MY STORY - PART 1

Its a mad, crazy time around September/October with all the comps happening and I'm in a wierd place emotionally - you know - not part of the comps - assessing where I'm at, where I want to be and how I can get there. So I thought I'd take a bit of a stroll down memory lane and share with you my story of why I wanted to compete.

I've been blessed with a very fortunate and wonderful life. I have no bad childhood memories or experiences that would have scarred me for life. There were no silly rules or beliefs that instilled bad habits into me (you know like "finish up everything on your plate coz there are children starving in Africa"). I just had a good healthy appetite and I wasnt "gifted" when it came to sports. Warning. Warning. Potential recipe for weight problems.

And thats just what happened. I ate lots and didnt do (hardly) any sports. By 12 years of age I was a "big girl". Not necessarily fat but certainly large and very well developed. So not long after that I tried my first diet and that began the roller coaster ride of losing and gaining weight over and over and over again .... you get my drift.

OK cut to 2005. WH and I were moving to Brisbane. He was getting a fantastic promotion and all our moving costs were going to be paid for. I would take leave without pay from my government job and would upgrade my qualifications and work as a PT. (I had been an aerobics instructor since my late 20s). "Hmmm I better get in good shape again" I thought so I entered the Body Blitz 12 Week Challenge and started it just before I left Adelaide in January 2005. Over the Challenge I lost about 8kgs and was looking MUCH better (72kgs - 64kgs). But life in a new city was tough. I wasnt working as BS was 2 years old and I didnt have access to childcare initially. I was studying whenever I could. I knew no-one except my ILs who lived 40kms away. It was stinking hot and our new house didnt have air conditioning. I spent my days .... ??? ... looking after our son and studying (if possible). I trained at home as I had no gym membership and I had very little time in which to fit it in.

In my loneliness and boredom I discovered the internet (I hadnt been into computers at all before then) and would look at the Ideal Bodies Online website. This led me to Sue Heintze's blog and then other blogs from there. I became a lurker and during 2005 I followed various blogs of figure competitors. I read everything. I was fascinated. I was shocked. I was amazed. I was HOOKED. I started to wonder whether I could do it myself (having just lost 8kgs). Deep down I wanted to give it a go.

It took me ages to get up the courage to take the leap and call INBA to enquire about competing. Sadly I regained quite a bit of my lost weight in the meantime but that didnt deter me. I told WH about my dream (cant remember his initial reaction) and I called Lorraine Pacullio (not sure if thats spelt right) to help me get started.

When I attended one of Lorraine's posing practice sessions on the Sunshine Coast I met a girl called Cathy who was competing in the 2006 INBA Female Only show on the Gold Coast in 4 (or so) weeks time. She was doing physique. Well I could not believe how good she looked in her tank top and little denim skirt. Very lean with the most beautful arms and LEGS TO DIE FOR.

I was going to get me some of that. I knew I would have to train like a trojan and diet like I'd never dieted before but I had a vision, a dream and I was going for it.

To be continued...

Magda