It's my turn to tell the story I get asked about so often. Why did you chose fitness as a career? Here's an abridged version. Many of you know my previous story about being a very sick kid with asthma. I was on meds and steroids for my lungs for a long time, and that combined with genetics, puberty and being appeased with food, I gained weight. I was a fairly chunky kid, who was also lazy. Content with laying around all day. I was overweight into high school, and then in my junior year my grandmother had open heart surgery after numerous heart attacks. That was terrifying to me. I couldn't fathom ribs cracked open and failing health. So I started to research foods. (Before the days of the Internet!) and it took some time, but I was slimming down. In college, I began running.Combined with a better diet, I dropped weight and then I was on the opposite side as I had lost way too much. I grew to 6'2, so I looked super skinny, then I hired a trainer to put on muscle and size. I was going to school full time and working full time, and training my ass off, squatting and leg pressing up to 550 pounds, benching like crazy...and the results were coming. I stopped drinking for years. More results. After college, I quit my job at Abercrombie & Fitch, where I gave staff continual fitness advice and helped dozens of them in the gym. My trainer at the time said I should look into becoming a personal trainer. I wasn't interested in the least. I had a degree in communication and was hoping to be a reporter/ news anchor. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense to at LEAST try it. I got certified and picked up a few clients. They had incredible results. My parents were freaked out and told me I had 6 months to make it or else I had to figure something else out. I picked up more clients and word of mouth spread, and after a few years, there was a waiting list to train with me. I knew I always wanted my business to be exclusive and in-home, not concerned in the least of working in a box gym. I can relate to the clients who struggle. And if you would have told me years ago that I would go into a career in fitness I would've laughed in your face. You just never know.
