I had yet to subject myself to former Vice President Al Gore’s depressing and apocalyptic documentary about the catastrophic effects of global warming, “An Inconvenient Truth,” but I didn’t need to. I had proof enough.

“It was shocking and exhilarating. I secured my professional bodybuilder “pro card” and went on to compete at the Arnold Classic, the Ms. Olympia and the Jan Tana Classic.” Times were different in those days; the ultra-muscular freaky look had not yet taken over women’s bodybuilding. Back in Meral’s competitive days a premium was placed on balancing muscle with femininity. Meral hit that balance perfectly. Meral was petite and pretty and modeled clothing. Her sexy posters sold out completely every year for many years at the annual Daytona Beach Bike week. It all came to a sudden halt in 1996 when Meral was unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer. “My world was turned upside down.” She took the blow in stride. “Suddenly I wasn’t wondering about contest preparation, I was wondering about life and death.” Being an optimist and a fighter Meral battled cancer with her inherent ferocity. “I was determined that I would not be beaten by this wasting disease and fought and fought and fought…in the end I overcame the cancer and it has not reappeared. I have been cancer-free for ten years.” Still, it caused her to rethink her life and her goals and in the end she decided to concentrate on helping others change their physiques and in doing so change their lives. “I began concentrating on helping others achieve their fitness and physique goals.