Follow Kelly as she makes her WBFF DIVA BIKINI Debut!

Time to get UNcomfortable....

" Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." Neale Donald Walsch

This is the year for me to do things “out of my comfort level” 

You see, I was always an athlete growing up even after graduating from school.  I played on many volleyball, softball and soccer recreational teams, just to keep me in that competitive mindset.  My weight or being in shape was never an issue.  Fast forward to careers, marriage, and kids... I think women tend to care for others more than they take care of themselves.  I personally, put myself on the backburner and didn’t focus so much on doing what’s right for me, in reference to my health. 

I was training for my first WBFF competition about 5 years ago until my son suffered from a TBI.  In that moment my world stopped because I had to attend to all his medical and educational needs.  I’m happy to report he’s doing a lot better now and felt it was time to push myself, out of my comfort level and try to start training for a fitness competition.  I attended the “Fitness Atlantic” show last year and knew at that time, I wanted to pursue this dream of mine.. to get up on stage.  The glitz and glamour and general comradery of all the competitors was contagious.  I thought what a perfect way to showcase all your hard work in the end.  “The Elite Heat Girls” stood out in that show and knew I needed to make contact with their coach to be a part of that energy.  I had made contact through “Bricks” and the rest was history. 

Early on in my training, I developed a knee injury.  I had a partial tear to my meniscus but pushed through that injury in order to meet my fitness goals.  The results took me a litle longer because a lot of my fitness workouts had to be modified, but that never stopped me.    I trained with purpose and conviction.  I had a long-term goal in mind and nothing was going to stop me.  Once I started to really see my body transform and “finally” see that scale move downwards, it gave me the extra motivation to continue when my family's schedule could have gotten in the way, like in years past.  I keep going and keep seeing more and more results and started to really feel great; probably the best I’ve felt in a while.    

It’s not being selfish, taking time for yourself.  I think some people have that wrong.  It’s important especially the older we get to really take care of your health and make sure it’s aligned properly.  Another thing I found I did during this prep was to keep my mind right.  I practiced mediation on a daily basis and found this really grounded me and gave me peace during times I felt things could have spiraled in another direction.  Prepping for a show in your late 40’s was a challenge to say the least.  I fit in workouts before and after work and even in between my son’s sports practice.  I look back at it now and wonder “how the heck” did I actually keep up with that schedule, as long as it did. 

I have found if you really want something bad enough, nothing will stop you.  I’ve started to take back my health and pushed it to another level and can’t wait to see what else is in store, because this is just the beginning.  I’ve been told many times during this year’s prep that I have inspired certain people to start working out again while, others have followed my journey just to support me which I have greatly appreciated.  Their words of encouragement and support have given me the drive especially, during those 430am workout wake up calls. 

I wanted to acknowledge the women on my team.  They are like-minded career-focused women, that I have the privilege to say, are my friends now.  It has been nice to be able to go through this prep and be able to vent to someone that will understand what we are going through because, let’s face it some people didn’t get why we were doing this show to begin with.  I want to thank each and every one of you and the support and laughs we have shared.  Remember, ladies we got this and always will!!! 

Finally, I wanted to acknowledge my kids.  They have seen me go through this prep and cheered me along every step of the way.   I’m proud of myself because of example I have given them of what hard work really looks like.  I have always shared that kind of advice with them in the past, but they have never seen from the beginning to end a true scenario of that playing out for them.  They know now that they can accomplish anything they put their mind to, as long as they have drive, motivation and conviction.

Wish me luck as I step on stage for the first time next weekend!  Anything is possible as long as you manifest it, it will happen….

Follow Kim as she makes her Diva Fitness Debut!!

A Journey Come Full Circle

Kim's journey with Phoenyx began as a private, online client looking to get into better shape for carnival in Trinidad.  The first time I met Kim in person was the WBFF Fitness Atlantic show in 2016.  A mutual friend and client was competing in the show that year.  She may have mentioned then that she was possibly interested in taking on the stage at some point in the future. I have many people that say that to me, but those words do not always translate to participating in a program and actually going through prep.  

She reached out again though, expressing an interest and we got the ball rolling last year.  It's not easy going from an online program to COMPETITION PREP.  These two things are not even in the same realm of preparation, but Kim was diligent with her program and determined to do it right. One year later, we are just hours away from the same show and stage that Kim witnessed 2 years ago for the first time.  This time, this stage is hers. We are so excited to showcase Kimberly Ashley in her diva bikini debut!!

