Amanda Holloway

---

Contest Prep , Personal Training : 2 years

Andrew became much more than a coach, he became a friend.

Anxiety, depression, binge eating… these are just a few of the demons that have kept me in a perpetual state of struggle with my health and fitness. I would stare at the pictures of bikini and figure competitors with incredible admiration, longing that someday I could look like they did. However the voices of self doubt told me over and over that I could never accomplish what those other women could. I was too fat, not strong enough, not disciplined enough.

Then one day, while admiring the beautiful athletes prepping for the NLABBA, I came across a testimonial of a client of Andrew Dove’s. Like me, this girl had struggled with her weight and her mental health. She shared the incredible impact that Andrew had in her life and how he gave her the motivation and confidence to overcome her battle, and to grace the stage. I was in awe of her before and after transformation, but more in awe of the confidence she exuded when she stepped on the stage. I thought, “If she could do it, then maybe there is a slight chance that I can too”.

That’s when I decided to hire Dove.

Andrew was so incredibly patient with me.

I don’t think in that moment I really appreciated the incredible impact he would have in my life. Andrew became much more than a coach, he became a friend. He became someone who will hold a special place in my life forever.

I hired Andrew a year before the next NLABBA competition. I had a lot of weight to lose, and I trusted that he would be the guy to get me there. Andrew was so incredibly patient with me. Not only was he incredibly competent (as each week I continued to see results) he also gave me this new found confidence that I was strong and capable! With each passing month, the idea of competing became more and more of a possibility.

He believed in me, when I certainly didn’t believe in myself.

Once I officially hit prep mode, that’s when I completely let go and trusted the process and Andrew’s expertise. Prepping for a competition required an incredible amount of discipline, and Andrew was just the guy I needed to help me through this new and intimidating process. There were so many times that those voices of self doubt would creep in telling me I was never going to make it; I will never look like those other competitors; but Andrew would never let me stay in that place long. He believed in me, when I certainly didn’t believe in myself. He pushed me to places that I never thought my mind or body could accomplish. Every check in, or training session was like filling up my internal tank of confidence. Andrew made me feel like the strongest and most capable person in the world.

This journey I took with Andrew, will forever be a pivotal moment in my life.

The day I walked across that stage is one I will never forget. Tears come to my eyes as I think about it even now. I can’t even begin to describe the emotions I felt knowing that I had accomplished something that seemed so far out of my reach. Hearing my family and my coach cheering me on, it just gave me such energy and such pride in the hard work I had accomplished.

This journey I took with Andrew, will forever be a pivotal moment in my life. Not only did I achieve my goal of physically transforming my body, the most remarkable transformation was my mindset. Crushing those voices of self doubt when I walked across that stage is an experience I will never forget. And although I physically did the work, Andrew was the one who walked beside me, pushing me, believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself.

Not only did I achieve my goal of physically transforming my body, the most remarkable transformation was my mindset.

Andrew helped me to learn so much about myself during my transformation. Not only did I learn that I am strong and can kick ass in the gym, I learned that I can accomplish anything that I put my mind to. I also learned that no matter the hold that mental health can have on my life, that I’m strong and able to overcome it. When excuses and self doubt come creeping back into my life, I pull out my pictures from that day and I realize that I am bigger and better than my demons of self doubt. When I say “I can’t”, those memories from that day remind me loud and clear, that “I can”!

I thank him for giving me the self confidence to believe in myself

I will forever be grateful to Dove for helping me achieve one of my biggest dreams! I thank him so much for teaching me about weight training and body building, but most importantly, I thank him for giving me the self confidence to believe in myself and for helping me to create memories that will last a lifetime!