I could sit here and tell you Jacqueline Curl's story, but I could never give it justice. So I won't get in depth, as she explains it all in this interview. But Jacqueline has overcome a lot in her life, including a medical problem, and not only overcame them, but has worked hard to build an amazing physique. You can not read Jacqueline's story, and not be amazed, inspired, and motivated. And I think she is happy about that. She seems to be the kind of person who takes pride in being able to inspire. Jacqueline talks in this interview of being able to achieve all her dreams. But I truly believe Jacqueline was put here to help others achieve their dreams through inspiration. Just take a look at her before and after photos below this. I very rarely have been as happy and honored to present an interview as I am to present this interview with the beautiful Jacqueline Curl.
Q: First, Jacqueline, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this.
A: No problem it is my pleasure :D
Q: Can you start out by telling a little about yourself. Family, where you
are from, things like that.
A: I was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. I'm an only child but have 2 step
brothers. My dad lives in Florida and my mom lives here in Montreal. My
background is Irish, Dutch, African American and West Indian. I'm a personal
trainer for Total Home Training
Q: Before the gym were you an especially athletic person? Play any sports or
anything?
A: I was never really into sports as a kid, I was always interested in working
out but never had the motivation or knowledge, I would start and then give
up.
Q: What initially led you into the gym?
A: About 2 years ago, I had a lot going on. My mom was very sick at the time
and I had to have her admitted to the hospital, it was a very hard time, I
was the only one there and had no one helping me out. This happened twice and
at the same time I had just met my father for the first time in my life, I
was going to school full time, working full time and partying full time.
Hardly sleeping and not dealing or talking to anyone about what was going
on!
It started with not being able to focus when someone was having a
conversation, I couldn't keep track on what they were saying, then my foot
went numb and it spread to half my body. I would have crying break downs at
work and finally went to see the doctor and they told me I was having a burn
out and gave me time off work. But then it just got worse. I couldn't write,
or sign my name it was just scribble, I couldn't tie my shoes, type on the
computer, talk properly, think straight, I walked funny, I would faint, have
panic attacks, black out, have seizures on a daily basis! I would have
episodes where I'd black out and do crazy things that I wouldn't remember. It
was totally insane! They did every test you could think of, I've had the
works.. MRI, EGG, cat scan, spinal tab over 100 blood tests..etc they did
all that because I was showing all the signs of a neurological disorder.
everything came up negative!!!
What I had was called conversion disorder, Conversion disorder is a
condition where a patient displays neurological symptoms such as numbness,
paralysis, or fits, even though no neurological explanation is found and it
is determined that the symptoms are due to the patients psychological
response to stress. Conversion is a psychiatric diagnosis.
Conversion disorder symptoms may occur because of emotional distress or
psychological problems.
Symptoms usually begin suddenly after a stressful experience.
So therapy is what helped in the beginning. and like I said I was on all
kinds of meds and because of them I gained so much weight. I must have
gained 50 pounds! I also used to smoke a lot to get the edge off. I slowly
started to get better, and then I started to work out to get rid of my
stress and clear my head and that's when I got addicted to it and started
training so much and quit smoking and started feeling soooo much better,
better then I ever had. I started walking in my area, every morning. I would
power walk to my favorite tunes on my IPod and just walk. It was so nice to
be outside with the fresh air. I finally felt alive again. This is when I
decided to take it to the next step and joining the gym and I never looked
back!
Q: Was training something you picked up fairly easy? How long before you
started to see results?
A: I did pick it up fairly easy, it just came natural to me and I started
seeing results right away and it was so amazing when my clothes started
feeling different, and it just kept me going that much harder. Every week
when the number on the scale would go down my confidence went up!
Q: You just recently did the UFE show, your first, what made you decide to
compete?
A: It was something i was always interested in, I used to watch Fitness America
when I was growing up, but I never thought it was something I could do, I
thought you needed to be training for this since a young age like an Olympic
athlete so I kinda put it at the back of my mind. One day while at work this
really fit and beautiful girl came in. She was a week away from competing in
a fitness competition and she told me all about it. After that I was hooked.
I did my research and kept in touch with her and she encouraged me and stuck
by me through the whole journey. Her name is Kathy Morris, she is a
beautiful person and I thank her everyday for getting me to decide to
compete and for where I am now. I'm also happy to say she is like my sister
now! She's been there for me every step of the way! Love you Kathy!
Q: Was competing something your family and friends supported at the time?