My Why....I’m 41 years old and have always been into fitness. In college I was on the crew team for 4 years and was captain my senior year. When I returned home from college, I continued to exercise regularly but it wasn’t the same.  I missed the competitiveness. My exercise habits started to not be consistent and because of that my weight was up and down. When I first decided to participate in a bikini competition, it was more of a “bucket list” type of fulfillment.  But as I was going through the process of comp prep, it became much more. I’ve had to confront my weakness (which were hard for me to accept). Consistency has always been a challenge. But in order to be successful in this journey, consistency HAD to happen.  I also saw that I was stronger than I thought I was. There have been days where I felt sorry for myself and that  I’ve wanted to cry and just give up. But I’m so happy that I decided to push through. I’m a nurse practitioner and I work with patients that have advanced heart failure. I want to set an example for my patients.  I want them to know that I understand that maintaining a healthy diet and regularly exercising is hard.  But I’m right there with them.

WBFF Fit Model and Bikini Competitor Jasmine

Normally, the write ups are submitted from the athlete's perspective. Since this athlete posted from a previous show, we are doing something different and presenting from the coach's angle.

"Oh yes, the past can hurt. But you can either run from it, or learn from it.' -- The Lion King

COACH's CORNER

When I was choosing pictures for this write up, the above picture was EVERYTHING, but let me start from the beginning. 

Jas joined the team 2 years ago, almost exactly. At 22, she was the youngest on our team and if her energy and spunky attitude didn't tell you that, the fact that she hails at a towering 5 feet tall didn't help.  Working with her initially was a different challenge. Most of the ladies were older, already working professionals, some married so priorities SLIGHTLY different than a young, fresh out of college sorority girl. We had to put things like parties, alcohol and junk food on the back burner. Jas has always had an amazing support system so with the help of her mother (food preparer), father (motivator) and sister (voice of reason) she pulled things together and in the fall of the same year, competed in her first show, WBFF Rhode Island. Placing top 5 in her first, show, she did really well coming out of the blocks.

Second show quickly approached the following summer, WBFF NY 2015. She graced the stage with 6 other ladies from the team and took a stab at the Fit Model category.  She didn't have a placement in this show, and I knew she was disappointed, but she was determined to hit the stage again. She had her sister's wedding to prepare for later that year, and financially, as well as mentally wanted to be in the right mindset so decided to wait until at least spring of 2016. At the end of 2015, we revisited the conversation and moved forward with a fresh mindset but also an accountability change. How the stage isn't owned by your competition, but by you. How you need to bring your BEST no matter who shows up because THAT is the only thing within your control. How WINNING is about your mentality, and perception. Not the judgement of 5-7 strangers sitting at a long table in front of you.

 

FAST forward to the first picture. The GIRL I met 2 years ago has grown to the WOMAN pictured above. Focused, dedicated, hard working, determined, relentless,..unbroken. It's one thing to try something. You don't always win, and you don't always get what you want. The winners get up, and try again and again, knowing that the outcome isn't as important as getting better. 

Jasmine has continued to bring a better package each time to the stage...July 30th is no exception. Check out her updates on IG @jleeabreu and visit www.wbffshows.com for ticket info if you are in the area!!

Follow Daphne as she makes her WBFF Fitness Diva Model Debut!!!

Continuing the Journey to Learn, Grow, and INSPIRE....

Here I go again.  This Saturday, I will be on stage competing with the WBFF Show in NYC!!  Preparing for this competition was nothing like the first time around.

In April 2014, my goal was to face my fear of getting on stage in a bikini.  I couldn't tell you how afraid I was with just the thought, let alone actually going through with it.  But none the less, it turned out to be one of the best moments in my life.  I had such a great experience prepping for my first show.  I just made up my mind that the only thing I was going to do was to have fun and showcase my hard work.  Ad that's exactly what happened.  I had the time of my life.  Still nervous as hell, but I had a blast. I promised myself to live in every moment and appreciate it, instead of thinking about the 'competition' aspect of the show. 

That evening, I placed second in Diva Bikini Masters. I was so proud of myself and happy that I was able to do something that made my daughter proud of me.  She was one of the biggest motivations.  As parents, we sometimes look for moments for our children to do things to make us look good. I think it should be the opposite.  As parents, we should constantly work on ourselves and have our children feel proud of us.  They will learn to understand what it takes to motivate and inspire themselves and others.  

