We sat down with athlete of the month, Brittany Parrett, to see what got her started. She signed with AX a few months ago and has risen quickly to the top. Let’s see what she has to say about her journey to the exercise world.
What got you started in exercise?
Well… I was always an athlete growing up, with basketball as one of my biggest passions. I grew up as one of the biggest tomboys in my neighborhood. With my “skaters hair cut” and oversized boys t-shirt and shorts I would always be seen dribbling a basketball down the street. As I started to mature, I wanted to become more feminine, but I never felt comfortable wearing bikinis, dresses, short shorts, or basically anything that would be considered “sexy.” I had little to no self-confidence & always cared what others might think of me.
When I started college, that’s when I met my current boyfriend, who was dedicated to going to the gym. Being the athlete I was, I wanted to feel confident in my own skin, be able to wear a bikini, and not hide behind a towel envying the women I saw on the covers of fitness magazines. Being introduced to his lifestyle and these thoughts, I then decided to train with my boyfriend. I lost 25lbs with his training regiment & healthy/clean eating lifestyle. However, even after losing all that weight loss, I still never wanted to be in a bikini. That’s when I decided, “Hey I want to be one of those women in the magazines, the women competing at the Worlds/Olympia/Arnolds & I want to start competing. I know if I give 100% I can get on stage and be one of them”.
The moments backstage during my first show, right before stepping on stage for the first time, was one of the most unforgettable moments in my life. I was worried I’d get booed off stage or that I would fall flat on my face in heels (since Jordan’s were the shoe of choice for a majority of my life). But then when I hit my first pose, and I could heard my friends/family scream for me, a confidence and pride I had never felt before overcame me. For once in my life I actually did not mind a “whistle”. However when the night show came I was devastated to find I placed second to last & once again the doubts came back. I did not give up though. I had never felt such confident before as I did when I was in front of all of those people in the bright lights, and getting second to last only motivated me to work harder. Two weeks later I competed again & got 2nd place/East Coast Best Body runner up. From then on, I qualified twice for nationals and competed on a national stage. I wanted to continue to make my friends, family & myself proud and wanted to inspire others. I wanted someone to look at me & say, “because of you, I didn’t give up”.
What does your workout look like?
I recently joined Team Xtreme with Larry Roberts as my new coach. Lifting heavy has always been essential in my weight training; whatever exercises, supersets, or reps I am given by my coach, I make sure to push myself to my limits & make sure it is a struggle through the last rep. My weight training currently consists of body part/muscle isolations, for example, quads/hams, chest/back width/shoulders, arms/calves, etc. I currently do not spend a significant amount of time doing cardio. High intensity interval training (HIIT) has definitely made huge improvements in my physique & cardio is slowly increased in my workouts the closer I get to my show date. I do short, but intense cardio training. I love to push/challenge myself. I’m excited to see what else my Team has in store for me as I continue to develop and train for my upcoming 2014 contest season.
What does your diet look like?
My current diet changes depending on how my body is responding. Limitations on the amount of carbs and/or healthy fats I intake are adjusted based on my body’s response. I always change up my types of proteins, fats, & carbs I am taking in, but stay within my set macros. I eat 6 meals a day, making sure I at least drink a gallon of water! I love creating recipes with my portioned carbs, fats, and proteins as well! Even in my off season, I continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle & eat this way, but do treat myself on occasion! You have to enjoy life & mom’s home cooking once in a while! We all get cravings!
Who inspires you?
Anyone who is willing to create a healthy lifestyle, challenges themself no matter what the obstacle, has self-confidence, is hard working, and always has a helping hand to motivate others, whether they are a seasoned athlete, or just beginning.
What are your future goals in this sport?
Continue to enjoy what I love & my passion for bodybuilding, along with keeping myself healthy. I am blessed to have accomplished some of my goals/dreams of being sponsored and started fitness modeling, but hopefully one day I just might see myself as one of those women in the fitness magazines or at the Worlds/Arnolds/Olympia as I have always been inspired by. Recieving my pro card is also one of my top goals, but I am in no rush. My time will come when it comes!
What would you tell someone who is just starting out in exercise?
Never give up on your goals, think they are “outrageous”, or convince yourself/have others doubt or think you can never accomplish them. Work hard, stay motivated, stay determined, never lose sight on why you started, and be patient.
“Real leaders are ordinary people with extraordinary determination”.
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