Last weekend I competed in the NPC Maryland State/East Coast Classic at the Hippodrome Theater in Baltimore! It was such an incredible experience; I can hardly believe how well it went! I exceeded all my expectations and placed second and third in four categories: Maryland State Open Figure B, East Coast Classic Open Figure B, Masters Figure, and Novice Figure! I went home very happy. One of the things that really stood out to me was that every single person there worked as hard as I did. Even in a bodybuilding setting, egos were checked at the door. Everyone fought hard to be there and we were a supportive community throughout the weekend. Incidentally, this is one of my favorite things about working at Joy of Motion Dance Center where our mission is Dance is for Everyone®.

Before the awards I realized I was going to leave happy, no matter where I placed. I felt proud to be in a room where manya
determined, hard working people were committed to getting into the best shape of their lives. I was surprised t how enjoyable it was to hang out in the dressing room and backstage. You would think that people at a large competition would be very focused on themselves, but they weren’t! We talked about how tirelessly we prepared and shared the same enthusiasm for getting back to the gym after the competition. I was reminded how good it feels to be surrounded by inspired, like-minded people.

I know it can be  hard to stick with your fitness goals, which is one of the reasons why the competition was right for me. When you work toward a goal (a competition,dance concert, or marathon) you will see the work pay off and will push yourself to meet your deadline. I can almost guarantee that it will be worth it! It’s important to think of reaching goals as milestones and not final destinations. My fitness goals don’t stop here; I can always get stronger and more confident.  I love this about fitness and dance (and really any sport, or anything you love to do). You are never done; there is always room to grow and improve.  You don’t reach “an end” because that will mean that you have stopped.  I get frustrated when I hear people complaining about workouts or getting frustrated by the realities of healthy eating. It doesn’t have to be something you dread. The truth is, we are meant to do healthy activities every day!  There are so many ways to approach fitness. I really believe everyone can find ways to be fit and enjoy doing it. If you haven’t quite found what works for you, I encourage you to keep searching.  It makes life so much better when you feel good. This month keep dancing, keep working out, and if you don’t love what you’re doing, then try something new. Just keep moving!