Success Story - Brenda Burk

Occupation:

Age: 42

Fitness challege:

Who says you have to act or look your age. I refuse to age gracefully!!

A rude awakening is what I had when I was cleaning out my closet one afternoon. I was trying on clothes that I hadn’t worn for the past couple of years, to give some items to charity. When I found myself lying on the bed to close a zipper, I thought to myself... What happened???? Did these shrink??? I then recanted my life circumstances over the past two years and asked myself how was I reacting to the stress and changes? It was then that I realized I had become a couch potato in some sort of mild depression. I couldn’t bare the thought of continuing on this path. I needed to make a change..... I HAD to make a change.

Actions speak louder than words. I wanted a different result so therefore, I had to take different actions. I joined a new gym, renewed my subscription to Oxygen Magazine, bought some clean eating cookbooks and followed my fitness coaches advice. The biggest change for me was diet. I have learned so much about food. At 5’3” I weighed 136 lbs. and was 31% bodyfat, but in a couple of months I was rockin the 2009 Emerald Cup stage in my first bikini competition at a new weight of 122 lbs. and 20% bodyfat. My progress continues to improve along with my self confidence, and self esteem.

Brenda says, you won’t find her on the front porch rocking in a chair or knitting the latest fashionable scarfs for family members.... not a chance! You can find her in the gym pumping iron or running the trails of Tryon Creek Park. “After all, I have to stay in shape if I want to keep up with my 3 year old Grandson or be physically able to ride my Suzuki Katana 600 Sport Bike.”

Becoming a member of Team i-Physique, a competitive bikini, figure, fitness and bodybuilding team, gave me the inspiration, tools and support to get off the couch and get back into life to truly live it to the fullest!!

- Brenda Burk