Fitness Transformation: NPC Bikini Competitor Jen Mezzetti

I became a competitive gymnast at age two and a competitive cheerleader at age 10. I continued cheering and gymnastics throughout junior high and into high school. At the start of my junior year, girls started to give me a hard time about my weight. I wasn’t overweight, but the girls were catty and loved drama. They always made comments about how my body didn’t look as athletic as it performed. It didn’t take long for the comments to bring me down. I eventually stopped cheer and gymnastics because I was depressed. When I realized I shouldn’t let girls bother me, I went to the gym and spent the entire summer before my senior year there. When school started, I did online classes and Cross Fit, but it wasn’t for me. Two trainers at LA Fitness, Ron and Kevin, said I should look into fitness shows, but I wasn’t sure where to start, so Ron and Kevin hooked me up with an amazing personal trainer named Janis Garrido. I started training with Janis in November 2012. She said if I worked hard enough I could enter a bikini competition. I busted my butt every day and stepped on stage in March 2013 after three months of hard work and dedication. I placed fourth in the NPC bikini open class D. I was 17 years old and it was the best experience of my life. A few weeks after the show, I was offered a sponsorship from Total Nutrition in West Palm Beach, Florida. I recently competed again on June 29, 2013, at the Anna level and placed fourth in teen and third in open class D to qualify for nationals. My goal is receive my pro card and get into fitness modeling. I did photo shoots recently with Jim Beriau and Corso Photography and had a blast. I don’t consider this a onetime thing. This is my lifestyle and I do it because I enjoy it; not to prove girls from high school wrong. My journey is about being successful in the health and fitness industry by making an impact in the lives of others so they can reach their goals.

Dieting in the beginning was difficult because I’m young and there are many parties and dinners to attend that create distractions. I learned to pack food and prep for the week. I decided to quit staying up late when I train in the morning because my body needs rest. I don’t bother going out because it gets in the way of my goals and future.

I do cardio 5 times a week 45 minutes a day when I am on contest prep and when I am on my off season I keep my cardio 4-5 times a week doing 30 minutes a day because I am trying to keep my muscle on and not lose it. I lift four times a week hitting back/hamstrings, chest/triceps, quads and shoulders and biceps. Saturday I do a group boot camp with my Precision Diva team at the beach doing all un-weighted workouts.

I like to listen to anything that will keep me focused and pumped throughout my workouts. I prefer Lil Wayne and Calvin Harris they have great upbeat songs and always keep my energy up during my workouts.