From pain to pageantry, Christina Contento aims to inspire

Chester resident Christina Contento was recently named Ms. New York International 2025, providing her with a platform from which she hopes to transform others through fitness and nutrition.

“For the last year, I have been Ms. Orange County International, a local county title,” said Contento, an assistant principal at Rockland BOCES Hudson Valley P-TECH. “After competing in the International Pageant System on March 2, I was named Ms. New York International 2025. My platform is F.U.E.L. (Fuel Up Your Energy Level), which is a mission to transform others in mind, body and spirit through fitness and nutrition.”

Inspiration

Contento, 50, began her journey after experiencing a loss in her personal life.

“My inspiration stems from a dark period in my life where I was diagnosed with anxiety and sleep disorder during a disheartening divorce at the age of 40, which was unexpected,” she said. “That is when the nutrition went out the window – I wound up gaining almost 40 pounds. I knew I had to make some changes, and my gym community and friends supported me, I began working with a personal trainer and the rest fell into place.”

From CKO Kickboxing in Warwick to Anytime Fitness in Warwick, Contento said once she began to see positive physical transformations, her inner confidence improved.

Telling her story

To earn the title of Ms. New York International 2025, Contento navigated several rounds of competition, one of which was a question about her platform.

“I told my story about being diagnosed with anxiety and a sleep disorder and that I want to empower women not only though my workshops and my wellness journal that I am working on, but I want to get out to two health and fitness expos in New York State and to five schools to empower younger individuals to have the power of nutrition and fitness from the time they are growing up through the age of 50 so they can be healthy and happy.”

’Girl Gains’

To that end, Contento used her position as assistant principal at Rockland BOCES to establish Girl Gains – the first high school chapter in the United States that empowers young ladies in the weight room.

“Beyond my work as an assistant principal at Rockland BOCES, I am eager to connect with local charities, organizations, and media outlets to make a difference,” said Contento, who moved to Chester 24 years ago from Rockland. “Whether it’s volunteering at fundraisers, making appearances at charity events, or speaking about empowerment and resilience, I’m here to help.”

To contact Contento, visit FuelUpYourEnergyLevel and MsNewYorkIntl25 on Instagram or email her at ms.ocfs2018@gmail.com.