Swimmer Shoulders

I used to sit in class in high school, wreaking of chlorine, hair in a wet sloppy bun, uniform never ever without wrinkles, swim team hoody on even in the middle of April (in Florida, April is not conducive to wearing sleeves of any kind considering the 90 degree weather and rain). Every morning I would listen to the girls bitch and moan about not having time to do their hair, not finding the right prom dress, and even swapping stories about the juice diet they are going to try in order to detox for the upcoming dance. At 18, a juice diet? Really? I hated those girls. 

When I got to college it was about the same. Everyone gained their weight, some made attempts to lose it. Others went on to pack more pounds on than most can find the motivation to start peeling off. Some girls got married, others started careers behind desks or teaching elementary school. Some already have children or have one on the way. Some of my friends are still playing sorority girl, perpetual college student, or working at a restaurant still deciding what they want to be when they grow up. I decided to be a badass. 

When I moved back to my home town after deciding that living in a 10x20ft room with another female - being woken up by drunken party animals or fraternity guys raiding our refrigerator - or spending most of my late nights designated driving for people I hardly knew, wasn't how I wanted my college years to end, I needed something that was going to shock me. I desperately needed something to change me, challenge me, but most of all; I wanted my swimmer body back. 

CrossFit changed my life and has lead me to this new world of eating clean and training dirty as hell for my first NPC Figure Show. At my second meeting with my coach, after only a week of an extreme diet change, supplements, vitamins and "globo gym" and "aesthetic" training in addition to my kicking ass in CrossFit - my life truly changed. I was told for the first time that my broad back and "full" shoulders were going to aid me in hopefully winning my first show. Now allow me to fill you in on how self conscious I once was of these bad boys. 

Growing up I was told that my posture was terrible, my shoulders were too big for my body and that if I didn't start walking as if I had a book balanced on my head I'd always look "top heavy". Now that CrossFit took a hold and changed my upper body biased frame and gave me quads (thanks Mom for your genetic genius!) I am now ready to start truly creating the body I've always wanted but never had the confidence to attempt building. My coach is amazing, my support system bar none, my schedule is on point and diet getting dialed in as I type. 

So to every girl in middle school, high school, and even college down about your body.. I am living proof that hard work, sweat, determination, a lot of soreness and the right eating habits can change your life. Strong is sexy. Backs, quads like Bella Falconi, hamstrings that look like flexed biceps, glutes (duh), abs like @mo_llly on Instagram, traps like Annie Thorisdottir, arms like Danalinn Bailey, it's all possible. So welcome to my journey, I hope it inspires someone out there to take a leap of faith and strive to be the healthiest and strongest you there is. 

And swimmer shoulders are sexy, dammit.