Janessa Mitchell
Age: 27
Ht: 5’4” 1/4
Contest Weight: 120
Regular Weight: 130
Hometown: Plano, Texas
www.facebook.com/npcjanessamitchell
How I got started competing:
In November of 2010, the love of my life was deployed on his first tour of Afghanistan. I knew the deployment would be difficult; I knew I’d be scared and worried. However, I underestimated how hard it would be. The only people who really understand are the ones who have experienced it. I wish I could explain it to you…but it’s impossible to put into words the feelings and thoughts that occur. The only way I can begin to explain it is to say that we women back home all go a little crazy. We all go crazy in our own little ways in order to find an escape from the stress and pain of being separated from our partner, never knowing if we will get to hold them in our arms again. Some women drink. Some resort to drugs. Some find comfort in the arms of others. It’s easy for outsiders to look down on all of this behavior. I used to. I am in no way saying that it is right or ok…but now I know….we all go a little crazy.
Luckily, I found comfort in my passion for fitness and health. I have been active my entire life. I played sports as a child and through high school. In college, I hated being around my roommate so I avoided her by hitting the gym at least twice a day. Being healthy and fit has always just been a part of who I am.
My love for fitness has grown and matured as I have sought out new ways to challenge my body and my mind. Weightlifting, running, yoga, pilates…you name it, I’ve at least tried it. In 2007, I became certified to teach yoga and started teaching classes on the weekends and in the evenings. I was a banker by day but a certified gym junkie by night. Being in the gym made me whole. The gym was my identity.
My love for fitness led me to the love of my life, Adam. We met at the gym and he in every way is the man of my dreams. The day he got on that plane for Afghanistan, I started my countdown for his return. 210 days. Time never passed so slowly. It was torture. Nightmares, sleepless nights, constant worry, complete misery. It seemed like the more I counted down the days, the slower time seemed to pass.
One day in March of 2011 (around 60 long days left until his homecoming), I decided I needed something to keep my mind busy. I needed a challenge that would make me race against the clock rather than watch it tick by slowly. I decided to sign up for my first NPC competition. Initially, I decided I should do the NPC Texas Shredder in May of 2011. It would give me 9 weeks to prepare, which seemed like plenty. It was a logical choice (typical for me since I tend to over-plan everything). The NPC Ronnie Coleman Classic was two weeks away in Dallas and I thought I could go watch it to see what all of this is about. It was all planned out. But, that’s when the CRAZY came out. Two weeks before the Ronnie Coleman Classic, I said, what the hell, the deadline to sign up is today. I’m doing it. I had no idea what I was doing. No clue what to expect. I temporarily lost my mind and it was the BEST thing that could have happened to me at that moment. For two weeks I dieted and trained and for once since November, time flied by.I didn’t place, but I was ok with that. I was happy that I had the courage to get up on stage. I was happy with the way I looked after only two weeks. Most of all, I was ecstatic that time passed so quickly. I signed up for the Texas Shredder in Austin, TX and seven weeks later on May 7th, I was on the stage again. This time placing 6th! I was shocked! I continued to on to place 4th at the NPC Heart of Texas, 2nd at the NPC Central Texas Showdown, and 1st at the NPC Texas State Naturals.
I am so thankful for what the NPC has done for me. The competitions helped me control the crazy. They made the time pass quickly. On June 1st of this year Adam returned home and the moment I was in his arms again was just as indescribable as the feelings one gets when their loved one leave. Only this time…it’s the most wonderful moment imaginable.
A typical day’s menu looks like this:
Meal #1: egg whites, oat meal, almond milk, and Professional Supplements Diamond Whey Isolate
Meal #2: Almonds
Meal #3: 4 oz of chicken breast, ½ sweet potato, spinach
Meal #4: Oatmeal with Professional Supplements Diamond Whey Isolate (I mix them together for what I call “ProOats”
Meal #5: 4 oz of fish, asparagus, ½ sweet potato
Meal #6: 1 Scoop of Professional Supplements Diamond Whey Isolate and sometimes a handful of pecans.
I also drink tons of water throughout the day and enjoy green tea every morning.
People I need to thank:
I want to thank most importantly my boyfriend Adam. He has inspired me and motivated me to follow my dreams and forget my fears. I want to thank Professional Supplements for recently becoming my sponsor. I feel honored to have such a reputable company supporting me with products that I actually use and believe in. The company was started by the late Art Atwood and his legacy lives on through his incredible products thanks to his family and close friends. I also want to thank my mother who would drive from her home in Oklahoma to cheer me on at the competitions and even made a couple of my suits! I am so incredibly blessed to have such an amazing support group in my life.
Plans for 2012:
I am so excited for the 2012 NPC season to start. While I am enjoying my off-season, I’m ready to get back on stage to show my ever-improving physique. I plan to hit the stage on March 10th at the West Texas Classic, a national qualifier. This will be the last show before my boyfriend deploys again for Afghanistan and I hope to make him proud. If I am so blessed to qualify for nationals, you’ll see me hit the stage sometime next summer! Otherwise, I am going to travel the great State of Texas with the goal of always being better than I was the last time. People can also find me at the Professional Supplements booths that will be set up at competitions throughout 2012. I will be handing out samples of the various products they offer, including Karbolyze, the new improved Karbolyn formula. I am so excited to meet all of the athletes! These events are filled with the most incredible people I know!
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