FIGHTING AGAINST ALL ODDS
BY REINA ESPINELI
I ' ve always loved fitness even at a young age . But starting my bodybuilding journey seemed like opening another can of worms , especially with three children . Even though it was a long-term dream , I convinced myself I was too old and too busy to start what seemed like another financial burden . What was I thinking ?! I probably didn ' t even have ' the genes ' to get near the level of people I see in the magazines !
Being on prep is very challenging for me , especially with the demanding responsibilities of a wife , a mom , and a business owner . It would be even harder to train and prep for a competitive sport when my husband ' s health started to decline in 2015 . I became his primary caregiver . Ironically , * he * was the one who encouraged me to follow my dreams to do bodybuilding professionally . Even with all odds against him , he still found it in him to be supportive and encouraging .
2017 was the year I decided to take fitness to another level with my husband and children behind me . I was finding it harder to accept that my current physique was the best I could have . I no longer wanted my excuses to prevent me from achieving my goals . The first thing I did was contact a fitness coach . His guidance was definitely what I needed to get to work and prepare for my first bodybuilding show .
6 months later , at the age of 37 , I stepped on stage for the very first time and won the Overall award in the Masters division !
I had proved to everyone , but most importantly to myself , that I had the persistence and determination to achieve my goal . I had the best physique I ' ve ever been in , and the satisfaction felt amazing ! My journey has not been easy , especially with my husband ' s passing in 2020 . The mental strain you put on your own body can be draining on top of providing for three kids alone , and things only got worse when I developed Rhabdomyolysis , a serious condition causing muscle breakdown . In my case , my legs were in so much pain that I had trouble walking , let alone standing . The pain was so intense and would not let up even when my body was not in motion . I was forced to call an ambulance to take me to the hospital where I had to stay for 2 weeks for doctors to monitor my well being . My Creatine Kinase ( CK ) levels were sky high- I had far too much protein in my bloodstream that was caused by muscle breakdown . I came dangerously close to kidney damage and even kidney failure . I was lucky that I got the help when I did- what could have happened if I were to ignore the pain is something that I never want to find out .
Doctors told me to my face that I should not compete again . After all the time , work , discipline that I put into my training , how could it all go down the drain in such little time ? I had a decision to make . I could follow the doctors ' suggestion and give up bodybuilding for good- a skill , a hobby , my lifestyle that took years and years to build and maintain ... Or I could keep that suggestion in mind , be mindful of my protein intake , my bodily limits , and be hyper aware of the signs of rhabdomyolysis and continue bodybuilding . For me .
It is simply not in my code to let anything from my status , age , finances , personal struggles , or any conditions that I may go through along the way stop me from achieving my dreams .