Fitness Goal Achieved:

Participated onstage in figure and fitness competitions

Turning Point That Launched Fitness Goal:

Fateful day in 2012 when her doctor discovered a lump in her throat during a post-car-accident checkup. “The reality hit me with all the subtlety of a jackhammer,” she recalls, being diagnosed with stage 3 throat cancer.

Exercise or Workout Routine:

She gave herself a 12-week time frame in which to clean up her diet and start moving her body. "I honestly didn't think I would make it past week one, but soon the weeks were passing and I was becoming addicted to the results," she says. Then she tested her athletic muscle memory with bouts of more regular exercise. "I joined a big gym with great equipment, cardio and even a sauna," she says. "I spent many nights there, staying after hours while the janitor closed up." In one year, Slusher went from 185 to 125 pounds, and she was in the best condition of her life.

Diet or Meal Plan Followed:

Within the 12-week time frame she gave herself, she cleaned up her diet

Biggest Challenge:

Depression had slowly drained her energy and athletic drive and the pounds had piled on

Biggest Reward:

In 2014, I did two NPC figure shows, placing fourth at my first show and second at my second show," she says. "I also competed in the WBFF in 2015, placing second in Fitness Masters 35+.

Advice or Inspiration For Others:

My goal for 2016 is to lead by example and to work with others fighting obesity, giving them the tools they need to reach their personal fitness goals,"

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