With that being said, after I placed second, I couldn't wait to prepare for my next competition and see if I can 'bring a better package to the stage' as a competitor would say.  But after binging on not so clean food, I ended up looking like I did when I had prepped before my first comp.  I was so disappointed in myself and had my first setback.  I started doubting whether or not I could even do this. When I finally found the motivation to 'go hard' in the gym again, I pushed too hard and my left arm went numb.  I pusched hard with the wrong mindset and wrong motivation.  I pushed with anger, anxiety and pressure that I believed people placed on me.  The 'people' aka the voices of insecurities started creeping in.  Mine said ' You placed second. Everyone will expect you to place first'  ' People are expecting you to get your pro card.

I was no longer having fund and couldn't remember why I was even doing this anymore.  Am I doing this because I am trying to prove something? What and to who? Am I doing this because my coach worked so hard to get me to this point and I don't want to let her down? Am I doing this because I received so much praise the first time and I need it to feel good about myself? Am I doing this because this is the one thing that brought me sanity when I fell into a depression in 2013 and it filled a void? What void am I trying to fill instead of dealing with it?

After my left arm went numb, I lost mobility in my hand. My next setback. 6-8 weeks of both physical and occupational therapy 3x a week. WTF!!!  I thought to myself, I am done. This is not gonna happen. And it didn't.  I was unable to compete in WBFF Rhode Island that November.  The first WBFF show I went to  the year before, that made me decide to compete.  And now I can't be a part of that. I was pissed off and again found myself angry.

During the weeks of PT and OT, it gave me time to reset and re evaluate what I'm doing and why.  And boy was that process ugly.  Not only  did my insecurities come out, but this time I was backing them up with excuses. Are you ready for my excuses?

This industry is for the young sexy Latina girl and the blue eyed blond girl.  I have no business competing.  That same year, my teammate, Courtney Allen won her pro card and later that year, WBFF Pro Fleur Yvette won in the Championships in Montreal.  Two beautiful black women with amazing physiques.  The Universe, God, whatever or whomever you chose to believe in got in my face and told me to STFU.  You either want it or you don't.  You are either going to work for it or you're not.  Stop bullshitting. Stop hiding and most importantly stop making excuses.  Check yourself! And I did.

I love the stage. I love working out and I love competing. We all want the prize at the end. I would be lying to you if I said I didn't care about that.  But I win regardless.  Because through ALL my insecurities, setbacks and hardships, I had an amazing coach, teammates, friends and family who carried me through this process and continue to be there for me.  I will NEVER forget that.  I am truly honored to be on the Elite Heat team. I am grateful for my family and friends.  There's nothing in the world that can replace the lessons I've learned while pushing my way through comp prep.  The new relationships Ive built on this team and the closer bonds I formed with my family especially my daughter.

I've shared my struggles and obstacles with my 8 year old daughter. I know that, although she is fearless now, one day she will find out about her shortcomings, will make mistakes and go trough hardships. I am ready to show her how to fight and work through them.  And I get to do it with one of the things I truly love to do with the right positive mindset; working out, competing and most importantly inspiring people to go after their goals in life no matter what.

What do I want out of this? To pay it forward. Give back the way this process has been rewarded to me. I want to give myself and help a person in need the way Ashley McCormack has done for me. I want to be that breath of fresh air, motivation and inspiration at the perfect time, the way Courtney Allen was for me. I want to be the person you can say what ever to me without judgement or restrictions when angry, the way Joanne Cajuste was for me. I want to change lives the way my coach and now my dear friend has changed my life.

I want to be my daughter's role model and show her that no matter what stage you are on in life, you can achieve the impossible by NEVER giving up.

Everyone has a moment and a time to shine and inspire someone...Saturday will be my moment and time.

Follow Amy as she makes her WBFF Diva Bikini Debut

The Man behind the Motivation...

Growing up as the youngest with two older brothers, following in their footsteps seemed only natural.  So,  with my brothers followed sports and more sports. From as far back as I can remember, I was always active. My mom always joked that I could roller-skate, yes roller-skate, before I could even walk. I would play my father’s Motown record in the basement and skate around for hours. I played sports my entire life, from track, to cross country, recreational basketball and many years of soccer.

It was not until 10 years ago when I decided to purchase my first gym membership to get "fit." I was introduced to a trainer, Mark Haley, who was assigned to complete my fitness assessment.  My jaw dropped as soon as I was introduced to this very handsome man and the humiliation immediately set in as he began timing how many push-ups and sit-ups I could do in 1 minute. " Is this guy serious??", I thought, as I began sweating profusely in my Umbro shorts and soccer tee-shirt. Clearly, I was not in as good of shape as I thought I was, due to my results. Trust me when I say,  after that assessment my fitness apparel and gym appearance stepped up more than just a notch!! Now I had a new challenge to get in shape...NOPE! To date this guy Mark! Needless to say,  I was blessed to marry Mark in November of 2012. He has been so influential in my life of fitness and has been my biggest fan. It was not until our honeymoon when I said to him I would one day like to compete in a fitness show. 

