Hello my name is Funke and I love fitness!
Some background…in elementary school, besides math, recess and PE were my favorite times of the school week. Running around, playing tag and climbing the monkey bars were my definition of a good time. So in high school, when it was time to try out for the school teams, I signed up for everything – volleyball, basketball, track & field, swimming. Yes, I made most of the teams & no, I wasn’t great at all the sports, if anything I probably wore the coaches down with my persistence ha! As long as I got to practice and travel with the team I didn’t mind that I was a mostly a substitute player – except for the 800M track race. That was mine; I actually set a track record at my high school for that (which I believe still stands :)).
So then life happens…I moved to Canada to go to university, get a business degree & major in Finance (I still love math). I then get my MBA, studied, worked and lived in Europe for almost a year but moved back to Toronto to be close to my family. Only to move to Calgary a few months later to work with one of largest Oil & Gas companies in the world. All this while, I tried to stay active with friends; hiking, biking, working out at gyms, but I really had no concept of what proper training and especially what proper nutrition was.
Fast forward to 2012/2013, I started thinking even more seriously about setting fitness goals and started doing lots of research on nutrition and proper training. Fortunately, there’s a ton of information on the internet and unfortunately there’s a ton of information on the internet. There was a lot of trial and error and quite a few setbacks, but thankfully the little progress I had seen at the gym from progressively lifting heavier weights and the sweet feeling of knowing I was getting stronger allowed me not to quit. I just knew that, though I hadn’t quite found the right formula, I just had to stick with it and eureka it would come together – just like a mad scientist.
Through a friend, I discovered the world of competitive fitness and bodybuilding, before that my idea of bodybuilding was from Arnold, and since we all know he’s a god, I didn’t know how a lowly earthling like me could do it. But somehow, in the pursuit of challenging my body and with the encouragement of my friends I decided to enter my very first fitness competition. I chose to do so with the WBFF Federation, because it combines two of my favourite things – Fitness & Fashion. I gave myself about 11 weeks to get ready and with the guidance of my fantastic coach & nutritionist and the solid support of family and friends, I stepped on stage at the WBFF Worlds show in Vegas with 500 other athletes, and did something I had never done or dreamt of before. It was phenomenal and sometimes, I still can’t believe I actually did it. I placed in the Top 10 in Amateur Fitness – and that’s just the icing on the cake, because for me actually sticking with it and ending up in the best shape of my life was the prize. 🙂
On the WBFF stage, clearly channelling my inner VS model
Some fun shoots I did after my competition, styling & outfit by yours truly
Next steps…to continue the fitness lifestyle and sure, I’ll compete again. Through my preparation and at the competition, I met some inspiring people and made some great friends that I can’t wait to see again.
Mostly I’ll like to help and inspire people, especially women, who are constantly fed with images of what perfect is. I want to show that there is no ‘one perfect’. That taking care of your body is a form of self-respect, that being strong is beautiful and having developed muscles is sexy but that that definition of ‘sexy’ is individual and looks different on everyone and that’s what makes each of us unique!
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