oxygenmagAU Sep/Oct 2017 123
INSPIRATION
That rewarding feeling:
Seeing what I can achieve when I dedicate
myself has been invaluable for me. I tend to
get bored easily, and am afraid to fail. So,
I either quit because it’s boring or I think I
can’t do it, or I dedicate my whole being to
proving that I am capable. I tend to need a
lot of encouragement from people around
me (mostly my boyfriend). I also could prove
that I am capable of great things and getting
a job with Fire and Rescue has been one of
my biggest achievements because of my
change in lifestyle. I love going to every shift
I do.Back then:
When I look back to how my life was, I
feel like I am thinking about a different
person. Being strong and fit and healthy is
fundamental to my role now, not to mention
to the role it plays in my quality of life. I feel
fortunate to have had that turning point in
my perception. There were a lot of different
factors that brought me to that point and I
could have easily taken a very different path.Overcoming the challenge:
My most significant challenges have been
poor choices and (perhaps a result of) lack
of confidence and self-belief. I have been
lucky enough to have a family who love me
unconditionally, and a boyfriend who taught
me that to be a better person for others you
need to put yourself first, which is ironic,
because he often puts me first.The change:
Training has brought me alive; when I am
training it’s like I give myself some freedom
which allows me to connect to my own true
self where I am pushing myself over my
limitations to achieve my goals. This in itself
for me has been a pathway to figure out the
relationship between my weakness and my
strength.Awakening:
I consider myself a very spiritual person so
the most rewarding aspect of training has
been an awakening process of finding a real
connection to my deep inner being because I
believe in emotional and physical relationship.
Now that I met the real me, it gives me
motivation to keep committed to my strength;
training sort of gives me the feeling of dating
your soulmate where you have butterflies in
your stomach on every date with myself.Motivation:
Looking back on my journey it gives me
pleasure and a sense of pride that I could fight
for my capacity and ability to walk
emotionally on my own and not letting the
fear of my past hurt and emotional trauma
control my life any more. I oversee my life!
Throughout these life experiences I want to
keep transforming it into a call of
encouragement to others! This is my fuel for
motivation to keep me going throughout my
fitness journey. I embraced it and it became a
way of living.Pia Zussa
NSW, Australia
Height: 166cm
Weight: 56kg Comp
weight, 65kg
off-seasonFabiana Pelucio
Da Silva
Sydney, NSW
Height: 166cm
Weight: 58kgJanna Kaufman
Kentucky, USA
Height: 170cm
Weight: 55kgJanna photo:
Kevin Talley
(^) Pia photo
Chris V Linton
(^) Fabi photo
Johnnie4K
Growing up:
During my childhood, up until college, I was
always part of a competitive swim team. In
graduate school I continued to work out, but
something was missing. I missed competing
and being part of a team. Joining a bikini
competition team provided both, and soon
I found competitions gave me goals to strive
for and provided the extra push I wanted to
get the most out of my workouts.
The first time:
I don’t remember my first training session
exactly, but remember the first week. I
felt overwhelmed and exhausted between
the change in diet, meal preparation,
and increased weightlifting. Over time,
everything became easier. I no longer
craved the same foods. The diet and exercise
provided extra energy and made training
easier. Meal preparation, which was once a
burden, evolved into a time of relaxation and
meditation.
The lessons:
Everybody is different. Pay attention to how
your body responds to certain foods and
training methods to develop a plan tailored
for you. Focus on bettering yourself and
avoid comparing yourself to others.