How a fitness coach helpedme drop my pregnancy weight fasterthan I ever thought possible
Click the video to see my story about struggling with my weight, only to find an amazing breakthrough that has kept the weight off and made me and my family happier because of it.
Growing up I was always into dance and sports and athletics and teaching dance. As I got older I started sitting more. Sitting at my job and sitting through my college studies I didn't have the active routine that I did when I was younger. I was also diagnosed with hypothyroidism, which made me feel like my body wanted to shut down all the time. The word tired doesn't begin to describe my condition. If not taken care of weight gain is inevitable. As I got older I started to notice that my clothes didn't fit as well as they used to. I was stressed all the time and in total denial about the severity of my situation.Not only was I not feeling as active as I once was but I hated my job and felt like I was stuck there with no way out.
I just didn't feel like me.
I used to have a lot of self-confidence but noticed that even that had disappeared. When I was young my Dad would call me Miss Hollywood because I loved the limelight. The bottom line is that I just didn't feel like I wanted anyone to pay attention to me anymore. Feeling like this was really scary for me. I felt totally lost and like I didn't know who I was anymore. Over the years I'd watched several people (who I loved) go down the same path that I was now headed down. These people were constantly unhappy and had low self esteem, they had no confidence in themselves.
"I hated having pictures taken of me. I couldn't stand wearing short-sleeve shirts because I felt like my arms were horrible looking. Even in the middle of the summer in Texas I would wear my long-sleeve shirt to hide those arms. I just didn't feel good in my body."
I just felt lost and had no idea how I was going to get back to me... Each day just got busier. As life went on, my days were filled with more and more commitments and responsibilities. I knew that a good diet and exercise could help me improve my life but I wasn't really sure where to start. I can't believe that I let myself fall so far. I didn't even recognize myself anymore inside or out. This was a really scary place for me to be. I figured that some of the video workout gurus might just have the answer. So, I'd go to the store and get super-excited about the newest workout video. I was sure that the video, or the newest ab roller was going to be the solution to my woes. I even tried some of the Richard Simmons workouts to try to get my body back where it used to be... I spent a lot of time reading lots of books about nutrition and dieting trying to get a handle on the strategy that would make the difference. All of this study and going through various diets and exercise programs was just exhausting. I was afraid of failing one more time. I'd lose a few pounds here and there with the various programs but nothing that made much of a difference. More scary than that though was the thought of having to settle with this body, mind and energy level for the rest of my life. One day, an infomercial caught my eye. It was for a workout video program called Turbo Jam. I was skeptical but something resonated with me. Not the out of shape me but the old me. Everything in me knew that I just had to try just one more program. I decided to let my frustration push me to action and I bought the program.
That decision has changed my life forever.
A few days after I ordered Turbo Jam my package showed up in the mail. I was so excited to try the workout. I was also surprised by a phone call from a Team Beachbody coach. At first, I thought someone had made a mistake and added coaching to my order. I called and tried to cancel but was told that the coaching was free. I decided to take advantage of the coaching and sent an eMail to my coach to get started.
My coach gave me the guidance and game-plan that I needed to get real results. He made all the difference and it seemed like having a coach was the missing link. He didn't just give me exercise advice. My coach helped me personalize a meal guide that so that I was putting good things into my body to fuel it for my workouts.
He also gave me links to an online message board and closed facebook groups where I could interact with other people in the same position I was. I loved the support from my coach and the new friends I was making in person and online. One day I heard about a Team Beachbody contest. The prize was $300 and all I had to do was log my workouts. Well, I ended up winning the $300 and was hooked. I couldn't believe that I made money from doing something that made me feel better about myself. I continued working out and was experiencing great success. My exercise and diet were bringing back the body I thought was gone forever. Then, I got pregnant. I continued working out quite a bit but started experiencing pregnancy complications. These complications made it impossible to walk, let alone exercise. There were nights I would have to crawl to the bathroom because of the pain. I started giving in to cravings I was having and started throwing my good habits out the window. After I had my baby I still couldn't work out for quite some time. I was still experiencing pain walking. But the worst part of it all was the intensity with which postpartum depression set in.
Once again I felt like a failure.
I was supposed to be celebrating my baby and this special time in our lives but I didn't feel like I could. I wasn't sure how to handle my days. I cried myself to sleep many nights. I felt like my world had been turned upside down. I had no idea how to be a Mom and get all of the things I needed to done each day. My body felt squishy and not like it was mine. I'd never felt so depressed in my life. I had no idea what to do or how to move forward. The sadness that I felt seemed like it would never go away. To make things worse my husband and I experienced some financial disasters, plus I lost my job. Nothing seemed like it was going the right way. I was ready to lose my baby weight but still couldn't work out. I decided to start taking Shakeology to get rid of that extra weight. Within six weeks I was back to my pre-baby weight! I was still a bit mushy but feeling much better. The success with Shakeology wasn't just physical. I felt more balanced and more positive about myself and what I was able to accomplish. That success pushed me to start dreaming of a healthy lifestyle and healthy body once again. It was so exciting to feel hopeful again. There was no way that I could let go of my new-found enthusiasm and faith that I could accomplish my dreams. Even though this new, healthy lifestyle was difficult I knew that the rewards were well worth it. There wasn't anything I wouldn't do to have energy for my little guy. I wanted to be healthy and fit so that I could always be there for him. I decided to start my physical transformation. Chalene Extreme is the Beachbody program I decided to go with. Once again I contacted my coach and together we came up with meal plan that would allow me to conveniently and easily feed my family nutritiously.We also set fitness goals so that I had something to work toward. It really felt like things were falling into place exactly how they needed to.
"I was finally creating a life that I loved. It felt great to be living on purpose!"
My physical transformation happened quickly and I was surprised to experience that transformation to spill into every other area of my life. I felt better physically, spiritually and even financially.
Since then I've become a Team Beachbody Coach. Just like Dale, my coach, I help others reach their goal of becoming the people they dream of becoming. I love being able to work from home and generate an income for my family by paying it forward. I have a love for life that I've never experienced before, I love the Mother I've become, I have lots of new friends and I feel good about who I am. I've finally found the ME that was hidden under those poor-fitting clothes from a couple of years back.
I went from depression to happiness, utter failure to empowerment and from overwhelming hopelessness to feeling like there's nothing that can stop me.
I want you to know that you can have something different. You don't have to settle for the status-quo. That change is in you. You can create the life you've always dreamed of. That dream is worth fighting for. We all have one shot at this life. It's up to us as individuals to make the decision to make transformation happen. What made the difference for me? Having a support system that I could rely on when things got difficult has made all the difference in my life. My results came from the fitness plan that's built into that support system. I would love the opportunity to help you reach your goals. I'd love to share with you exactly what I did to achieve mine. And, I'd love to give you the tools to help you live out your dream life.
