In 2011, Shelby’s mom, Nancy, received her first cancer diagnosis. “She beat it that time, but it came back in January 2022,” says Shelby. “She went through the surgery and found that it had spread, so they wanted to do chemo. She opted not to. She wanted to live a happy life without feeling sick anymore.”
Shelby decided to quit her job and move in with her mom to take care of her full time.
“When she was going through that treatment, I started making a bucket list of the things I wanted to go after,” Shelby explains. “I didn’t want to wait around for the ‘right time.’”
The first thing she put on her list? To compete in the Miss Minnesota for America Strong pageant. She signed up that same year and won! “We got to share that moment,” says Shelby of her mom, who placed in the Mrs. Minnesota competition 20 years prior.
“It really was a great year full of memories that I never imagined,” Shelby says. “All because I chose not to wait. Before my mom passed, she’d say to me that I inspired her. That then inspires me to keep going and to make her proud and thrive, even though she’s no longer here.”
Finding fitness, feeling a change
As a dancer her whole life, Shelby isn’t new to physical activity, but she didn’t have a consistent routine until recently. Then a couple of years ago, she became a Zumba instructor at her local Anytime Fitness in Madelia, MN.
“I did that for the summer, then I moved up to the metro area. I haven’t gotten back into teaching Zumba, but I’ve gotten into working out a whole lot. I really gave it my all and started being more consistent with it.”
“A huge thing I’ve learned throughout this whole experience is just how different our bodies are. So what I have to do is different from what anybody else has to do.”
For Shelby, that means a combination of cardio, HIIT, strength training, and stretching. “I had been off and on for so many years, but I was starting to see results!” she says. “And I think once you start to see results, that’s when you’re like, ‘Ah yeah! This is a forever thing!’”
“I train to become a better version of myself. I don’t want to say ‘the best’ version, because I want to keep improving day by day. And that can be physically or mentally."
—Shelby
Another thing Shelby quickly learned was that her body rewarded her when she put it first. Aside from weight loss, she says, “I have much more muscle, and I’ve also noticed in this last year that if there’s ever a time when I go two or three days without working out or some sort of physical activity, I get really antsy. Almost irritable. Because I have all this energy that I’ve gotta work out. You get endorphins and it feels so good to work out and take care of yourself.”
More to check off the bucket list
Shelby’s mom is one of her biggest inspirations for striving toward a full, healthy, and happy life. After winning the crown at Miss Minnesota for America Strong, Shelby met one of the pageant sponsors, a bodybuilder. “I told him my interest in doing a bodybuilding show. So after my Miss America experience, I talked with them and started training for that competition — Mr. & Ms. Natural Minnesota — in May 2023.
But her goals don’t end here. “I want to be able to do a pull-up without any assistance. I want to be able to do the splits again. I’ve thought about auditioning to be a Timberwolves dancer. I have a whole list. Big and small.”
As for her goals in the gym, Shelby likes to push herself and change up her routine.
“Even though I was a dancer my whole life, cardio is something that’s always been really hard for me,” she explains. “I’ve never been a runner. I certainly haven’t been on a bike since I was a kid. So that has been a very hard thing for me to do so often.”
To those who are thinking about prioritizing their fitness, Shelby says, “The biggest thing with any goal is to keep taking steps forward and be consistent. You might have a cheat day, but you won’t fail if you get back to it and be consistent. Set realistic goals. You learn how to trust yourself when you’re doing it alone and counting on yourself, and that leads to self-confidence.”
“You have to have big dreams that scare the crap out of you, but you have to have the small ones that are like, yes, I hit that goal.”
—Shelby
A heart-felt thank you to Shelby for sharing the memories of her mom, Nancy, with us. Shelby and Nancy’s story is truly inspirational and we’re grateful to be able to share it with the AF community. We’re amazed by their tremendous strength, and we wish Shelby’s family and friends peace and healing.
If Shelby’s fitness journey resonates with you, find a gym near you and start creating and achieving your own goals.
