history of my career to winning the Overall National Title in my sport have been tools I learned from people like Napoleon Hill, Norman Vincent Peale, and James Allen, along with numerous sports psychologists who have guided the greatest Olympic, PGA Golf and NBA Athletes. I went from being the short chubby girl with no self-esteem in school to becoming one of the world’s top 10 greatest athletes in my field, and being able to accomplish a National Title was beyond dreaming for me. How did I do it? What turn of events took place that “made” me into a champion? The only answer is that I changed my thoughts and my actions.

The question now becomes, “How does one change their thoughts and actions such to the point that it makes them the champion?” Tremendous efforts under the guise and wisdom taught in many books are helpful. For myself, from such works, I have learned the habits that made the champions. As a result of many years of such research, experimentation, and practice, I have a list of things that became habits for me in training. As such things became habitual, the thoughts those habits produced became my modus operandi, which led me to the championship I eventually procured for myself. Here is the list:

1) Have a clear vision of the goal

-What does the environment look like? How do you look? How does the audience appear at the time you win the goal?

2) Daily, upon waking, take 10 minutes to meditate & visualize as you “feel” the goal.

-Sense the emotions that will come from experiencing the reality of that vision.

-Note the senses that come from that reality: How it smells in the room, what your mouth feels like, what you hear, and how your muscles feels throughout your entire body (from your smile to your toes!).

3) Make time twice daily to sit quietly and undistracted as you visualize & experience the goal’s sensory results.

4) Take 10-30 minutes daily (preferably at waking moments) to repetitiously write affirmations of the goal.

-”I, ____(your full name) , have won the (your goal’s title) .”

-”I, (your full name) , have (your bodyfat/measurements).”

-”I, …”come up with one to 5 affirmations that you can write repeatedly every day that you have these sessions.

5) READ BOOKS/ARTICLES that reiterate your championship mindset habits and ideas to continue to grow in the “championship mindset.” Listen to audio books as you drive or as you are at home or even as you are working out or during stretching. Program your muscle memory to operate within these thoughts.

6) Avoid drama by being PROACTIVE rather that reactive to life’s challenging moments. Always remember what matters is your goal; and in your proactive moments, visualize and feel the goal.

7) Have a motto. My motto has always been: “Persistence Always Prevails.”

8 ) Persist

9) Tune into your goal experience thought processes in order to stay tuned out to negative situations, discussions, or people.

10) Train with your core purpose as the “soul” of the training. Accomplish the goal because of why it matters to you and stay passionate. Many people get out into the forest and they miss the trees. Always remember why you first fell into love with your sport, and why it matters to you to be a part of that sport.

Nita Marquez

Miss anything from Jorie’s journey? Read the rest here:

A Fitness Journey-Meet Jorie

A Fitness Journey- Week 1

A Fitness Journey- Gina Aliotti Lends Her Thoughts

A Fitness Journey- Pictures

A Fitness Journey- Ramping It Up

Everyone has been anxiously awaiting an update from Jorie.  She’s been working hard, refining her diet, and tearing up I-95 to train with one of the best in the business: personal trainer Sidney Wilson. Let’s see what she has going on.

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Whew! It certainly has been a packed two weeks!

I have been traveling non-stop it seems; I just returned from Columbus, Ohio. My grandmother’s cancer is rearing it’s ugly head again. To be honest, I skipped the gym this weekend, but I did throw on my shoes and run. And run. And run.

Maintaining my cardio and hitting the streets did amazing things for my mind. I am surprised at the amount of stress and worry I was able to let go of. I’m really glad I forced myself out the door in the amazing 15 degree weather. Seriously though, mother nature needs to stop with the snow.

I finally made it back to Annandale last night and I’m overly pumped to get back on schedule.

Last weekend (Feb 7th), I made it up to NYC to meet up with a great trainer, Sidney Wilson. Sidney just so happens to be one of the toughest trainers there is, was the rumor, and after training with him once, I completely concur.

