About the Author
Debra Williams Pugh
“My Grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness… for when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Debra started experiencing the symptoms of fibromyalgia when she was 15 years old. With the support, love and concern of her parents, they tried many different medical forms of treatment but gave little relief of the symptoms. Finally at the age of 26, Debra started developing her own “Recipe for Feeling Fit and Healthy” and the symptoms of fibromyalgia started to diminish.
Fitness Competitions
After her health improved, she felt like she had a second chance on life and at 32 years old, she started competing in the Galaxy fitness competitions and was competing against hundreds of ladies in their early 20’s. The Galaxy is a competition with three categories of an “army style” obstacle course, a bathing suit/figure competition, and an evening gown with an interview.
Debra competed in 3 fitness competitions each year from 1998-2000 and they were located in CA, FL, OH, and TX. In 1999 she won 1st place overall at the Texas Competition and 2nd place overall at the Galaxy National Championship. She won 1st place in the obstacle course two years in a row, “Top 5” in obstacle course in 9 competitions, and “Top 5 Overall” in 6 competitions. She accomplished all of this with being 10-15 years older than most of the other girls competing, having 2 children, and still having fibromyalgia (symptoms under control.)
Magazines and TV Shows
Because of the success in the Galaxy competitions, she was featured in many fitness magazines including Oxygen, Muscle and Fitness Hers, Natural Muscle, Ironman, Powerhouse, Body, and Excel. She also wrote several fitness articles that were published in the same magazines. Since these accomplishments, she had several TV appearances on Ambassadors for Christ, Dallas Dream Makers, FOX News, 3 commercials for ASB Bank, and Baywatch.
Debra was excited to get the invitation to be on an episode of the TV show Baywatch. The popular TV show ran from 1989-2001. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Baywatch is the most watched TV show in the world of all time, with over 1.1 billion viewers. Debra was honored to be in the “Galaxy Girls” episode which aired in May of 1999. This episode stared David Hasselhoff, Brook Burns, Kelly Packard and George Hamilton was a guest star.
Martial Arts
After Debra’s success in fitness competitions, she was not taking her good health for granted. At 35 years old she started participating in Martial Arts with her kids. She went on to compete in Taekwondo and was asked to join the West Texas Demo Team. At 38 years old, she was the oldest on the team (the other members were teenagers.) The demonstrations included karate, back handsprings, back flips, aerials, and other tumbling moves combined with demonstration of weapons and breaking boards (yes, at 38 years old, she could still do these things just mentioned.) They traveled to different schools to teach a message about saying “no to drugs.” Debra is a “Brown Belt” in Taekwondo and was training for a “Black Belt” when she had a knee injury and tore her ACL and had two knee surgeries.
Debra has suffered from the symptoms of Fibromyalgia for over 30 years and has regained her health through the lifestyle changes and healthy choices that she teaches.
Education and Certifications
Debra received a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with a minor in psychology from Texas Christian University in 1988. She is also a Certified Personal Trainer through ACE (American Council on Exercise) and a Certified Sports Nutritionist and has been a member of the National Arthritis Foundation since 1992.
Teaching Others
Debra has been counseling people for more than 25 years on Health and Wellness. This includes teaching people about exercise, nutrition, weight management, weight loss, muscle gain, stress management, fibromyalgia, arthritis, chronic fatigue, hormones, supplements, increased energy, cleansers, and detoxifiers. Debra has worked with children, teenagers, adults, senior citizens, athletes, pregnant and post-partum women, people with fibromyalgia and other auto-immune syndromes, and various diseases. She has worked in Sports and Back Clinics, health clubs, and has been self-employed as a personal trainer and Health and Wellness Consultant for over 20 years.
Currently, Debra teaches exercises classes for senior citizens, a personal trainer, and educates people about health and wellness through lectures and writing. She is a monthly columnist for several magazines and newspapers including Lubbock’s Home and Family Magazine, Senior Link, and Plainview Daily Herald.
Debra and her husband Gary have been married for 30 years. He has been a coach and principal during this time. They have two children who have graduated from college.
Debra is a firm believer that many health problems can be improved through exercise, good nutrition, and cleansing the toxins out of the body and she has demonstrated this through her own health challenges in life.
This book is currently on sale for 20 percent off. Only $20.00 for 270 pages of helpful information to feel healthy! Go to the Contact Tab on the Home Page.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23