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“Getting on stage for the first time was an incredibly daunting experience. When I stepped out there and looked into the bright white lights, I felt totally disoriented and frightened. Even though it was all over in 90 seconds, time really stood still for me.”

Thirty-eight-year-old Deanna Mccormick has two busy boys, ages 10 and 12. Fitness has always been integrated into her family life, functions, holidays, and daily routine.

As a child, Deanna was involved in running, skiing, gymnastics, track & field, volleyball, soccer, and field hockey. She and her sibling were always outside on their bikes or playing in the lake. Now, as parents, Deanna and her husband have tried to incorporate fitness into their family life by doing a variety of group activities while accommodating each other’s interests as much as possible.

Deanna would definitely describe herself as one of those “annoying morning people.” She gets up early in the morning to work out; the alarm clock rings at 4:30 a.m., and she heads down to her basement where they have a home gym. The workout starts on the treadmill by either walking, running, or some interval training followed by weights. Deanna likes to watch TV or listen to music while working out. By working out at the crack of dawn, she doesn’t feel guilty about spending so much time in the gym, because the whole family is upstairs sawing logs!

Prior to deciding to enter the competition, Deanna was having an eight-year fitness plateau, with no end in sight. She needed to have a goal, something big enough to force her to improve and change. Competing helped her to make a material difference to the way she looks and the way she feels about how she looks.

Deanna admits that getting on stage for the first time was an incredibly daunting experience. “When I stepped out there and looked into the bright white lights, I felt totally disoriented and frightened. Even though it was all over in 90 seconds, time really stood still for me.” When it was all said and done, making it to the end of the day and following through with the plan to compete was extremely rewarding in itself, says Deanna. “It felt just like crossing the finish line after a race: relief with a hint of exhilaration. It was an excellent experience.” Deanna watched and listened to everything that was happening around her; she felt like a sponge taking it all in. Deanna has said that the next competition is going to be a lot more fun because she will know what to expect!

We asked Deanna, when you fall off track with healthy eating/exercise, how do you get back on track? Deanna tries not to dwell on daily failures; instead, she focuses on making the next day a “good day,” which means she is up early, getting her workout out of the way and eating clean for the better part of the day. Although she does admit, “[i]f there is something in the house (like a Crunchie bar) that I just can’t resist, then I reach out to my resources, and get one of the boys to eat it for me!”

When asked if she could give advice to another person who was struggling with their fitness goals, Deanna is quick to say, “Make fitness work into your life by making it convenient. Mix it up as soon as you plateau, and get out there and try something new! If there’s yoga or Pilates at lunch in your building, try it. If there’s kickboxing class across the street, do it. If there is a walking or running group in your community, join it.” As you can see, Deanna likes fitness to be convenient. This mentality has worked really well for her and her family.

Deanna worked with Doug Bueckert to prepare for the competition and says that he was an excellent coach and mentor throughout this process. Deanna genuinely feels that she wouldn’t have achieved her fitness goals this year without his assistance and support along the way. Deanna is looking forward to another great year of hard work towards her goal: another competition next spring in Calgary.