1st Phorm Athlete Search

I have some exciting news! I'm officially entered in the 1st Phorm Athlete Search contest! Received my confirmation email this morning. Here is a brief desription of the contest:

"On the 1st Phorm Athlete Search website, we mentioned this isn't just about a pretty pic or a buff bod and that's because our mission is to redefine what the fitness and supplement industry is all about.  We see a lot of selfish, "it's all about me" attitudes in this industry … and that’s not our style. 1st Phorm is a high quality, premier, supplement brand. We are all about being the best we can be at everything we do … and having the best athletes represent the best products!  We’re about HELPING OTHERS be the best they can be - motivating them, encouraging them, educating them and inspiring them!"

I was on the fence about entering this. I don't have a "fitness model" body. I lift, but I'm not super strong. After reading the website and learning about the company, I decided to give it a go. What the hell, right? They are picking 5 winners between now and December. While this contest is happening, I will be adding some hashtags to my instagram photos so that they're seen by the company, but other than that nothing will change!

Here is the story I submitted to them:
"I was a ballet dancer for 16 years. Growing up, I was very shy, quiet, and reserved. I often tell people that I spent most of my high school years trying to be as invisible as possible. I loved dancing, but the dance world can be very catty and unforgiving at times. I was often skipped over for roles in shows because of my size. I didn't have the right "dancer's body"-I was short, and curvier than most of the other girls. I also suffered a number of injuries over the years, including ankle sprains, a back injury, and a partially torn meniscus in my knee. I knew I couldn't pursue dance as a career, but continued dancing recreationally in college. My senior year, I found powerlifting. My focus shifted entirely. I started training in powerlifting about halfway through that year, and never looked back. I was becoming so much stronger than I had ever been. I had never touched a barbell before, so I really started from the bottom. I started noticing not only my body changing, but also my attitude. Lifting gave me confidence that I never had before. I'm an entirely different person now than I was even 2 years ago. I love going to the gym and lifting heavy. I love competing, which I have done 5 times. I compete in the 114 weight class, and my best lifts currently are 185 (squat), 100 (bench), and 235 (deadlift). Although I've been training for just over 2 years now, I still consider myself very new to the sport. I can't wait to see what my future in powerlifting holds. I hope to inspire other women to get into lifting and not be scared of the weight room like I was!"

If you would like to follow my journey throughout this contest, head over to my instagram and twitter and follow me there!
@cahrissay (both IG and twitter)