Hello everybody!

I just wanted to thank you for stopping by my site. This page is for all of you who would like to know a little bit about who I am and what I do.

I was born on July 28, 1974 in Fairfax Virginia. The daughter of a diplomat, I spent most of my formative years in such exotic places as Sri Lanka and Thailand. I moved back to the Washington DC area just before high school and, with the exception of a short stint in New York City, I have lived here ever since. Currently, I am a group fitness instructor and personal trainer. I love what I do for a living. I feel really lucky to have the opportunity to improve the quality of my students and client's life. I have also been fortunate enough to have had the time to invest in fitness competitions. With my background in dance and my love for a challenge it has been a perfect fit. Most recently I won the 2002 Fitness Universe Champion.

I began competing in fitness pageants after returning to Washington, D.C. in 1997. I had just gotten back from a year in New York City; where I attended the summer dance program at the Tisch School of the Arts and studied at the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Steps Dance Studio. One day, at the gym, I ran into one of my former dance instructors Robert Teri. I knew that he participated in competitions of some sort and I told him I was interested in competing as well. He suggested that I start with an aerobics competition because I would not be judged on physique. I came in third at my first National Aerobics Challenge regional and third once again at nationals later that year.

While training with Robert, I worked on gaining strength and stamina and started lifting weights. He introduced me to a fitness competitor who suggested I train for a Fitness America competition with her. Eileen Salvi became a really good friend and she was a fantastic training partner. She is a person who leads by example. She showed me how to eat to compete. (Something I am still horrible at.) I went to the competition to simply hoping to place well and won. From that moment on…I was hooked.

The last few years have been great for me. Competing in fitness pageants has been a gateway to travel and a path to self-discovery. I have traveled to England, Hungary, Germany, and Italy (Do you know they have espresso in teeny little to go cups?). Training for a competition is a very selfish thing. It can sometimes be very positive, but the all consuming nature of it can have its downfalls. I know that I am on stage for only a few minutes but the everyday aspects of preparing for a competition - rehearsing, training, dieting, choosing music, finding a costume, tanning gel, makeup and hair - can consume every free moment of my time. It is a 24-hour commitment. Balancing time with your friends and family is extremely difficult.

When I won the Fitness Universe, I took everyone that I knew on stage with me. I felt like I was there with a multitude of my supporters behind me. From my coaches, Kim and Robert Teri, to everyone who helped me raise money for my trip or encouraged me to my family. I never could have done such a good job without all of them.

These days, I am still trying to find a balance. I spend more than forty hours a week teaching group exercise and personal training. I have more respect than ever for those people who have made a commitment to be fit, as I find my workouts often take a back seat to other priorities.

I feel really lucky to have a job that I believe in so much. With all the help I have had achieving my goals, my mission in life is to help as many people as I can achieve theirs. Fitness is something that we have the luxury of focusing on. It is a gift that we give ourselves. It is what brings quality to our lives.

Best Wishes!

— Carolyn