Planning to lose weight, Belcamp's Samantha Harris found a love for weightlifting and bodybuilding

May 19—Between three and four years ago, Samantha Harris, now a 29-year-old Belcamp resident, experienced a life-changing moment.

Not liking the body weight she was nearing, Harris started a journey to lose weight. However, the journey took another direction, entering her in the world of bodybuilding.

"Originally, started to just lose the weight, I wasn't feeling too, comfortable in my own skin. I decided, one day I woke up and I got pretty close to a weight that I never thought I would see, which was 200 pounds," she said. "I was two pounds shy of that and I decided, that's the day I'm going to make a change. So, I started going to the gym on a regular basis, just doing some cardio as a typical young millennial would do."

Fast forward to January and Harris went on a strict 16-week food and exercise diet to be ready for her first bodybuilding competition, the Catonsville Conquer on May 7.

Harris put in a lot of work before she was ready to compete.

Harris says she saw some girls she graduated college with, lifting weights and that was something she had never done before.

"I took one weight training class in high school, just as an extracurricular, just to get the credits," Harris said. "I decided to pick it up and try it, so I went to Planet Fitness and decided to watch videos and teach myself how to lift weights and I fell in love with it.

"I got to a point that I was happy with my progress, happy with my body, but I'm a very much, goal-oriented person, so I needed something else to work toward."

Viewing bodybuilding clips offered on TikTok, Harris says she grew a serious interest.

"I started to ask around to see if anybody knew of anybody local, as far as a trainer or even like a powerlifting gym. I knew I wanted to weight train more, take it to next level, just didn't know how or when," Harris said. "I was introduced to a couple who own their own personal training business in Churchville."

Harris connected with 88 Fitness Training and coach Camille Houston.

"I went to them to get a feel for if they thought that I was a potential competitor or if I had any potential," she said. "They saw some potential, so I started working out with her once a week for a couple of months and we started my 16-week prep in January, and I just competed this past weekend for my first time."

The first time was May 7 and Harris had a winning experience.

"I competed in a new category, which is called Women's Wellness," Harris said. "I won first place in my debut class, which is for someone who has never competed before within the wellness division. I won second place in Novice, which is for someone who has never placed top four or five, whether a first time competitor or not."

Harris also won second place in the open class.

"I came home with three trophies after never competing before and I'm looking to make it a hobby that sticks around," she said.

Harris says classes are typically separated by height, and not necessarily by weight. Harris stands 5-feet-6 1/2 and she says the stage lean weight is something you can't maintain, but she was down to 123 pounds for the event.

"Currently sitting about 128 I think, 129," Harris said. "Granted, when we started the prep, I was about 140, so in three years, I lost potentially 50 to 60 pounds prior to competing."

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Harris says a comfortable weight for her is 135-140 pounds.

To compete, contestants wear a bikini of sorts which might add to nerves. Not so much for Harris.

"It's a little bit more showy than a typical beach bikini, but people judging me for the way I look, as far as being once overweight, versus now, that's been one of my biggest fears over past couple of years," she said. "Been very self conscious of the way I look and other people judging you based on what you look like, whether it's in clothes or at the beach.

"So, this competition was my way of getting over that. When I stepped up on that stage, my coach, I give her all the credit in the world, prepared me like none other. I wasn't nervous, I had the most confidence I've ever experienced in my entire life. I was in the best shape of my life physically, but also mentally. I was in a good mental spot, I just had confidence. No nerves at all, because I was so confident in my mental and physical state, I rocked it. I just feel like a totally different person, for the better."

With one competition under her belt, Harris says she plans to continue.

"I never thought I could stick to a strict diet for 16 weeks or a strict exercise regiment for 16 weeks. Every calorie that went in my body had to be accounted for. Every workout minute," Harris said. "I'm looking to compete again, but probably not for another year."

For others who may struggle with weight, Harris offers this: "One thing I've learned is, you're going to be your biggest critic, but you're also going to be your biggest competition. It's never been about me competing with anybody else, it's me versus me. It's what I can challenge myself to do and how far I can push my limits," she said. "The only limits that you have are the ones you put on yourself."