WOMEN WHO INSPIRE
Training was done as a competitive team, and Blackett has increased
her amount of weights - formerly bench pressing 10 to 15 pounds, she
can now press 30 pounds. She used to do air and jump squats, and has
now moved to squatting 135 pounds or more.
Was there pain along the way? You bet. A dancer in high school,
she has had knee pain since that time, due to a chondrul defect and
missing cartilage. Once again, her coach helped her work through it.
For her first show on June 24, she began making mini-cuts in
calories the beginning of April, reducing daily intake by 150 calories
at a time to keep her body from being shocked all at once. She worked
her way down to 1,100 calories by show day.
And there were many other details to think about, including the
glamour points like how to pose on stage, buying a bikini and how to
wear her hair and makeup.
“I bought a bikini to practice in early on, and at first it seemed so
small, but as I began to become leaner, it was fine,” she said. Her coach
and teammates helped her learn to pose.
“I really didn’t know what to expect, and I had no idea if I was really
ready or not,” she said. “To actually win first place in three categories
at my first competition was very encouraging.”
So she entered another. She allowed herself a vacation to St. Lucia
with her husband just after the show, but she couldn’t stray too far
from her healthy eating habits.
Just two months later, she participated in the National Physique
Committee Midwest Naturals in Arnold, Missouri, and placed first
in Figure C Class Novice and Figure C Class Open – which was a
national qualifier.
In September, she made her IPE debut in Overland Park, Kansas,
and though she didn’t place first, she felt good about getting her feet
wet in the national arena.
For 2018, she plans to continue competition. She works out at least
five times a week, and said she feels healthier and stronger.
“I wanted to train like an athlete, and that’s what I do now,” she said.
Originally from Arkansas, where she attended the University of
Arkansas, earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, she interned
at AT&T in St. Louis, earned her MBA at Webster University, and has
made the city her home. She has been a financial analyst at Centene
for seven years.
She and her husband were married two years ago, first meeting at
a St. Louis fundraiser. Teddy works at AT&T, and is a photographer
through his company, BFREESTLOUIS.
“I’m so grateful for the amazing support system that I had
throughout this process. My wonderful husband is my biggest
cheerleader,” Blackett said. “He continuously motivates me, and has
been 100 percent committed to every part of the journey. And our
family and friends have all been supportive.”
The two have always been very social and involved in a number of
activities, and she said one change that has been difficult is devoting so
much time to working out that they don’t have much time to socialize.
“Going forward, I want to find a balance to enable us to spend more
time with friends, and learn to choose foods wisely in social settings.”
SAVVY I SOPHISTICATED I SASSY
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