Originally published November 12 2013
41-year-old mom home schools children and wins fitness bikini contest with ultra-ripped bod
by Jonathan Benson, staff writer
(NaturalNews) This is the inspirational story of a 41-year-old mother of six children and wife to one of NaturalNews's own contributing writers, Mike Bundrant, who went from hard-working housewife and homeschool teacher to first place winner in the National Physique Committee (NPC) bodybuilding competition in just 90 days.
Her amazing story is not your typical story, but it is one that needs to be told, because it shows that anyone can accomplish anything with enough motivation, dedication, discipline and drive. Sure, these may not always be the easiest things to obtain, but you might be surprised at what following a few simple life principles can do to jump start them in your own life.
Before becoming a bodybuilding champion, Hope Bundrant never really had any personal goals. In fact, she was perfectly content raising her children and supporting her husband, not to mention helping run the two family businesses, all of which was a full-time job in and of itself. Her husband Mike refers to her as the "glue" that holds the family together and the type of person who is always willing to give of herself and never really take from others.
These are excellent traits in any wife, but Mike wanted Hope to also pursue her own personal goals, which she had previously thought little about. So the couple decided to join a local Gold's Gym, which is where Hope first heard about NPC competitions. An introvert by nature, Hope developed an unexpected interest in the program, but quickly dismissed it, in part due to her busy schedule.
But Hope was also stricken by a perceived lack of self-esteem, believing she would be unable to achieve her goal. And she would have probably ditched the idea for good if her husband had decided to simply let it go rather than encourage her to do it. It was this encouragement that helped push Hope over the edge and get her going on the road to success.
In just three months, Hope achieved what many, including her far-more-experienced competitors, probably assumed was never possible: she gained first place at the competition. This was not an easy feat, of course, but she ultimately succeeded at what she set out to do, which is what really matters. So how did she do it?
1) Enlisting the help of experts. By no means was Hope prepared to undertake the program on her own, as she knew little or nothing about fitness and nutrition. So she enlisted the help of experts who knew what they were doing, and humbly followed their lead all throughout the process, something many ambitious people fail to do. It was this humbleness and willingness to learn from others that helped Hope succeed.
2) Overcoming self-sabotage. It is common when setting a new goal for yourself to self-sabotage it. Worrying about failing, underestimating your own potential and dwelling on negativity are just a few of the many ways that people sabotage their own success. But Hope and her team of supporters helped her overcome her self-sabotaging tendencies which, if left to run their natural course, probably would have prevented her from ever even making it to the finals, let alone winning first place.
3) Applying yourself 100 percent. Nobody has ever achieved success by giving only 50 percent of their effort. While it might sound cliche, giving 100 percent of yourself to your goals, or even just the task at hand, is crucial for success. For Hope, this meant maintaining a rigorous workout schedule and adhering to a strict dietary regimen. Though tough, Hope's efforts paid off, and they serve as an inspiration to the rest of us, reminding that we, too, can achieve our personal goals.
Be sure to read Hope's full story, which includes pictures, here:
http://inlpcenter.com.
Sources for this article include:
http://inlpcenter.com
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