Sid harps that my diet and discipline will be the most important factors in my success. I already have a well established problem of NOT eating enough, or forgetting meals altogether.

Walking into Sid’s place at 1500 he learned I had only snacked on cashews thus far. And the workout begins.

Twenty minutes into training, and 28 flights of stairs later, I embarrassingly lost my stomach. Sid says casually, “that’ll teach you not to eat.” We continue our workout.

Two hours later, I’m exhausted, and already making plans for the next weekend!

I had an amazing time; loved every minute of the challenge and the unique methodology Sidney utilizes in training. I hadn’t had my butt kicked that well since PT in the Marine Corps.

I hope to meet up with Sidney again this weekend now that Valentines day has passed. Due to the fact he is located in NYC, this makes my commute around four hours each way. His training pushes me, almost harder than I push myself, and that is worth battling I-95, and the tolls along the way. I hope to link up with the parents of a prior service buddy of mine that lives near Staten Island; hopefully they will allow me to crash there on the weekend to help with some of the driving.

Sid did make a comment about the length of time it may take me to cut the necessary body fat. I may have picked a competition date that is too soon for where I need to be. I have been looking at a few shows in early May in case I need the extra two-three weeks.

I am also concerned about posing. Beyond studying video from shows, such as the 09 Figure Olympia where Ms Gina Alotti placed second, and studying magazine snippets… I find myself with a severe lack of knowledge in this arena. I’m finding I’m pretty far behind with where I need to be.

I am in need of a coach, (stage coach?) or an individual whom can critique my non-existent ability to pose.

My re-aligned focus:

* Incorporating Sidney Wilson-NYC kicking my butt on the weekends into my regular routine during the week.

* Setting more timers and reminders to EAT! I’m still aiming around 1700 calories with about 50% of my intake being protein. This is about 200 g.

* Adding more cardio to my workouts. Aiming at 6 days a week of 20 Hi-Intensity and 25 minutes distance to increase fat loss.

* Adding more plyometric exercises into my routines. I love the fatigue and maintain my heart rate!

* Focus on posture, and maintaining posture throughout the day. Practicing posing as well.

I’ll be tweeting more day-to-day experiences, especially this weekend; I also tweet out many questions and the like if you’d like to follow along and be more active in my day-to-day;

My twitter — www.twitter.com/stupadgurl (yes, i know, Stupadgurl?!)

Fittron’s twitter — www.twitter.com/fittron

Looking forward to hearing some feedback!

Jorie Ann

A Fitness Journey- Meet Jorie

A Fitness Journey- Week 1

A Fitness Journey- Gina Aliotti Lends Her Thoughts

a Fitness Journey- Pictures

To give everyone an idea of where she is, Jorie has decided to post her first pictures as she begins her fitness transformation. As most of us viewing these pictures can see, Jorie is in tremendous shape. But she’s looking for more. Here’s to watching her succeed.

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I was definitely dreading taking the initial progress pictures.

I already knew, of course, I had a lot of work that needed to be done: EVERYWHERE.

My legs in particular… are well, lets just say curvaceous to the max. Beyonce can get paid for this… not many of us can too.

I knew taking these pictures, they’d likely be posted for the internet to see. And that is also a little intimidating.

My optimistic side says I can’t wait for the feedback! I know in particular the areas I “think” I should put more work into. BUT what if I’m over looking the details.

At this point, I generally, have work to do in all areas. However, as I progress, I want to make sure I’m doing so evenly. That my physique is developing proportionately.

And I hope as readers, you’ll help me out with encouragement, constructive criticism, and don’t let me overlook those areas I need work!!

