My name is Brandy Cray, and my struggle with weight started in the third grade. I remember being weighed in front of the class and the nurse announced that I weighed 99 and a half pounds. That’s the day that the snickering and name calling started along with the cycle of binging, starving, and purging. I was taunted all through my teen years, told by my family that I was just “big boned”, my big legs are genetic, and this was always followed by, “but you have a pretty face”. I remember a moment when I was 12 watching ESPN with my dad, and women’s body building was on. They were so beautiful, and I thought one day “I will do that”.
As
years went on my weight climbed, I had my daughter and gained 80 pounds, worth
every pound, but that put me at 242. I went through a failed marriage and
relied on food to comfort me.
In
2001 I met my husband and my life changed, he made me feel like I could do
anything I set my mind to. After the birth of our son I decided to get healthy
and fit.
On
my son’s third birthday I hit my 110 pound weight loss goal, but I was obsessed
with working out and still did not have a healthy relationship with food. The
next ten years I had different trainers and nutritionists, but my body never
changed. Then my husband told me about PNF. He said I should “check it out”. He
would drive by and see them working out early in the morning outside. I was
skeptical because we had spent so much time and money on my quest to be fit.
I have a lot of
guilt because I would put my needs to work out and only eat a certain
restaurants that catered to me. I was very nervous to walk in to PNF,
but I did, and that is where I met Mark York. Mark sat with me and we went over
my nutrition and my goals. Mark listened to me, and really wanted to help me
develop a healthy balance with food and exercise. My results were great. I
started classes and made new friends, I felt great. January of 2013, I started
personal training two days a week with Mark. My body really started changing.
In
March, I told him I wanted to do a body building show. He didn’t hesitate, his
words were “Let’s do it”. I will never forget that day. He did all the
footwork, made a plan, and in September I did my first show. I placed fourth
and lived out a childhood dream. It was an amazing day. This journey has been
long and it is not over. September I will be doing two more shows, hopefully
for top three.
I
could not have done this without the support of my husband, my precious kids,
family, friends, Mark, and my PNF family. Step outside of the box and take a
chance. My mission is to inspire and help others join me on my journey for a
healthier you in 2014.
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