~ Surround yourself with those who lift you HIGHER.
The world is full of those who want to put you down ~
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Last year I was overwhelmed with the amount of support I was receiving from friends in Minnesota and on Facebook while I started competing in Fitness Competitions. People I saw everyday watched my physique transform and how excited I was for upcoming shows. Close friends of mine came to my very first competition and endured almost 4 long hours to cheer me on while I was strutting my stuff on stage. Hearing my name called for my first win and knowing that my closest friends were there to experience that with me was one of the best feelings ever.
After my first show, I was scouted by Tara Thatcher who introduced me to a local network of "fitness women". Right away I made new friends and connections with women who were just as passionate for fitness as I was. Of course being the "shorty" of the group I would stand next to my new girlfriends in our 6 inch heels and they would just get a kick at how petite I was. Within a couple of weeks of hanging out with my fitness girlfriends, I was given the new nickname Peanut. I loved it and it made me smile! When I filled out my entry form to compete in Vegas I was asked for a "stage name". PEANUT seemed to be the best option and by the time we arrived in Vegas for Fitness America the pet name had stuck!! Once I got home from competing in Vegas, I made a timeline of FITNESS GOALS for 2012. One of them was to create "Team Peanut" shirts for my friends to wear at my upcoming competitions. Well, after making one proto-type and posting a photo on facebook I had a great amount of supportive friends and fans who were anxious to support my fitness career. Before I knew I had 4 different shirt styles that I had designed to cater to all different types of people, even my male supporters. The lion artwork that I drew for the T-Shirt design is a reflection of what I think I look like on stage performing. I love getting fiesty with the crowd and scrunch my face with a "GET IT!" attitude. That's what inspired my "lioness-get-it" shirt design.
I was fortunate to have another entrepenuer friend who owns his own custom printing company and they've been more than happy to produce my TEAM PEANUT apparel.ABOUT COED MONKEY: You've probably heard the cliche stories of 2 college in a dorm room living on Romen while startng their first company... well, Coed Monkey pretty much started that same way. Back in 2003 Bill & Ryan (2 ordinary college guys) started their first company offering custom t-shirts in Minneapolis and St. Paul to colleges around the entire country... all right out of their college dorm room at North Central University in Minneapolis, MN... well, they didn't print in the room, but they did answer phone calls and emails in their room. For more on their story visit www.coedmonkey.com
If you're looking for custom t-shirts in the Twin Cities or anywhere else in the country check out Coed Monkey... Join the Coed Monkey Facebook Fan Page!
Coed Monkey wrote a super nice blog feature about my story and T-shirt line. Check it out here: Blog Feature
- 1st Competition for 2012 -
Fitness America (Great North)
Getting ready for my first show of the season was exciting and nerve wrecking all at the same time. There was new music to have mixed, choreography to do, suit blinging and more! When it came to show day the energy was contagious around our group of Perfectly Prepare athletes! I felt so much support throughout the day when I would be stopped by random competitors and viewers asking if I was performing in Fitness later that night! It was ON! I hit the stage and experience that amazing rush I can never get enough of. The crowd was entertained and it felt amazing. My fitness competitor Heather Flock hit the stage next and she showed myself and everyone that this was going to be a close call. Her routine was powerful and PACKED to the brim with technical stunts and gymnastics. During the awards presentation, the emcee announced that our 1st and 2nd place scoring was calculated with only 1/2 a point difference. In that very moment I felt overwhelmed with pride and joy to be a part of something so competitive and exciting! They then called my name for 2nd place and Heather's for 1st place. It was a whirl-wind of emotions at this point. I realized that I was so close to achieving the goal I had set out to meet, but came up short by such a small amount. And then a wave of happiness came over me and I couldn't hold back the tears. I knew that even with placing second alongside this seasoned competitor that I had accomplished so much and grew in my technique. The placing gave me the proper push I needed to realize that I can never play it safe and always go over and beyond what I think I can do. I never want to underestimate myslef again from here on out.
Along with my 2nd place title in Fitness I was overjoyed to win 2nd place in the Open Figure Short class as well. It was a night of winning and placing right up against women that I respect and inspire to be like someday. Our Perfectly Prepared team had a ton of amazing wins and our Coach Tara couldn't have been more proud!
JOIN OUR TEAM! We are now offering a PERFECTLY PREPARED Monthly Membership! This includes a monthly newsletter, packed with information, a clean eating meal plan, discounts on ALL A La Carte Services, exclusive Photo Shoots, events and opportunities, access to a private client page, and bi-montly check ins for added accountability! Right now there is NO INITAL fee! Just $39.95 per month! Follow the link to join today!
I'm traveling to Miami and competing in Fitness Universe this JUNE!!! I am thrilled to be performing in such a large scaled competition and will do my best to make everyone proud. I have the opportunity to shoot with the well-known photographer Eva Simon who lives in South Florida. She is an expert when it comes to shooting on the beaches of Miami so I am estatic and can't wait!!! All of the hard work will be worth it, especially the few days of relaxing in Florida before heading back home to Minnesota!
You will be able to watch my performance and strut it on stage
LIVE on the Fitness Universe Webcast or ESPN2.
Check out the schedule here LIVE TELEVISION
