Meet Lift for Life Model of the Month Nicole Weeks, an athlete whose exceptional physique is deeply grounded in a very simple philosophy, "There is no magic bullet".

Like many others, Nicole found herself immersed in culture of partying and excess shortly after entering college. Ensnared by a life of carelessness, McDonalds with a Mountain Dew chaser became her diet of choice. Although carefree at surface level, Nicole paid a terrible price during this period of excess as her bodyweight escalated to unhealthy proportions and her low self esteem led her into violent and abusive relationships. After six years on the self defeating treadmill of indulgence and self loathing, Nicole collapsed into the black hole of depression and felt as if she could no longer function in the world.

"Genetics don't control what I put in my mouth or if I go to the gym versus watch TV. So don't hide behind excuses. Keep trying."

We come into this life with a survival instinct, and there is an element within each of us that wants to live, to overcome, to find purpose.

It wasn't until Nicole found the "Body for Life" challenge by Bill Phillips that her own survival instinct awoke from its slumber. She entered the challenge, using weight training as a sort of therapy. As her body began to respond to the positive stresses that she placed on it, she found herself hungry for a deeper commitment to both her body and her mind.

She learned to make better choices in her diet, she learned what types of training produced results and what did not, she learned that she was capable of more than she had ever thought possible.

As "old demons" occasionally came back to haunt her, Nicole learned that "life doesn't become easier just because you start working out and eating right. "However, I relearned how to cope with life's difficulties more effectively and efficiently. In the process, I lost 37 pounds of fat and gained 16 pounds of muscle, and transformed my whole life. I'm a different person on the outside and it started by digging deep, finding the power within, even though it seemed dim at the time, and changing my attitude, beliefs, and self-perceptions on the inside."

 "Education, not more money spent on pills, is your best remedy."

As an example of the physical potential that lies within each of us, and the awakening of the spirit that gives life a deeper meaning and purpose, Lift for Life.com is honored to feature Nicole Ann Weeks as the Figure Model of the Month.

Click here to read Nicole's stats:

The Ultimate Challenge:

The words fall like a sledgehammer, and cannot be whispered softly enough to blunt their force

"you have cancer".

Health is a birthright, yet it is also a luxury not to be taken for granted. This was never more evident to Nicole than when she received the devastating news that she had cervical cancer. Denial yielded to acceptance and despair gave way to hope, and yet the first two treatments failed.

"it was one of the most humbling times of my life to be in the hospital, and the first time I ever confronted my mortality"

Third times the Charm!

A third, more invasive surgery was performed to remove all of the affected tissue and this time it was successful. She had endured yet another long night of despair, all the while longing for the sense of "normalcy" that physical training brought her.

"I couldn't wait to get back on stage to find a sense of normalcy again. So 6 weeks after surgery I was on stage with the IFPA Pro Figure Competitors then right after that earning my NGA pro-card."

Click here to go to Nicole's Model Page

Stats:

Height: 5' 6"

Weight: Contest 118, off-season 127

Measurements: 34D-25-32

Occupation: Personal trainer and figure coach

2007 NGA Pro-Am World Figure Championships: 1st place pro figure

2006 NPC Florida Gold Cup: 2nd - Class C, Qualify: Nationals Team Universe
2006 NGA International: 1st, NGA Pro-Card
2006 IFPA Gaspari Nutrition Pro Figure: 6th
2005 WNBF Pro Ms. Exercise World's: 4th
2005 WNBF Pro Natural International: 6th
2005 WNBF Pro Natural Northeast: 11th
2005 INBF Northern States: 1st: WNBF Pro-Card
2004 INBF Natural Atlantic: 2nd Fitness, 6th Figure
2004 INBF Texas Shredder: 2nd Figure Tall
2002 Body for LIFE Challenge Finalist: W25-29
2002 WTF World Challenge: 9th Overall, 5th Dual, 2nd Fitness Skills, 1st Bench
2002 WTF Nationals: 3rd Overall, 1st Fitness Skills
2001 WTF World's: 40th Overall (1st competition)
2000 Body for LIFE Challenge Finalist: W25-29
1999 Body of Work Challenge: Finisher!

Favorite exercise: Hand to mouth with a stainless steel fork. The shorter the distance the better! Oh, you mean in the gym? I love doing Smith machine lunges. When you pick up the back foot while pushing up you can isolate the glutes and really build up that booty.

Favorite body part to train: It's all about the lats and building that winning set of wings for the

v-taper.

My training philosophy is that there's no one right way to train. I hate the word "expert" when it's associated with training. Currently I'm training heavy and high rep and my focus is on building up my back, biceps, and shoulders. My legs are big enough so I do sprints in place in leg workouts sometimes.

Hobbies: watching UFC and MMA, some boxing, playing Final Fantasy and other RPG games, playing with my 5 cats, and studying spiritualism, mediumship, healing and infrared technologies. Right now we're remodeling the house so we can hold training camps and do figure coaching right here in house and the competitors can stay here instead of at a hotel. One of the features is an infrared spa that will aid in healing. Great for after workouts, or if there are any injuries, ongoing problems, skin problems, or other major medical issues like cancer and arthritis.

To Learn more about Nicole, visit her personal website at

www.nicoleweeks.com

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Natural Bodybuilding at its Finest - Lift for Life.com