2015 NPAA Magazine 2015 volume 1 | Page 39

I’ve chosen NPAA because I found it to be the most competitor friendly and drug free organization. Everyone made me feel so welcomed and comfortable from the day of the workshop to the moment of going on stage. As a professional dancer and now a fitness competition, I see myself as an ambassador of a healthy and active lifestyle. Through my actions (more than words), I try to lead by example. I truly believe that everything is possible if you are passionate about something and work hard for it. I want to prove that in everything that I do in my life. WHO DO I HOPE TO INSPIRE?  Something that I thought would be my personal challenge turned into inspirational journey for many of my friends. I never thought that my personal goal of building muscles and walking on stage in bikini would be such a motivator for others. Yet, I realized that isn’t only about me. The hard work, dedication, the time management, the energy management are just some of the aspect of competing. I am happy that though my active lifestyle, I am inspiring my friends (both ladies and guys) to challenge themselves everyday and to live healthier and more active lives. MY FAVOURITE BODY GROUP TO TRAIN: Upper body MY FAVORITE CLEAN EATING SNACK? It would have to be greek yogurt with berries. I love fruits in every shape and form, making the prep process challenging at times. But adding a bit of berries to my greek yogurt/cottage cheese combo hit the spot every time. MY LONG TERM ATHLETIC GOALS WITH NPAA I want to show my girlfriends that they do not have to starve themselves or go on “fad” diets to look and feel great. I want to show them that even with very busy schedule, there is always room for exercise and healthy food choices. It is easy to make excuses for ourselves, but I want to see them take action and be accountable for their decisions and choices. I found this process much easier as I was acceptable for it to many people that followed my journey to the stage.   Chantella Phillips Ania Miklas WHY DID I COMPETE WITH NPAA? WHY DID I COMPETE WITH NPAA?  My first competition was May of 2013 with NPAA. I was inspired to compete with NPAA by the wonderful feedback I had gotten from competitors who had previously competed with NPAA. The organi