Page 82 - Demo

82 || FITNESS MAGAZINE || JUNE 2015 || EDITION 1longer be comfortable in her body. %u201cI knew I wanted to continue competing, so I set my sights on my next show, which happened to be the largest regional show in the nation.%u201d A bold decision for the fitness model, but humbling experience to go up against some great competition and walk away with a thirdplace trophy.It had taken Amber five shows before she was able to quit her corporate finance job to pursue fitness full-time. %u201cI feel I needed this time to make connections in the industry and more exposure.%u201d She would leverage those things to grow in the industry once she decided to commit.At one point in her career she was competing between three and five times a year. But in 2013, Amber would take a step back from competing. Feeding her competitive nature, she was pushing herself to an unhealthy point to get onto the stage. She felt she could not beat the politics of bodybuilding competition and decided to pursue fitness modeling. %u201cA lot of competitors have the misconception that, in order to make it into fitness magazines and land sponsors and endorsements, they need to compete, and they must receive their Pro Card. I am living proof that this is absolutely not true at all.%u201d Last year, Amber landed the cover of Ironman Magazine alongside her husband, Brandan. She also landed a six-page spread in the August issue of Ironman, along with a sixpage workout spread in Oxygen. %u201cI feel blessed to continue to land these opportunities regardless of whether or not I decided to compete.%u201dWe asked Amber to walk us through competition day and the mindset between other competitors. Every show carries a different dynamic. When you get to the national level, obviously every girl is there to win, so every girl has tunnel vision. %u201cI have met some great girls at national shows that I still keep in contact with today, but most of them I met by reaching out or complimenting them.%u201d She feels that, %u201c If you put yourself out there in a friendly manner, and goal was to go to regionals and then she continued to enter local pageants until she qualified. %u201cI then went on to win the regional title.%u201dThis fitness model is not just another pretty face! She received dual degrees, one in Business Administration with a focus on Finance and a separate Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. %u201cI always thought that if I could learn finance, I could be successful.%u201d She pictured her success as her working in a corporate setting with a window office. When she finally received what she thought would be her dream job, she was highly disappointed. She had pursued something that she thought would make her happy rather than looking for what she truly loved, Amber would soon quit to pursue her real passion full-time. e discussed some of the early steps Amber took after winning her first competition. That first win was amazing for her and garnered her lots of attention. %u201cPeople were asking me for advice on how I transformed my body.%u201d Feeling accomplished, she started to see the demand for education in the health realm. Continually being asked via social media to train followers, made her start to think about becoming a trainer. Amber is quick to point out that, %u201cJust because someone wins a show, does not mean that person is educated to train another person.%u201d Looking back she was na%u00efve to the industry at this point in her career, and feels she has grown and matured since then.%u201cMany people have a misconception that if you win a show you get funding or instantly get sponsors.%u201d She clarifies that this is not always the case, especially at the region/local level of competitive bodybuilding. Even after winning her first show, it did not bring her financial security or success.After her win, she went back to the same job she had been working and continued to train, but quickly learned the struggle of the post-show mindset. She would gain weight and would no >>>