The story of my last 4 years. 

March 2012- my youngest was admitted into the children's ER for RSV for the second time. Husband was traveling a lot and I was working to spearhead raising millions for my job at the Charlotte Chamber. Trying to lose baby weight was not a priority, sleep was. I would stay up all night with my sick son making sure he could breath and then go to work all day. After our entire household had been sick from November to May; I knew we needed to change. I was around 200# that entire summer. 

On sept 3 I got a phone call that my good friend Jamie had been shot and killed by her ex boyfriend. 

Jamie really wanted to run a Tough Mudder that November. I wasn't ready but trained the entire year of 2014 and competed in November of 2014. I loved how it felt to do something I had never done before. To be able to run 12 cc miles and complete 30 obstacles was amazing. When Jamie died I vowed to take on the mission of 'give more, want less.' To give more to others and want less from people. This changed my entire personality, my entire world, who my friends are, how I thought...

In 2014 I decided to train for a bodybuilding show(although I didn't compete, I learned so much about myself and what I was able to accomplish. I was suppose to compete in April and had to have surgery; I had 6 weeks off to think about what I wanted to do. I decided to take a year and add muscle to my physique. 

In 2015 I fell in love with my training. I fell in love with being able to lift hard and heavy. At the same time I had been working with a nonprofit for sex-trafficked women. I took a step back in a world where so much focus is spent on how we look-and its so apparent that it doesn't make us feel better. Getting abs doesn't make you pretty, the hard work it takes to get abs is where you become humbled and you realize what you're made of. These women that I work with don't have amazing bodies. They also are very insecure, very broken children of God. 

I realized that me getting on stage in a bikini wasn't going to inspire girls like this. Girls like this need me. They need someone that has felt ashamed and hurt and not confident show them that they,too, can change their life. They too can become STRONG. They too can become something different than they are. 

And isn't it interesting how my journey started. A girl named Jamie. A beautiful blonde soul. Through domestic violence SHE inspired me to learn and live my life. 

So, if you're still reading..I'm sorry this is long, when you look at my four years of transformation photos, know that there have been shitty days, anxious days, rainy days, terrible eating days..

BUT

There have been entirely more awesome days, days where I look at myself in the mirror and I'm so grateful for the work that I get to do. I'm so happy that I'm showing my children that my body is my business. That my hard work is mine and no one can take it. 

Today was an awesome day. I can finally say I'm a powerlifter. I have trained for 33 weeks. The last 27 days every morsel of food was approved by my coach...and I can say I accomplished something amazing this year. And I can say I didn't do it for me, but at the end-I challenged myself, I saw what I was capable of and I conquered some things that I never thought were possible. Especially I learned that after a couple of terrible lifts I was able to change my mindset and come to go 3/3 on my deadlifts. I learned so much about the sport of powerlifting. What an amazing group of athletes. 

Big thanks to my coach of 33 weeks Brian Scott. Can't say enough awesome things about you. I never knew I could do what I did today. You knew exactly how to prep me. I remember asking you what you thought of my potential when I first trained with you and Sam at your house and you very carefully chose your words by saying 'you have some bad habits, but if you work hard and do what I tell you, you'll see progress'

(This lit my fire in a major way-every coach has always told me I'm strong. I was so pissed. Hahaha.).. Thanks for putting up with me and teaching me that prehab, proper warm-up, and patience and consistency are the name of the game. Oh and rest. (Still hate that!)

Rachel Allbaugh thank you for teaching me how to properly cut. You're so awesome to help me and be with me each day the past 27(16# worth) I never knew it was possible to lose fat and keep my strength-your knowledge is so appreciated. Thank you. 

My sponsor!! ANA Thank you Scott Hardesty for seeing a uniqueness about me and committing to me to be an ambassador of your brand. I wear it with pride. Maxxout was a major player today and is with all of my lifts. Thank you friend! http://allnaturalassets.com/jenna-kohlmeyer-petri-ana-sponsored-athlete/

Fitfam! Laaaaaaaaaaaaawd. I probably need to do this individually as there are lots of personal appreciations to go out. But as a whole; y'all are incredible. I love our family. I love that we support each other no matter what. Thank you for being with me today and sending me messages and spotting me and working out with me. You guys push me to another place that I never knew was possible.  Love you guys.  

How am I impacting my family?

Every day my kids talk about being strong and kind. 

Two funny quotes from my kids from this prep..

Max (at his friends birthday party where they were going to go on a bear hunt in their back yard) 

M- ' i don't want to go'

Kids mom- 'ok you can stay inside if you want'

M-' my moms killed a bear'

(We both thought this was funny because my kids truly believe I can do anything. They think I'm stronger than everyone. It's awesome)

Olivia-

O - 'mom, if lifting weights makes you strong and makes you feel good about yourself-why doesn't everyone do it?'

Me- some people don't know what the benefits are of weight lifting Liv

O-'I'm going to tell everyone. '

I love my life. I love what I've been blessed to do. I'm so fortunate and grateful that people have watched my story unfold for the last several years. There are so many vital people that I didn't mention because it really does take a village. All of my coaches and friends and family all played a role in where I am today. I still can't believe that so many people have read my story and so many have reached out and thanked me for helping them change their life. Inspiring people is the best job/life I could have asked for. As a matter of fact I feel like I started my life when Jamie died. So technically I'm only 3 years old. 

I Cannot wait to see what God has in store for me. I am just a vessel. 

Thanks for reading. I'm truly honored.