It's Never to Late to Live Healthy!

Name- Sally Lunsford
Age- 25
Height- 5'7”
Contest Weight- 120 lbs
Regular Weight- 130 lbs
Hometown- Nine Mile Falls, WA

Growing up I was never very athletic. In fact, during my late teen/early 20’s I actually lived a pretty unhealthy lifestyle. It wasn’t until just a little over a year ago that I did the 180 and turned my lifestyle around. While living in Alaska I attended my first NPC show and knew that that was what I wanted to do. I began training immediately (with what little knowledge I had) and competed in my first show 6 weeks later where I placed 3rd. That got me motivated even more and from there I competed in the Emerald Cup in Washington State and the Alaska State Championships, at which I won my height class.

After this (May of 2011) I was kind of hitting a plateau with my physique since I didn’t have any formal guidance or training. This is when my life really changed and I began working with my current coaches, Shawn Clapp and IFBB Fitness Pro Cinzia Clapp, out of Eagle River, Alaska. From there I saw great changes in my physique and went on to compete at Team Universe in July 2011, the WA State Ironman in September 2011, and then NPC Nationals most recently in November 2011. Although I now live in Amarillo, TX I still train online with my coaches and compete with my team, the 907 Muscle Girls. I love competing and living a healthy lifestyle! Right now I am back in prep, so I am training hard and following a strict diet. I lift 5 days a week and do 1-2 cardio sessions 6 days a week.

My diet consists of 7 small meals a day mostly lean proteins (chicken, fish, egg whites, some steak) with moderate healthy fats (avocado, low-sugar peanut butter, egg) and low carbs (brown rice, vegetables, and oatmeal). My supplements include a multi, fish oils, CLA, Casein protein powder, and VPX N.O. Shotgun. My diet plan and workouts get changed up every so often by my trainers depending on how my body is responding.

I had a great first year competing and could not have done it without my coaches, Shawn and Cinzia, or my husband, Michael, who supports me 100% in my training. In 12 weeks I will be taking the stage again at the 2012 NPC Vancouver USA Natural & Tanji Johnson Fitness, Figure & Bikini Classic in Washington State. From there, my coaches and I will determine what’s next, but I do know that I will definitely be hitting the national-level stage again this year with my best physique yet! ;)

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Editor's Notes

Big thanks to Sally Lunsford for taking the time to share her story, here, on FigureBikini.com. I think these kinds of accounts are extremely helpful for women that may not been active in their adolescence, but there's just something about the gym or the diet or the desire to compete, that flips a switch and changes lives. And while many people might not consider fitness to be equally empowering as a higher paying job, a degree, or more money, developing a physique you're proud of can be the biggest and most meaningful accomplishment listed so far. To know exude confidence in how you look, to be admired by your peers, to be sought after for advice -- who the heck wouldn't want to strive to achieve this level of adulation? Who wouldn't want to become a hero to someone that needs a little (or a lot of) inspiration?

What many of the women on this site have accomplished cannot be purchased, it can only be earned. Sally Lunsford made the big change, and thanks to a supportive network of friends and family, as well as top-knotch coaches and fellow competitors, she's already got her sights set on two shows in 2012. I'd like to wish her the best of luck in all her endeavours and I'd also like to thank her for candor and to commend her on a discipline that's not only changed her life phsyique-wise, but no doubt has had a profound impact on the person she is today!