Today we’d like to introduce you to Semret Russom.
Semret, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I birthed my fitness journey in 2013. When I first began, I didn’t realize I would fall totally in love with the sport however, I did. I was always active but after my first competition, the ladies I competed against opened up a new world for me, a new body is what I dreamed about. So, I tackled the challenge wholeheartedly. The old me was just like everyone else. I tried so many diets of promises and I engaged in cardio. Weight training wasn’t even an option. I remember buying fitness magazines to feed my inspiration while never letting go of my dream, to not just be fit, but to be beautifully fit.
Once I experienced the true love that fitness had to offer, it became easy to dedicate myself to hard work. I learned a lot also. Regular fitness does not compare to professional fitness. It’s a whole different ball game. For instance, I went from three large meals a day to six small meals. Pageantry also plays a great part of the sport. I had to overcome shyness too. My culture hasn’t adapted wholeheartedly into the sport, so I had to escape old cultural beliefs and introduce them to a new horizon. That’s a huge challenge. Talk about taboo!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc .– but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Just when I was in the heart of my dream of six years, an unexpected tragedy occurred. I was devastated. It was the worst experience I have ever had to endure. I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks part of its peripheral nervous system—the network of nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord. GBS can range from a very mild case with a brief weakness to nearly devastating paralysis when left me completely paralyzed. I had just returned four days earlier from a national competition in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a cold. I placed fiftieth and was still proud of myself and motivated. I went to the emergency room to find out I was battling the flu. I fought this flu desperately and no matter what I tried or what medicine I took, it would not go away. Things began to get worse quickly. Eventually, I lost all my feelings from my hands, arms, the right side of my face and then from the waist down. Just when you think things can’t get any worst, my neurologist sadly had to tell me that I was paralyzed for the time being. However, the fight to win never left me. Instead, my will to win increased. After seven weeks, I spent time in rehab learning how to walk again. Man! That was hard. I couldn’t connect my brain to my legs. My legs didn’t seem to want to listen to my brain! Ha! Ha! I just knew that God was going to bring me through. I saw myself walking again. I knew it. I dreamed about it, and I believed it. This battle was going to be won! Our minds are so powerful. All we must do is use it. I focused on where I was going, remembering where I had been and stayed in the game until it happened. My doctors in my mind were slowing me down. I would take an Uber to the gym just to be there. Sometimes, I could only work out by looking pretty much. Fantasizing! Ha! Ha! It was just being in the place that gave me a purpose that meant the world to me. So, I went. Sometimes, I could do a little bit of workout and other times I was working out in my mind, but still there.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with SEMRET’S FITNESS – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Walking away for Cosmetology, and Nursing, I am a Personal trainer and motivational life coach. I share my experiences and challenges with others to erase doubt and boost confidence. I am most proud of being able to be a tool that changes lives forever.
What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
No, and I can’t is not an option. Knowing who you are and having self-confidence is important. If you can’t see the value you were born with, no one else will. It is not okay to allow the opinions of the world to place you in a box where you hide behind yourself. You are the best you in the world and the way you think and what you do with what you think tells your body and others that you are a winner if you demand it.
Contact Info:
- Website: semretrussom.com
- Email: rsemret@gmail.com
- Instagram: semrfit
- Facebook: semret russom
Image Credit:
Muscle Worlds Pro Event
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