Jorie

Gina Aliotti Lends Her Thoughts

Week 1

Meet Jorie

Gina Aliotti:

What you’re about to read will give you a true glance into the knowledge of a world class fitness competitor. Gina’s advice is a must have for anyone looking to enter the world of fitness and figure competitions. And the best part is, Gina can help you too. With an extensive website that includes a member section, you can receive help and support like this from Gina as well. Think about it. What you’re about to read can be written to you, and for you; by Gina.

Read on to see just how much help and guidance Gina can provide. Jorie is certainly grateful for it. And so are we.

Thank you Gina for being a part of this tremendous journey.

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Jorie, First of all thank you for your service duties and commitment to protecting our freedom! Congratulations on your decision to embark upon such an amazing journey that will change your life forever! The journey is one that will have its ups and downs, challenges and obstacles but when you push through the end result is indescribable! With your drive, commitment, determination focus and motivation, you WILL accomplish your goals! From reading your bio, you have a very impressive story and if anything makes you feel like you have “purpose”, it is accomplishing your ultimate fitness goals. You will realize what you are capable of doing and you will regain your self-esteem and confidence you once had and then some! Competitions are so much more than getting into the best shape of your life! They help you shape who you are, what you are all about and more than that give you direction, purpose and the ability to focus on you and establishing just who Jorie is! Your goal to take this journey step-by-step and in strides is a perfect approach and will lead you to success! I am so excited for you as you embark upon this unforgettable journey!

I have taken a look at your current workout routine and diet and wanted to offer you some of my suggestions to help you with your goals. I notice you are eating 5 meals a day, which is a great start but I would suggest bumping this up to 6 or 7 to keep your metabolism up longer throughout the day. I notice on Saturday you don’t even have a second meal! You definitely want to get this in. You want to be sure to eat every 2-3 hours. Your breakfast meals look great with oats, protein shakes or egg whites and a small amount of fruit. I would watch out in the amount of fruit you are in taking and definitely stay away from fruit juices. I notice you are eating a lot of fruit and juices. I do not suggest eating this much fruit, especially bananas, and I would not drink any juice what so ever. There is just too much sugar! Keep your meals around 20-30 grams of protein so if you are having a shake there isn’t really a need to add in eggs also. Usually it is one or the other. I noticed your second meal is really just a small snack rather than a meal with your 20-30 grams of protein and other macro nutrients. I would highly suggest staying away from dairy products, while in contest prep. Low or non fat dairy is great for the off season but when you are getting ready for a show it is too high in sugar. Again, many of your 3rd meals have fruit and dairy, which you want to limit. I also noticed you are eating breads, wraps and dressings. You should avoid creamy dressings and stick with your healthy oils such as olive oil and you should replace your breads with a complex carbohydrate such as brown rice or a yam. Your mid afternoon snack often has fruit, once again, or not enough or any protein at all. I like the days you have the protein shake and eggs but be sure to only eat the whites and eat more than 2. 2 egg whites only have 7-8 grams of protein and 34 calories, which isn’t enough for one meal! Your last meal should be loaded with veggies and a lean protein such as your shrimp, fish, protein shake, or egg whites. I notice you do follow a lean protein/veggie combination on some days but other days you have carbohydrates (bread) which you definitely want to avoid before you go to bed! Your diet program has several great choices but you should look into tailoring it more towards the figure diets, in order for you to achieve the goals you are looking for to step on stage in the best shape of your life, lean yet maintaining your hard earned muscle tissue.

There are some things you should consider when starting a dietary program. First of all there are basic foods that are good for such as healthy fats, complex carbs and lean proteins. You should get a variety of healthy foods from all different macronutrients but women need to be sure to get in enough of their omega 3-6-9’s. Women have different hormones and it is essential for women to be sure to get in their essential fats in order to keep their hormones balanced and regulated. Eating Omega 3, 6, 9’s are a key component to any weight loss program but especially for women. Women need more fats in their diets. The omega’s help with our skin, hair, nails, and overall health. It is essential to not only get in the fats from our foods but I highly recommend supplementing with a Omega 3-6-9 supplement.

