Kingsville trainer wins worldwide competition
Winning the title of Ms. Health and Fitness 2018 was one of the best and worst experiences for Kingsville’s Amy Howe.
Before the announcement by Muscle and Fitness Hers magazine, the personal trainer spent four days in front of her computer tracking the results.
“I could try to get an idea where I was sitting with public vote and donations, because it would flash on the screen and disappear,” Howe said. “It was such an intense experience.”
The title run began 45 days before, when she received an email congratulating her for being selected one of 5,000 personal trainers from around the world for the magazine’s contest.
At first, the 31-year-old was skeptical. She hadn’t entered the competition.
But once she realized it was legitimate, she submitted a few photos and a biography online and the roller-coaster ride began. After several elimination rounds, Howe was one of the final four trainers in the running. “It was all online and it was based on public vote and public donations that helped push you on to further rounds,” she said. “I received no public donations the first five rounds and still got first based on public vote.” Then, to help secure her victory, she hit the pavement and social media to start pushing for donations from the community. She won $20,000 in the contest and now plans to purchase two full-body composition scanners for both of her Howe Fit studio locations in Harrow and Kingsville. The machine will provide a better understanding of her client’s actual body composition.
“I don’t consider this an individual win,” Howe said. “I know I didn’t do this on my own and I couldn’t have gotten as far as I did in competition without the support of Windsor and Essex County.”