Follow Joesie as she makes her Fitness America Bikini debut!

When SKINNY Isn't Enough....

As much as I thought of myself as somewhat in shape, I'd never really been fit. In hindsight, I now know what I really was. I was “skinny fat.” I was the girl who never paid attention to her diet, worked out once in a blue moon and still always looked thin. The first gym that I ever joined was three years ago. It was one of those self-proclaimed gyms for women. This basically meant there were a ton of classes, archaic machines and cardio machines of which there were never enough to go around. This is where I thought I belonged. Coed gyms intimidated me and since this gym was designed for women I believed this was all I needed to stay in shape.

I started going to the gym twice a week doing 30 minutes of cardio on my own, or attending a class for 45 minutes. I was content, I thought I was looking and feeling good.  As I look back I think deep down I knew I could do better.


Last year I had an epiphany. I had just come back from a 10 day trip to Nicaragua where I was eating gallo pinto by the bucket. When I got back I started back up with my same workout routine and realized my body was not bouncing back to the “skinny fat” that I was so used to. I looked in the mirror and realized I was just plain old chubby. At this point I knew I had to make some changes. I did some research and finally joined a “real” gym. I started to incorporate weight training into my routine, but after a short time I reverted back to my comfort zone and slipped back into my old cardio-only workout habits. I realized then that I needed help. I needed an accountability partner and after a little research I found Malenna Saunders and the Elite Heat. Through Malenna, I began to truly learn about my body and how to effectively incorporate weight training and nutrition into my everyday life, for this I am forever thankful.

It’s hard for me to qualify the confidence and physical and mental benefits I’ve received on my journey from “skinny fat” to “skinny fit.” I began this year with the desire to try new things outside of my comfort zone and to constantly set new goals for myself. So far, I’ve exceeded all of my expectations and now have a new outlook on what I can accomplish. I've met an amazing group of women on this journey and cannot thank them enough for their constant support and camaraderie. I look forward to helping them reach their goals and to growing with them as we continue to challenge ourselves to be the best that we can be.

Follow Clare as she makes her Fitness America Bikini debut!

Fearless...

"In all my 48 years, I have never owned a bikini. Ever until now"

Something happened to me when I hit my 40's - I woke up one day and was tired of settling for what was staring back at me in the mirror.  Like most women, I struggle daily with body image and tend to see only my flaws.   Given that, the decision to train for a fitness competition is some what difficult for me to explain, even to myself. I've always enjoyed sports in some form as a child. I began running for fitness in college, and have continued with that throughout the years, finishing a couple of marathons and a number of shorter races. But always, in the back of my mind, I wanted a certain look. Why didn't I look like I worked as hard as I felt like I was?

Pushing myself through endless cardio classes didn't seem to be getting me where I wanted to be, but I realized now the issue was in my head. I was afraid to acknowledge that I wanted to look cut, to look athletic.  It seemed shallow to me - if I was healthy, why should I be unhappy with how I looked? Especially when I had a job I loved as well, as a network producer. It seemed unseemly to be complaining about something like my abs.

As an adult, I moved on to sports where looks didn't matter. I learned to play ice hokey at 40 and play on 3 teams.  Having been afraid of team sports, fearing I would be picked last, be the weakest, etc, it's been a joy to experience what being on a team means.  I also took up triathalons four years ago despite a paralyzing fear of swimming.  For the most part, I have been able to work past my fears. All of them except the fear of how I look, and being openly judged about it.  But last year, a number of things happened that changed my outlook.

• surgery on a torn hamstring that would sideline me from most cardio activity for months
• turning 48 which meant 50 was just around the corner

A friend of mine, Kelly Kalley, did her first bikini fitness competition with WBFF in Montreal.  A fashion designer with a great sense of style, Kelly seemed fearless. I remember saying to her that I couldn't imagine putting myself out there to be judged in that way.  But her journey intrigued me more and more as it went on, and I resolved to get past my surgery and refocus my training.  If she could stay so impressively fit without a lot of  cardio, I wanted to see if I could do it as well.  But the training is only half the battle. As they say, you cannot train a bad diet, and I needed real help. That's when an article in the Wall Street Journal, by a woman who reminded me of, well me, caught my eye. Alyssa Abkowitz-Cendrowski wrote a great story about her coach Malenna Saunders, and a team named the Elite Heat describing her journey to the competititve stage. It was clear from Alyssa's story that diet was the missing link in my regime, but I needed a road map, and I didn't want to do it alone. 

When I met with Malenna and the team members I realized I didn't have to. With Malenna's help, and starting with the Advocare 24 Day Challenge, I have been able to revamp how I eat, and while it hasn't been easy. it truly was the missing link in the chain. 

The final fear to face will be standing on that stage. But I know I can face it with the help of my great coach and wonderfully supportive teammates.  Losing those fears and hangups is the best weight loss I can ever imagine.