RMOF: Heidi Andonian
December 2007I am a 38-year-old figure competitor and mother of three boys. It was about 16 months ago and I was wandering aimlessly around the gym when I was congratulated by a member there on my recent figure victories. I thanked him and in conversation he asked "what's next?" That got me thinking "yeah, what is next?" Well to make a long story short, he gave me the name of a trainer and said to give him a call because he's "pretty interesting". I called and set up a consultation to meet with John Henry Creel at Mind & Body Fitness.
The day I met John Henry, I came to MBF pretty confident, bringing along some photos of myself, a detailed diet plan and a list of all the supplements I had been taking. I was here to impress. I spoke of my victories from the past year and explained I needed just a little bit of guidance to help me get a little more muscle on my legs, according to the judges, in order to progress further in figure competitions. After listening to me go on and on and giving me a once over, John Henry basically told me he had no idea how I did as well as I did, or how I was even existing? I was at 1000 calories per day for about 6 months doing 1 to 1.5 hours of cardio 5 to 6 days per week. What I didn't realize was that I was actually doing more harm to myself than good. I was starving my body, most importantly my muscles, and there was no way I could have kept up that pace for another minute. My body was shutting down on me. I had a hard time functioning in my normal life. I'm a stay-at-home mom and my sons were getting the short-end-of-the-stick. I was exhausted all the time. My cycles stopped, I was short-tempered and worst of all, the sport that I loved so much was becoming my enemy. My figure career almost ended before it truly began.
Thank goodness for John Henry. He assessed it all. He laid out the game plan. And to be totally honest, I didn't like it! I was afraid of the change. It was all new and was going against everything I had been doing. But I had faith. I believed him and trusted he had my best interest in mind. When I was uncomfortable with something new, perhaps an increase in calories or less cardio, we would talk about it. John Henry would explain it and reassure me it was all for a bigger purpose. What I was doing before was simply exercising and eating to compete and not to LIVE. I didn't see beyond my next contest but John Henry did.John Henry's famous words, "You're either getting busy living or you're getting busy dying". That statement finally sunk in and what I came to realize was that I was dying, or at least killing my muscles, my metabolism and my will to continue my sport. John Henry had me do what I initially thought was impossible. He took my daily 1000 calories to about 2300 calories per day. He dropped my 1 to 1.5 hours of cardio, 5 to 6 days per week to 30 minutes of cardio 4 to 5 days per week. I did much more weight training than I was used to. I went from 104lbs. and 10% body fat to 120lbs. and 11% body fat. I had much more muscular definition and strength weighing 16 pounds more! Who would have thought I would double my calories and still wear a size 2? My energy came back, I was no longer short-tempered and I was, again, a well-functioning woman, mother and athlete.
But the biggest change, at least professionally speaking, is that I went from an amateur figure competitor to a Professional Figure Competitor! What John Henry has done for me as Heidi Andonian is made me understand the role food play in our lives: Why our muscles need it, what nutrients our muscles need to burn body fat and what could happen without eating properly and weight training. Without the mind being involved in this game of fitness, the body doesn't have a chance! For where the mind goes the body will follow. So now I am so proud to say that I am getting busy living and loving what I do!
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