While there are many different reasons to enter the body competition arena, one of the most appealing aspects is the challenge. This demanding but rewarding field forces you to burst out of your comfort zone and really push yourself to the limit. And, for professional body model Jennifer Nicole Lee, signing up for a fitness competition was one of the best decisions of her life.
Before she began competing, Lee was a married mom of two who was still struggling with her baby weight. In 2008, she appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show and opened up about her battles with depression and insecurity during that time.
"I felt horrible being overweight," Lee confessed. "I was depressed. I had a lack of energy. I wasn't able to feel pretty,"
After years of being ashamed of her physique and hiding behind big hair and baggy clothes, Lee had enough. For her, the first step to self-empowerment was to sign up for a bikini competition. With that end goal in mind, she was able to motivate herself through months of rigorous training.
By the time the competition rolled around less than a year later, Lee had shed an amazing 70 pounds, and took to the stage looking beautifully tanned and toned in a posing suit. All of that hard work paid off, and she was ultimately named Miss Bikini America 2005.
"I was like an animal that had been unlocked out of its cage," Lee says of her first fitness competition. "My confidence level just went through the roof."
That was just the beginning for Lee, who has acquired countless titles since then, and is now one of the most well-known fitness models in the business. Her story shows that it is truly possible to change your life for the better.
Jennifer Nicole Lee: From homemaker to fitness model
While there are many different reasons to enter the body competition arena, one of the most appealing aspects is the challenge. This demanding but rewarding field forces you to burst out of your comfort zone and really push yourself to the limit. And, for professional body model Jennifer Nicole Lee, signing up for a fitness competition was one of the best decisions of her life.
Before she began competing, Lee was a married mom of two who was still struggling with her baby weight. In 2008, she appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show and opened up about her battles with depression and insecurity during that time.
"I felt horrible being overweight," Lee confessed. "I was depressed. I had a lack of energy. I wasn't able to feel pretty,"
After years of being ashamed of her physique and hiding behind big hair and baggy clothes, Lee had enough. For her, the first step to self-empowerment was to sign up for a bikini competition. With that end goal in mind, she was able to motivate herself through months of rigorous training.
By the time the competition rolled around less than a year later, Lee had shed an amazing 70 pounds, and took to the stage looking beautifully tanned and toned in a posing suit. All of that hard work paid off, and she was ultimately named Miss Bikini America 2005.
"I was like an animal that had been unlocked out of its cage," Lee says of her first fitness competition. "My confidence level just went through the roof."
That was just the beginning for Lee, who has acquired countless titles since then, and is now one of the most well-known fitness models in the business. Her story shows that it is truly possible to change your life for the better.