In the summer of 2001 I was living a great life. I had a great job, great house, dating someone fun, and training hard. Then one day I woke up and I had an instinct to “move on” and I tried to let it pass but this feeling would not go away so I realized I had to listen to myself contrary to what many around me where saying. A few days later I called the mover’s, talked to my landlord, and resigned from being the Operations Manager at the New York City World Trade Centers.
A short while after I made all of these decisions I learned that I was pregnant. Not changing my mind knowing that the biological father of my child was not the “right one” for me I went through with my move from New York to San Francisco. I no sooner unpacked my boxes and it was September 11, 2001 and I was devastated…never able to return to The City the way that I knew it.
Needless to say it was a high-stress pregnancy and without the regimen that I was so used to I gained about 75 lbs. during my pregnancy. The doctor told me that because I was in so much pain I purposely built a barrier so that nothing could hurt my baby. That was true but there was a lot of a barrier to take down.
In November of 2001 my true love, Monty, the one that I broke up with before I started dating Bella’s biological father the one that I have known for more than 17 years flew out to San Francisco to come visit. It was during this visit that we decided to work on our relationship knowing that we did not want to be without each other and 5 ½ years later we are still going strong. February 23, 2002 I gave birth to beautiful Isabella Hope Allison!
Monty was still back in New York and I was here with Bella to decide what I was going to do. I was very dedicated to go back to school and get a Masters in Science so that is what I did. Full-time single mom, full-time school, full-time job did not leave a lot of me time. I knew that I wanted my physique back but I did not know how I was going to do it and believe me gyms (even the big ones) do not make it easy with very limited kids care hours and I did not have extra money to hire a sitter and although it took some time to figure out I was determined.
Summer of 2005 was when I took the first set of pictures and I was absolutely shocked and frankly disgusted that I had let my once svelte physique just get so dumpy and overweight. I started getting a routine together and tried to do it myself but I kept running into obstacles so I talked to Monty and he agreed that I should get some help but I was not sure as to whom because everyone I knew in the fitness industry was back in New York. It was that summer that I was introduced to figure competitor Danitza Denn’s Message Board and I started really getting “the itch”. Then it hit me when I went to see my first show on the West Coast and I kept hearing Kim Oddo’s name and I was introduced to him. I immediately went home called Monty and told him I found my person.
In November of 2005 I started with Kim on a 12 weeks program and did well but I knew that losing this weight was going to take some time. In March of 2006 I started a new career and another program with Kim and once again everything was heading in the right direction. In June of 2006 I had to go see a surgeon about some issues I was having in my left leg and as it turned out I needed an operation because I was losing circulation in my left leg.
July 13, 2006 I was on an operating table and they operated on both of my legs. There were fourteen incisions in the left leg and seven in the right. Once again, I was unable to stick to my regimen but my food was in order so although I did gain some of the weight back it was not tremendous. After I was given the green light to get back in the gym I realized it was “no holds barred!” I was ready to make the commitment and hit the stage! On November 20, 2006 I made the call to Kim and told him what I wanted to do. This was going to be no easy feat because I was starting pretty far out from “stage ready” but I was used to a challenge (after all if I could maintain a 3.8 GPA while working and raising a child) I could do this and with the help of Kim I was going to be alright. On February 24, 2007 the day after Bella’s 5th birthday I will shine on stage in the Steel Rose Figure Competition in Sacramento, CA.
Regardless of how the judging turns out I have already won the biggest trophy and that is my life! Thank you to all of those who have supported me through this because I could not have done it without each and every one of you! Thank you to my beautiful little Bella who was the Angel inside me telling me to get out of New York so that we could be together and to my love and best friend Monty who never stopped believing in me or in us!
