World of Weights

From swimming to softball and volleyball, I’ve been athletic all of my life, but it wasn’t until I started personal training at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas that I was introduced into the world of weight lifting. I remember many of my girlfriends at the time steered clear of lifting weights because they feared they would look too ‘bulky’ or ‘masculine.’ I on the other hand embraced the challenge of lifting weights and after several weeks I couldn’t believe how strong my body was becoming.

I was hooked. Over the next few months of my new hobby I enjoyed many compliments from my fellow gym goers and was even asked on occasion if I planned to compete in bodybuilding competitions in the near future. The idea baffled me at first. I would be graduating with a degree in Business Marketing in a matter of weeks and without the slightest idea of what I would do once I entered the ‘real world’ I began seriously considering competing in my first figure competition.

A couple of weeks after my graduation I signed up with a personal trainer, Amber Neuhauser, at my local 24 Hour Fitness. Over the course of six months Amber became more like family to me. She was a shoulder to lean on during my worst times and was my number one cheerleader. We worked together for six long months, covering everything from my new diet and training plan to coping with the mental fatigue that comes with preparing for any bodybuilding competition.

I’m a firm believer in the age old saying ‘anything is possible if you set your mind to it’. No matter what the goal, as long as you can visualize yourself at the finish line, you can make it a reality! Training for this competition has probably been one of the most challenging experiences in my life, but also one of the most rewarding.

There were days when I felt like throwing in the towel. I’d think to myself how much easier life would be without preplanning every meal or working out twice a day, six times a week, but there were also days when members at my gym would ask for fitness advice or compliment my physique or determination. These were the days that made everything worthwhile. I will be competing in my first figure competition this July and have two more shows in place for the following weeks.

I have never been more proud of myself for accomplishing such a goal and the cherry on top would have to be all of the amazing compliments I receive! I hope that more women will add weight lifting into their training routines because I’ve never felt more beautiful than I do now, and I’ve never been told I look ‘bulky’ or ‘masculine’!

Rachel's Web site: http://www.rachel-michele.com