My Story
My Bodybuilding Journey
From walking into the gym with no idea what I was doing, to stepping on stage — this is the story behind Total Growth Fitness.
Where It All Started
I Didn't Start Out Knowing Any of This
Bodybuilding found me at a time when I needed something to pour myself into. I was an athlete my whole life — basketball and softball were my world. I also served in the United States Marine Corps, where I trained and conditioned fellow Marines. Discipline, grit, and pushing past limits weren't new to me — they were already in my DNA.
When I turned to bodybuilding, I had a coach to guide me and a foundation of athletic experience to build on. Over the years, I deepened my knowledge rep by rep — studying nutrition, learning programming, failing, adjusting, and growing. What started as a personal challenge became a lifestyle, and eventually a calling.
Every client I work with gets the benefit of everything I've learned through my own journey — the wins, the setbacks, and all the lessons in between.
The Journey
How I Got Here
Finding the Iron
Like a lot of people, I started my fitness journey not knowing where it would take me. I walked into the gym feeling lost, unsure of what I was doing — but something about the weights kept pulling me back. I fell in love with the process before I ever saw results.
Learning to Train With Purpose
I stopped going through the motions and started training with intention. I studied programming, nutrition, and recovery. I learned what progressive overload actually meant, how to fuel my body for performance, and why rest is just as important as the work.
Competing for the First Time
Stepping on stage for the first time was one of the most terrifying and empowering things I've ever done. Months of prep, discipline, and sacrifice — all leading to one moment under the lights. Win or lose, I was hooked. That stage changed everything.
Turning Passion Into Purpose
Everything I've learned through my own bodybuilding journey — the training, the nutrition, the mindset — is what I now bring to my clients. Total Growth Fitness was born from this experience. I coach the way I wish I had been coached when I started.
What I Believe
Lessons the Journey Taught Me
Discipline Over Motivation
Motivation fades. Discipline is what gets you to the gym on the days you don't feel like it. That's the foundation everything else is built on.
Food Is Fuel, Not the Enemy
Bodybuilding taught me to see nutrition differently — not as restriction, but as a tool. The right food at the right time changes everything.
The Process Is the Point
The trophy, the stage, the physique — those are byproducts. The real reward is who you become through the daily commitment to show up and do the work.
Every Body Has a Stage
You don't have to compete to be a bodybuilder. Your stage might be a mirror, a health goal, or simply feeling strong in your own skin. All of it counts.
Competition Results
Stepping on Stage & Earning It
All the early mornings, strict meal plans, and hours of prep came down to one moment under the lights. I stepped on stage and let the work speak for itself — and it did.
1st Place
True Novice
Figure
2nd Place
Novice
Figure
1st Place
Open Class
Figure
"The body achieves what the mind believes. Show up, stay consistent, and trust the process."
— Tanesha, Total Growth Fitness
Ready to Start Your Own Journey?
I coach from experience, not just textbooks. If you're ready to put in the work, I'm ready to guide you through it.