A: When I first told my family and friends they didn't think I would actually
fall through with it. My dad didn't like the idea at all, he thought I was
gonna turn into this muscle machine steroid kinda competitor lol also I've
done a lot of things in my life and never fell through with them so I don't
blame them for doubting me. Now however my dad is really proud of me and all
I have accomplished and is amazed by my transformation! He tells me I'm his
inspiration. So that's nice to hear! There are some people that just don't
understand and never will, but that's OK! I have met so many amazing people
through this process!
Q: Was competing what you expected?
A: It was more then I expected. I expected to have extreme stage fright, but
the second I stepped on the stage I was at home! The lights, the audience,
the noise it was an amazing feeling and all the months of hard training were
worth that 1 min I got to shine on the stage! I'm so happy I did 2 categories
because I got to go on the stage 3 times! It was amazing!
Q: What did getting on stage teach you about yourself?
A: It taught me I have much more confidence then I thought I did. I also
realized I know how to walk! My legs are my weapon on that stage :D
Q: As far as body parts, what do you feel is your best one?
A: Like I said before MY LEGS! I also love my shoulders and I love when my arms
look cut when i wear a tank top! I would also say my lips :D
Q: Do you have a part you most like to train?
A: I love training my biceps, triceps and shoulders
Q: What is your normal training routine and diet like, and how did you
alter it for contest prep?
A: From the min I stepped into the gym and started training I was in
competition mode, same with my diet. It has always been based on training
for a competition. I train 3 days on.
Day 1: legs and abs
Day2: chest and back
Day3: biceps, triceps, shoulders and abs
Day 4: rest
I also run huge flights of stairs x10 4 times a week to build up my legs.
My diet right now is high carbs because I'm trying to build some mass, but
usually its
Meal 1: oatmeal, egg whites, berries
Meal 2: 3 oz of chicken 1 cup of green veggies, 5 oz of sweet potato OR a
tuna salad
Meal 3: 3 oz of chicken 1 cup of green veggies, 5 oz of sweet potato
Meal 4: 4 oz of tilapia , 1 cup of veggies
Meal 5: 5 oz of steak and 5 oz of yams
Meal 6: tuna salad
Q: When someone sees your physique or hears you compete for the first time,
what is the most common reaction? More positive or negative?
A: More positive for sure, it always so weird to hear I'm an inspiration or that
women want to look like me, I mean a year ago no one would take second look
at me and now its like I'm on display wherever I go! I do get some negative,
there are some haters but that just makes me work that much harder.
Q: When they see it that first time, what is the one question or comment
you are most sick of hearing?
A: Oh my god this is easy, "Do you eat?" lol, do I eat??? I eat more then the
average family! That is the biggest misconception of fitness models, is that
we starve. My whole day consists of eating! So YES I eat! And I hate being
called skinny or too skinny or being told to gain weight.
Q: What is the biggest misconception about women who train and compete or
the one thing you wish people understood?
A: Number one like I said before, the diet. Theres a difference between a diet
to be healthy and a diet to compete. When you are on a diet to compete you
cant have that one little chocolate or a drink with friends or a cheat night
or some popcorn at the movies just because I train so much! You have a diet
plan to follow that is made for you and planned out for you by the time you
eat and the amount you eat, everything I eat has to be measured and weighed.
I wish people would understand this and stop telling me I could "afford" to
have some chocolate or something off my diet! This is why I kinda become a
loner when I'm training or I surround myself with other people that are doing
the same thing I'm doing.
Q: What is the best and worst part of competing and the prep process?
A: The best part about competing is meeting all the amazing people that I have
met, and the high I get when I'm on that stage, positive about prepping is I
feel like I'm striving for a goal and it feels pretty damn good. When I wake
up in the morning it feels so awesome to wake up and know I have a goal and
dream I'm fighting for! I used to hit the snooze button 5 times now I jump
out of bed before the alarm and say to myself how am I gonna get that much
closer to my dreams!
The negative is definitely the food cravings lol. I tend to hibernate and stay in my
bubble when I'm prepping or staying around people that are prepping as well.
But sometimes I do enjoy getting out and when everyone else is eating yummy
food and chocolate and I can only have water it sucks! But all worth it!
Peak weak when my coffee is cut STAY AWAY!
Q: Do you have any favorite competitors or any you admire?
A: I really admire my coach number one Robin MacGowan, she has been a huge
inspiration for me and huge source of motivation! She is such an amazing
coach and amazing friend!
Emily Stirling is also someone I really admire and look up to! She has done
so well in the fitness industry and come such a long way and has never let
it go to her head or changed the way she was! She is such an AMAZING friend
and she looks so amazing and is gonna kill WBFF in September! I'm so excited
to finally compete with her!
