And other professional/ sponsored athletes..

Ever since I entered the world of bodybuilding, I would become extremely frustrated with some of the people in the fitness industry, namely those who take the opportunities they've been given for granted.

Pictured above is one of the hundreds of thousands of bikini competitors with big dreams trapped in that big hair. For my first show, I took on a huge stage, hoping to gain exposure and propel my bodybuilding career. I was barely an amateur, and certainly not prepared to go up against 80 other competitors, some who were seasoned competitors. But I was so naive and so hopeful that I felt I just might have a chance. In this case, I definitely was not landing any kind of sponsorship based on my conditioning, but no matter how conditioned I was, or dream to be, the industry just does not work like that anymore.

Social media has taken over this industry completely. I believe social media is INCREDIBLE for marketing, but nowadays becoming a sponsored athlete is all about how many followers you have. This is the way of the industry and there is not much you can really do about it. But that's not what irritates me. What makes me absolutely mad is when hopeful competitors with big dreams and a love for the sport are ignored because they don't have a high enough follower count.

Companies will sponsor anyone who 'works out' on social media if they have the right number of followers. I'm talking about people who work out just to flex for the gram and that's it. It is not a lifestyle to them; they don't sacrifice what other athletes do. Some of theses 'athletes' can't even stay conditioned enough for the brand sponsoring them. How are you going to represent a fitness brand and not be even relatively conditioned? These people that run said brand are paying you, supporting your lifestyle, giving you even more exposure, and more than likely, giving you A TON of free product, and you can't keep your diet in check? I do not care what people choose to do with their lives, whether they want to be fit or unfit, what bothers me are the brands backing these people when there are competitors who give EVERYTHING to this sport. Who want nothing but to train and compete.

I have had to leave the sport because I cannot afford competing which is horrible for me while there are sponsored athletes out there who will have every show fee paid out by sponsors and they just do not care to compete. That kills me. There are girls getting paid to compete who are 'retiring' from the sport. Why do companies keep giving these people these opportunities? Why is the fitness industry so corrupt?

At this point, I count down the days until I can cross a stage again. This time it will be with no 'career' expectations, but simply because I love the stage. I love the grueling competition prep process. I love how I feel when I am up there posing. Even if I've placed poorly at every show I have competed in, I still cannot deny how much I love this sport and I cannot wait to compete again.

I hope that in the future, athletes will realize how fortunate they really are to have sponsors for this sport. I hope competitors and fitness influencers stop taking their sponsors for granted. And I hope these companies start dropping people like flies when their contracts are up. Give those opportunities to the athletes who deserve it!