FEMALE MUSCLE

Q You’re one of the few top Canadian pros who always seem to maintain a strong relationship with your fans. How important are the fans vs. the judges? Is one more important than the other?

A. The fact is I simply like people. I enjoy meeting men and women of all ages and backgrounds who strive to achieve their best in life – whether this is simply losing some weight, getting in shape, or making decisions to live with more passion or integrity in any area (relationships, career or hobby). I love to encourage people to realize their best self and pursue their dreams. I believe it is a bad habit to judge people based on their exterior, simply because we cannot judge where a person has been, to what lengths they have struggled or achieved based solely on their physical appearance. We can miss out on having some extraordinary friends with this type of close-mindedness. I find it disappointing when people in our industry are judgmental and critical of others and I try to set an example of acceptance and encouragement in my daily actions. It’s important to get out of the gym and visit the real world and understand that just because someone may not be ripped, buff or physically noteworthy, they may still have their own substantial list of accomplishments. They could have a PhD, could run their own successful business, have an amazing family and home life…and none of those accomplishments are worn on the exterior. I gain a lot from interacting with people and they in turn, encourage me to push forward. So in a nutshell, this is why I enjoy my fans and I hope that in some small way, I can be an encouragement to them as they are to me. As far as judges…well, they decide what place we get at a show and in my opinion, that’s about it. I respect that they have a tough job and try to prepare to be my best at every show. I certainly don’t maintain contact with my fans to impress the judges; I do this simply for my own enjoyment and because of my sense of obligation to be the best leader that I can be to those who look up to me. It’s a simple concept – treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself!