Ms. Muscles' Story
SHERYL BLYSTONE is a certified and registered nutrition consultant and personal trainer registered with the National Academy for Health and Fitness and has been training for over ten years. She is also a nationally registered and licensed Emergency Medical Technician.
Growing up on a dairy farm, she's always had a great work ethic, but she was not always involved in athletics.
As a young adult she worked many different jobs, and struggled to make ends meet, until after the birth of her second child. Then, the young mother and her husband decided it was time for her to be a full-time mom. She supplemented her income by babysitting locally.
I gained a lot of knowledge from you about eating right and exercise. You are a great role model.
You also made my lifestyle change seem very easy. Something I thought I could not do “lose weight” was all in my head. I gained my strength from you. Thanks!
~~ Heather M. – Chesterfield, MI
When she noticed that her energy levels were very low, and she was being challenged by even the smallest tasks, she could tell that she lacked the energy of yesteryear. Not willing to chalk it up to old age - she was only 26 - she wondered why she felt so tired all the time.
Then one day it hit her. She could not believe the size of her butt! It was huge. The spare tire she'd accrued during pregnancy did not go away after childbirth, either.
~~ Lisa Hearley - Clinton Township, MI
This was the worst of times: feeling helpless in a body lacking energy, being despondent about her condition, and wanting to do something about it. The need for weight loss came to mind. But how should she do it?
Sheryl had virtually no knowledge of what, how, why, or even when to do any form of exercise, so she decided to start walking. She began with walks after dinner. Eventually she moved up to the task of taking the two children along in a wagon. The wagon pull was more difficult than walking, which seemed to work the body more intensely. She soon realized she required more information about exercising.
The best thing that anyone can do for themselves is to have you (Sheryl) over their shoulder!!
God bless you, you are simply the best!!
~~ Albert L. Donadio III - Shelby Township, MI
Therefore, she read fitness magazines and borrowed an exercise video, along with a step-up. That way, she could aerobicize while the baby napped.
With this newly discovered information, she realized that a comprehensive diet was of paramount value. The three major elements of nutrition (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) all have their place in a healthy diet. So they needed to have a place in her diet.
It was now time for Sheryl to venture out to various gyms to sample their product offerings. She acquired a babysitting job at a local gym. This provided a (meager) paycheck. More importantly, it also provided a gym membership.
The training was excellent!
~~ Toni Perliski- Shelby Township, MI
Not long after, she moved into an aerobic instructor's slot. At this stage, she'd been certified by the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America.
After rising to the post of Director of the Aerobics Program, she sought her personal trainer certification through the International Fitness Professionals of America. She'd lost all that unwanted body fat. Furthermore, she gained a competitor's qualification through her own efforts.
Muscle & Fitness devoted an article to her success story in its August 1998 edition. She's now competed in four major bodybuilding competitions, and her wins include a first-place (lightweight division), along with an overall victory over the winner of the heavyweight division.
Sheryl has helped many others to achieve their goals. Some people have wanted help with weight loss. Others have wanted help with lean mass gains and bone density gains. For some, a particular preoccupation is to lessen the effects of osteoarthritis. She especially loves to encourage children to lead healthy, productive lives through sports and good nutrition.
It was a great experience.
~~ Melrita Westerlund- Shelby Township, MI
It hasn't all been easy, to put it mildly. At one point she was diagnosed with life-threatening skin cancer (melanoma) . For this, she underwent corrective surgery. Fortunately it didn't take long for her to return to her old workout and personal training regimen.
Currently, Sheryl lives in Chesterfield, Michigan. She's always very excited at the thought of reaching out and helping others to achieve their goals!