God works in amazing ways because the January following my wedding, I stumbled across the Fitness Atlantic Facebook page where the Elite Heat team's competition preparation poster was advertised. I took myself completely out of my comfort zone and joined the team at an introductory meeting. The team was very warm and I was extremely impressed by the transformations the teammates had made as they prepared for their shows. It was very hard for me to commit to a show due to fear and what my family would think of this. From the second I mentioned it my husband and parents they were 100% supportive. They were a little unsure as to what exactly I was about to embark on, but so was I. It was not until my knees started buckling on stage at my first show as I posed in a cupcake costume that I officially was proud of myself. The mental challenge of prepping for a show cannot be explained in words.



Excitement and anxiety of the unknown is what has taken over me at this point as I prepare for my first WBFF show. Me stepping on stage is 100% a personal choice and for me not about placing, but about the challenge and feelings that are tied to setting a goal and achieving it!

 .

Follow Daphne as she makes her WBFF Diva Bikini Debut

His Death Ignited My Vision...

I never really struggled with weight until after getting married and giving birth to my beautiful baby.  I guess with the balancing act of having a career in the financial world,coupled with being a wife and mom, it finally took its' toll on me.  Not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally. After several years of what seemed like an out of control, undisciplined lifestyle, I knew I needed to do something and get my life in order.  I chose to start with my weight. I couldn't believe how much weight I gained and I started to hide who I knew I was behind it.  A person who was once confident, believing she could achieve whatever her heart desired was feeling insecure, ashamed, embarrassed and ugly.  I started going to the gym and I was losing weight, but I as what you called ' skinny fat'.  You know, when you look great in clothes, but once the clothes came off, everything else falls out along with it.  

I could not figure it out.  I was no stranger to the gym.  When I was 21, I went to the gym all the time and in three weeks, I was in shape again.  I was going to the gym for about a year and still left with a gut and skinny legs.  I decided to hire a trainer. His name was Alex.  I told him my story, and he said to me, ' You are not 21. You are 36. And there are factors in your life that you didn't have when you were young that can affect you physically. Some of those factors are stress related.' 

In my research regarding fitness, I came across an advertisement that asked  - Do YOU want to look like a fitness competitor/model - And immediately thought HELL YEAH!   This brought me to another personal trainer named Jennifer.  Her program alongside Alex's guidance at the gym triggered the necessary changes in my body.  Nutrition was a huge part of the program, and believe it or not, getting plenty of rest.  Jennifer then planted the competition seed. ' You are training so hard, so why not compete?'  I was so excited that she actually thought that I could compete and at the moment I believed I could too,...and then I got into my head.  I didn't think I was pretty enough.  I didn't believe my body would ever look like the girls on stage and that BIKINI! It's way too small. There's no way I'm wearing that.  I prepped for roughly four months for a show in April of 2013, and then I chickened out.  The thought of getting on that stage freaked me out! ' I am going to FAIL! I am going to look stupid.  It's not gonna happen'

That summer, I lost Alex to a massive heart attack.  I knew him for about a year and a half so he was not only my trainer. He was my big brother, and a good friend.  Competing came back into my head. One thing he always told me was that I needed to remain consistent.  Stop putting in the work, and then just give up.  Then, a couple of months later, I lost my job. These events kicked the 'thought' of competing into 'action'.  It was time to face my fears.  I had to do this, for me. For other women like me who feel like they are too old, or don't have time, or can't juggle that lifestyle and a family.  For the mothers who are tired of their ever changing bodies and want to FEEL SEXY again!  I reached out to Malenna, and she responded right away. I went to a workshop and was blown away by the warmness of The Elite Heat, the fitness team.  Right then and there, my journey began.  It's been an amazing journey. The physical aspect was pretty easy. I was able to stick to the diet and fitness program.  The emotional and mental part was my challenge.  Everyday, I worked through so many of my insecurities, and built up my confidence.  And now, I could and would probably walk the streets of NYC with a bikini and heels in a heartbeat! 

All that being said, that was not even the best part of this journey.  The best part to me was meeting so many amazing women and the support they have provided me throughout. I cannot wait to hit the stage!!!

In loving memory of Alex Hillian

1970 - 2013