Kathy Morris is who got me into all this and has been my biggest supporter,
there are no words to say how much she has meant to me and how much I
appreciate her!
Last but not least Maria Lalous is someone I met during my prep for my first
competition and we became very close! I consider her one of my best friends
and I couldn't have done this first competition without her! We now are
training together for our second competition and I cant wait to see her
shine in that figure stage! Maria you are beautiful and such an inspiration
for me, remember you always have a support system in me :D
There are many others i look up to, Nicole Moneer Guerrero, Vanda Hadarean,
Karma Schopp, Kimberley More and many more!
Q: Do you have a favorite cheat food?
A: Pizza, sushi, chocolate covered almonds, Brazil nuts, apple crumble, bread
and butter, and Oreo ice cream!! hmmmmmm
Q: If another woman told you she wanted to start training, what is the one
piece of advice you would most want to give her?
A: Do it girl! Don't let anyone hold you back, fight till you get to your goal,
train hard, get rid of the haters and prepare to work harder then you ever
have in your life! DON'T EVER GIVE UP!
Also find yourself a really good coach and stick with him/her. A lot of
people are going to try and give you so much different advice that you may
want to listen to, your coach knows your body and knows whats right for you
so you need to have 100 percent trust in them and tell everyone thank you
very much but I'm fine :D
Q: Do you think it is becoming more accepted in society for women to be in
the gym training as hard as men?
A: Yes I think there is more woman then men that are training harder and
harder. At my fitness competition there was over 60 women and only about 20
men. Now that there is the bikini and fitness model categories more and more
woman are getting interested and I think that is awesome!
Q: Outside of training, any other hobbies or activities you enjoy?
A: I love to travel, shop, movies, being with friends, I like to go out to good
restaurants and eat good food. I love spas and getting pampered, what girl
doesn't.
Q: Can you describe a typical day in the life of Jacqueline Curl.
A: I wake up at about 5 or 6 am and I'm always starving when I wake up! I eat my
breakfast which is my favourite meal of the day. I usually go to the gym, I
like to train first thing in the morning because that's when I have the most
energy. I'm a personal trainer for Total Home Training here in Montreal, so
usually after the gym I'll train my clients, but I have them at all different
times if the day. I'm usually in the kitchen prepping my meals for the week,
that's my favorite room in the house lol.
Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
A: I'm very hard on myself and very critical, I'm very sensitive, I cry a lot. I
also struggle a lot, every day is a battle to make ends meat! I was never
handed anything on a silver platter and have had to work damn hard to get
everything I have! I know one day I'll get everything I want, I just gotta
keep patient and positive! Success doesn't happen over night!
Q: Describe Jacqueline Curl in five words.
A: Confident, Fierce, Gregarious, Sensitive, Go getter.
Q: Any set plans for the near future as far as competing or anything else?
A: I'm competing again on May 29th with FCPAQ in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and
WBFF in September. I'd like to take my fitness career to the next level, I
would love to break into fitness modeling and go as far as I can go! I also
want to take a break after WBFF and train and mold my body to really be
elite this time next year!
Q: Anything you want to take this opportunity to plug or promote?
A: Number one my sponsors and manger RescindX™ Clothing, they have been such an
amazing support and friends through all of this! They make some amazing
clothes and are amazing people! Thank you Bruce and Chantal for everything
you do!
Total Home training (http://www.totalhometraining.com/) the company I work for, another one of my sponsors. COMPLETE WORKOUT ANYTIME ANYWHERE NO
EQUIPMENT NEEDED!
UFE for my first fitness experience and allowing me to shine on their stage.
Q: Are you looking for sponsors? If so how can they reach you and what are
they getting in Jacqueline Curl the athlete and competitor?
A: I'm always looking for sponsors, this sport is not easy to afford but its my
passion and my dream and if I could have some financial support to be able
to make my dreams come that much closer I as your sponsored athlete would
do anything and everything I could to promote you. I have so much passion
for what I do and when I'm passionate about something and believe in
something I work hard and I take it very seriously! This is my life and this
is what I live for!
Contact me at jaxy_c@hotmail.com
Or my manager at sales@rescindx.ca
Q: Jacqueline, again, I thank you for taking the time to do this. Any last
words before you go?
A: Don't ever give up and don't let anyone hold you back. Don't ever doubt
yourself or think you can't do something. When someone tries to hold you
back get rid of them and work that much harder.
"Drive is like a furnace, constantly fueling you with everything you need;
mentally, physically, and spiritually. Drive isn't just an ingredient to
success - it's everything."
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