I grew up being pretty active with sports, but was always the “big kid” due to bad eating habits. I have also lived with anxiety and depression since my teenage years and used food as a coping mechanism, leading to being overweight and obese for several years. I started my fitness journey in high school, losing a big chunk of weight fast. In college, however, I gained a lot of the weight back due to continuing to neglect my mental health and going back to bad habits.

After graduating college in 2021 is where I started consistently lifting at the gym. I was seeing some results although I wasn’t knowledgeable yet on nutrition and was still neglecting that. 

At the end of 2023, I finally took the step to go on medication for my anxiety and depression, and about two weeks after is when I joined Gymbo’s. Immediately after joining, Jimbo saw my potential to be a great bodybuilding competitor. I didn’t consider it much in the past, but mainly due to my lack of confidence and self respect for myself. However, his encouragement to compete made me realize that I have so much potential and I want to see that potential come to fruition.

In May of 2025, I competed in my first bodybuilding show and won the overall in the wellness division. Jimbo was a great guide in my prep journey, gave me plenty of knowledge of nutrition and the sport of bodybuilding, and was great for accountability. I have gained so much confidence and self respect from this sport that I never knew I could have. 

I have been on my fitness journey for 10 years now, losing 100lbs in total since. The biggest regret I have is not getting a coach sooner to give me the proper knowledge on training in nutrition. I learned a lot myself in those years, but getting a coach helps you learn those things much faster! I’m looking forward to continuing my bodybuilding journey, for it’s truly changed my life for the better.