Diet is so important. I believe it is 90% of any fitness program. When you are trying to obtain lean muscle or lose body fat, a specialized nutritional program is key! Depending on what your goals are, 5-7 small frequent meals is #1. The types of foods in those meals is key! Some examples of healthy foods include:

Complex Carbs:

Oatmeal, yams, sweet potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, etc.

Lean Proteins:

Egg whites, chicken breast, turkey breast, fish, etc.

Healthy fats:

Nuts, Nut butters, Avocado, Olive oil, Salmon, etc.

A sample diet and an ideal program for gaining lean muscle is something similar to this:

Meal 1: egg whites, oatmeal, almonds

Meal 2: egg whites, oatmeal, small apple (sometimes low fat cottage cheese)

Meal 3: big salad, chicken, yam

Meal 4: protein shake, rice cakes with peanut butter

Meal 5:white fish, brown rice, veggies

Meal 6: chicken breast, big salad and veggies

Meal 7: protein shake or egg whites

Your training program looks great. Be sure to alter your cardio as you need to in order to keep your body coming down and leaning out perfectly. I like your workout split but would suggest you limit your chest training and focus on upper chest when you do train chest. As women, other than rounding out our delts and balancing out our upper chest so it does not look under developed, we do not need to focus on building size to our chest. I believe all women should always train shoulders heavy. This is the foundation for making a waistline look small and building the symmetry to show off the v-taper. Other than heavy shoulder training, I believe in tons of drop sets, super sets and focusing on squeezing and proper form. Since the majority of women are looking to tone and sculpt, I find using moderate weight and more plyometric training works well for achieving beautiful curves and shape. I also believe that women should train their glutes and hamstrings a few times a week, since that tends to be the trouble area for most women. It is important to build the muscle density in the glutes and hamstrings to keep them tight and round.

I am all about change with everything so when it comes to your exercises, reps and sets. I say some days do less reps with higher weight and other days do the opposite and go for higher reps with lighter weight. If you are looking to add muscle, I always recommend training that body part twice a week and doing one day heavy and the other light. Constantly change exercises, reps, sets, rest time, and weight! Have fun with it and always try something new! Never let your body get use to anything, keep it constantly wondering what you are going to do next. The goals is to add muscle to keep your metabolism high and also to keep you round, full and curvy. The goal should be to increase lean muscle tissue and supplement cardio to burn the excess body fat to maintain a lean physique. Focus on your weight training and diet and use cardio as a secondary source of exercise to stay in good cardiovascular shape and to burn that excess bit of fat but do not use cardio as a sole means of working out! Don’t be afraid to lift weights but be sure to focus on proper form and technique. I see that you are squatting. This is an exercise you need to be sure you have a spot and or are using perfect form. You do not want to use your waist to stabilize and in turn increasing your waistline. We want to keep our waistlines tiny to enhance our figures! I never suggest free squats only squats using a Smith Machine and again not going too heavy and using perfect form!

A sample training program includes 5 days of weight training with 4-5 days of 30-45 minutes of cardio to start and increasing as the weeks to your show get closer and closer. I would train each body part one time a week except shoulders and glutes/hamstrings, which I believe you should train twice! A typical workout should be no longer than 50 minutes with about 30-60 seconds rest in between sets.

A typical week may go like this:

MON-SHOULDERS, UPPER CHEST, ABS, CARDIO

TUES-BACK, BI’S, CARDIO

WED-OFF

THURS-LEGS (GLUTES & HAMS), ABS

FRI-SHOULDERS, TRICEPS, CALVES, CARDIO

SAT-HAMSTRINGS, GLUTES, ABS, CARDIO

SUN-OFF, CARDIO ONLY

I hope this helps Jorie! I am excited for you and look forward to learning more about your progress success and amazing journey! Remember this is a journey not a destination, enjoy every moment!

