I have always been an athlete but once I graduated high school I lost that and it wasn’t until I found bodybuilding that I finally started feeling like Vanessa again. Basketball was my identity from the time I was in 2nd grade all the way through school. I played year round, school and AAU. So, when high school ended so did my identity as an athlete.
High school athlete. basketball.
lost identity.
Meet Vanessa
I had my 1st child in 2018 and that’s when I really got into exercise. I’ll never forget the feeling I had, looking in the mirror, not recognizing the person I saw. I knew then that I needed to take control and do something about it. I joined an online company where I streamed workouts at home. Through that I met a friend who had an extensive background in fitness. Her family owned a gym and they all were competitors. We started going to the family gym together and that’s where my love for the gym began. I loved the energy and vibe you get in a gym. The sounds of the iron, the brightness and all the mirrors for those pump checks. The gym is MY SPACE, it’s where I am happiest, it’s where I feel my best and it’s where I build the best version of me.
Body Changes
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flowers
Unfortunately, bodybuilding didn’t come until much later in life (I was 35). Bodybuilding all began because I saw a girl on instagram prepping. I watched her physique change drastically, I saw the struggles she went through but what I
saw most was the hard work, the grit, the passion and the strength. I reached out asked what she was doing and started my own prep. I got with my friend whose family owned the gym and had her uncle coach me through my first season. Where I placed 2nd and 3rd in my first show. Even though I questioned myself throughout the entire process, I kept going. Doing the things required to step on stage at my best. I kept waiting for nerves to come but they never did and the moment my heels hit the stage I knew this is what I was meant to do.
vanessa's "why"
Bodybuilding
2023 was my second season its where the drive grew even deeper. I joined a coach that is an Olympian athlete in the bikini division and that was the best choice I could have made for my career. Only made sense to join a coach who is where I want to be. Not only did we bring a much better physique to the stage but we grew as a team. She pushed me when I needed more, she pulled back when I needed rest, she helped level me out so I could be the athlete. In this sport it’s important to have the right team behind you because it gets intense and its easy to loose track. My coach keeps me on track but her belief in me keeps me going daily.
Now and into the Future
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Everyone asks what it’s like and I cannot explain in words but what I can tell you is it’s like an out of body experience that I don’t get doing anything else in life. Show day is nothing short of magical. You get to put on a blinged out suit, with a DARK tan, hair and make up perfected, shredded, in the best shape of your life and feeling like you’re on cloud 9. UNMATCHED. But, the real win isn’t the stage or the medals you bring home. It’s in that improvement season, when you’re in the gym, pushing yourself beyond limits you knew possible. It’s the control when it comes to food. It’s the mindset that sets this sport aside from all the others. Bodybuilding has taught me if I want it, work for it.
Show day is nothing short of magical.
UNMATCHED FEELING
"I finally have that feeling I lost so many years years ago. I’m an athlete again."
follow vanessa
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Wouldn't it be awesome if these were wearable?