Jorie, you can accomplish anything you set your heart to and if there is something you want to achieve, as long as you map out your plan of attack, take it in strides, one day at a time, and the right support group, you can accomplish anything…

To learn more about how to personalize your plan or for others looking for information, tips and tools in achieving their ultimate fitness goals, I offer a very interactive members section of my website, www.ginaaliott.net, that offer that and so much more! I offer tons of information from articles, healthy recipes, cooking and training videos, a very interactive forum that I am extremely involved in, answering all questions and chiming in on posts among members. It is a great way to be involved in a network of health conscious individuals who are eager to learn how to make this a realistic lifestyle! I have been living this life my whole life it is second nature to me. I am so excited to teach others how to make this a way of life and a very doable part of living. Not a diet but a way of life!! With my healthy recipes, you will see how your diet does not have to consist of chicken and broccoli but delicious meals!! I also offer training videos, including my weekly circuit workouts that can be performed in the luxury of your own home, so you don’t even have to go to a gym.

If you are looking for one on one guidance, tips, tools and a network of like minded individuals who can motivate and push you to achieve your goals, I encourage you to check out my members section of my website so I can personally help you and be a part of your fitness journey!!

MEMBER TOUR PAGE

Best of Luck to you Jorie!

Please do not hesitate to contact me for further assistance!

Never let go of your dreams!

Gina Aliotti

IFBB Figure Professional, Nutritional Specialist and Lifestyle management

www.ginaaliotti.net

gina@mandgfitness.com

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Jorie’s Journey:

Meet Jorie

Week 1

Week 1 Workouts

Jorie Salyers road to the fitness stage has begun.

You can find charts of her diet and workout schedule in the two links above. For those of you with experience in the field, how do you feel about her program and diet? Anything she needs to improve or change? Remember you are just as much a part of this journey as anyone else, and Jorie wants your input.

Gina Aliotti, the most recognized and accomplished female fitness competitor in the country, will be critiquing Jorie’s routine in the next post, so check back for that soon. And for those of you wondering how you to can get Gina to help you meet your fitness goals- become a part of her members section on her website, www.ginaaliotti.net

You’ve seen the workouts, you’ve studied Jorie’s diet, now let’s see what she has to say about where she’s going:

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Throughout this first week, it’s been amazing how good it feels to be in the gym with an end goal in mind. I aim to compete in April 24th in an expo called Fitness Atlantic, an event that encompasses Figure, Fitness, Muscle and Bikini competitions. The Expo is produced by Brian Cannone, once a competitor himself. Viewing the website, it seems Fitness Atlantic is quite the production. I even recognize big names of competitors who have competed here when they started off. This being my first go, I have no idea if this show might be too big for me.

I decided to research and found few other events in the area. One is the OCB EASTERN REGIONAL on April 10, 2010 in Owings Mills, MD. From what I could gather there was a debut , novice, and an open figure category. I wasn’t able to gather a lot of extenuating details on the competition, but it definitely appears a smaller production than Fitness Atlantic.

I also took a look at Mr./Ms. Virginia that takes place on the 17th in Petersburg, VA. They have a novice, and a open figure section as well. I will have to call the number listed to see what information I can obtain – although, I can’t say I’m exactly sure what questions I’m asking.

Alongside of checking my diet and critiquing my routine, I’m really going to have to decide on a competition that is right for me. All the hard work and discipline I’ll be putting into training will likely be better with a goal in mind! I may need suggestions and help here folks!

I’ve also decided to take progress pictures tomorrow (I need one more cardio session before this!) Don’t hold your breath, this next post of pics might be bad! But I have to start somewhere!

I have a rough week one of diet and workouts. We’ll see if I’m headed down the right path thus far!

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Missed the first article on Jorie? Read it here:

The Fitness Journey- Meet Jorie

Every so often we get to do something that makes us infinitely proud. Sometimes it’s receiving a note that someone found a great trainer on our site and has been able to change their life. Sometimes its hearing that one of our professionals on the site has been able to quit his $10 hour job at the gym and go independent because he has been getting clients from Fittron.

But few things can compare to the journey we are about to commence today.

Jorie Salyers, a 24 year old woman from Washington DC, is a former United States Marine and aspiring fitness competitor and model. For doing what so few of us have the courage to do, for standing up for those who cannot, for protecting our freedom, for spending years of a precocious youth in a war zone, and for symbolizing what this great nation is all about, Jorie Salyers has our respect, admiration, and gratitude.

Now out of the Marine Corps, Jorie begins her new life, a life that began in the sands of Iraq and hopefully ends on America’s biggest fitness stages. Jorie has decided to become a fitness competitor. Somewhere along the crucible of life as a US Marine, Jorie developed a passion for fitness and competition. Maybe those long desert nights bring out a sense of revelation and meaning that few of us can ever imagine and you quickly find your purpose. But we’re just speculating. We’re going to let Jorie tell you her story.

Begining today, January 5th, 2010, Fittron.com will be chronicling the journey of Jorie Ann Salyers as she embarks on her goals of becoming a fitness competitor. Like any road in life, the path is long and difficult, and the ending uncertain. Like anyone who set up to accomplish anything of significance, there have been bumps along the road and the journey has been far from easy. But with the individual we have at hand, someone who found the resolve to stand and defend this great country, we have no doubt that Jorie will accomplish her goals.

We will be updating regularly with pictures, articles, events, happenings and more. And Jorie wants to hear from you. She doesn’t have all the answers. She wants suggestions, questions, comments and more.

So are you ready to be a part of this incredible journey?

Then let’s meet Jorie…….

Jorie Ann Salyers – Age 24 – Washington, D.C.

Aspirations: Figure Competitor, Fitness Model, Trainer, Life Motivator

I am a native of Columbus, Ohio, raised by my mother, Julie, in a full household! Jelena, Jorie (that’s me!), Jarren, Jendy, and Jhent. Whew, get all that?

My family means the world to me, and they are my heart and my motivation in everything I do. To protect this beloved “heart” of mine, I joined the Marine Corps at age 19. I needed to do something in my life that made me like I had a purpose. A purpose I had been seeking since 9-11. I wanted to be someone others would be proud of; to my siblings, to others my age, and to myself.

I deployed for the first time in 2006. Shortly before this deployment is where I developed my intense passion for fitness (and love for the Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding – Thanks Arnold!) This deployment in Ramadi, Iraq, was consumed with lifting and fitness. To be honest, it’s what pushed me through the deployment. It was a focus, a goal, an outlet; which sometimes can be easily lost out there.

Returning from Iraq, my mind was set to become a personal trainer, but I wanted to lead by example first. Without a doubt, I was going to compete. How could I help people reach their own fitness goals until I had met my own?

As fast as I had sprinted upward to reach my goals, I came crashing back down. I was relocated to Virginia from California, which set my ambitions to a standstill. From this relocation – I deployed yet again, buried more of my service buddies, had surgery on my right foot disabling me for a half year, and had a humiliating encounter of sexual assault.

The low that I felt was indescribable. I did not believe I was going to be able to re-establish the self-esteem and confidence in myself to tackle anything, let alone getting back in the gym. My dreams were vanishing; they had vanished. My hope for me – had vanished.

I am now at a point in my life that a lot of those things have a found peace – I believe time is to be credited for this. I exited Active Duty Marine Corps in September, 2009. Utilizing this time to recollect, I have felt the same glimmer within myself I used to feel. For the first time in months, I stepped inside a gym. For the first time in months, I had hope for re-establishing who I am.

It is my goal now to take this journey step-by-step, until those steps are across a stage. I believe I am re-finding this passion, this drive of mine, for me. I am doing this for me, for my “heart”, and for anyone, who has maybe lost their way before.