Team Beachbody ¡preestreno!Español Guest

Hi, my name is Cass and for the majority of my life as a teenager & adult, I have been fairly sedentary...though as a child I enjoyed playing outside, riding my bike, & swimming regularly. I am a person that didn’t particularly care for gym class after the middle school years. I didn’t participate in sports growing up either. I have become more fitness minded as an adult in my mid 30’s, including joining a roller derby league last summer! I became interested in nutrition and supplementation about
15 years ago because I just didn’t felt “right” or good. My interest in fitness has come and gone during this time period as well, but the actual practice had always been short-lived. This is mostly because I seem to have chronic fatigue, having felt run down and tired for YEARS. Having been without health insurance from the time I
graduated from college in ’97 until about 4 years ago, I tried to take matters into my own hands by reading about nutrition and health related topics.

I have been largely a lacto-ovo vegetarian (I’m eating fish now too) since I was about 18. I have also been vegan off/on over the years. However, my diet was probably overly carb heavy until recently.

Due to my symptoms, I have been tested a few times for thyroid, diabetes, and anemia and the results were negative each time. Years ago a doctor told me that I likely had chronic
fatigue syndrome and that I should exercise in order to raise my energy levels. That seemed easier said than done and I didn’t follow through at the time.

Remarkably, though I felt like my 80-something year old grandmother could run circles around me, I had a relatively slim physique into my mid 20’s until I became pregnant with my now 10 yr. old daughter. I never did lose all the pregnancy weight from 10 years ago. I joined a gym when my daughter was a toddler, but it was costly, inconvenient, and they charged extra to watch her while I worked out. Plus, she cried while she was there making me feel guilty. So, that membership was a waste and I cancelled it after being out a years worth of dues.

Then I tried Weight Watchers and didn’t have much success with that either. Though I did get down to within 10lbs. or so of my pre-pregnancy weight, I still had that “mama pooch.” Plus, though I'd only lost about 5-6lbs., according to WW I was at a normal weight & thus ineligible to loose any more with their program. So then what?...with inches to pinch yet, I was far from the lean physique I desired.

Then I went back to college to get licensed as an art teacher. However, art teacher positions were scarce, so I had substitute taught
for a few years and subsided on an unpredictable income...the bills seemed never ending. Even since finding employment as an art teacher, I've had the stress of searching for & changing jobs several times in the last 5 years due to budget cuts.

As a single mother, I juggle a full time job, after work lesson prep/grading, my daughter's school work, some extra-curriculars, & a home and yard to care for. It doesn’t leave a lot of time for taking care of myself. The daily grind alone fills the day & at times, wears me out.

So, I've had a lot to juggle, plus I just wasn’t waking up rested after a full night of sleep. Looking into my fatigue, I was diagnosed with positional sleep apnea in 2008, although knowing it hasn’t made a significant difference in my restfulness. There has been plenty of stress in my life too.

However, thanks to Beachbody, I've made some great friends, who have similar goals, interests, and aspirations.

To backtrack, in the time from spring to late summer 2007, these issues and my general unhappiness with some aspects of my life at the time, led to some weight gain. That brought me to my all time high weight of about 160-165 pounds (except for during my actual
pregnancy, which peaked at 170-175).

Though in my teens to about 24 I thought I had the thin genes, I’ve come to realize that the adult
women in my family tend to be apple shaped: thicker in the middle. I am no exception. Even though I've pared down, the middle is still my area of focus. Even though my weight was considered in the normal range according to BMI, I realized that that layer of visceral fat could cause problems down the road with heart disease. Having felt occasional chest pains, I realized I needed to do something to lessen the possibilities before the risk factors worsen. Plus, belly fat makes clothes uncomfortable and unflattering. How depressing to try on shirt after shirt or pant after pant in effort to find something that doesn’t showcase the “muffin top.”

In late summer of ‘07, as it started to get cool at night and the temps necessitated a move from shorts to pants, I realized that I couldn’t even zip up ONE pair of the jeans or pants I owned! This was bad news! It became so depressing (and exhausting) that I
would turn down invitations to go out or simply avoid being social because I didn’t feel comfortable or attractive in my clothes. I felt bloated and fat and after a meal, I even looked pregnant. That was not a feeling I wanted to get
used to. I really delved deeper into food & nutrition too, thinking a food allergy or intolerance could be partly the issue.

So, needless to say, I had become accustomed to running on empty. It’s certainly not a feeling that I liked and I know I haven't been able to live life fully as a result. I don’t merely want to exist; I want to get out, LIVE & experience all that a healthy life has to offer! So, being sick & tired of being sick & tired, I decided to do something about it!

I saw the infomercial for P90X, but having been inactive for so long, decided to start with Power 90, also by Tony Horton, first. I ordered Power 90 and started it in the fall of ’07. I was very inconsistent in using Power 90 due to my chronic fatigue and illnesses, getting derailed by a new job, & general overly busy schedule of a single mom. However, despite my inconsistent dedication I still lost over 10 pounds!
Unfortunately, I stopped exercising altogether for a few months and fell into a depression a bit and thus gained a few pounds back.

What I have come to realize, however, is that it is about progress, not perfection. We can’t beat ourselves up and toss in the towel completely, when we miss a day or give into food that isn’t so healthy. We must just get right back on track and continue reaching toward our goals that next day or even next meal.

I've since been challenged by awesome programs like ChaLEAN Extreme, P90X, Turbo Jam, Insanity, Rev Abs... among many others. I noticed that I felt more strength and endurance with each workout. Between my workouts & drinking Shakeology daily, I've gained some more energy, have lost about 25 pounds so far & am still working toward my goal of getting ripped!

I became an Independent Beachbody
Coach because I’m so excited about the products Beachbody has to offer and even more elated by the astounding results that real people are achieving by using them. I have seen more awe inspiring results from everyday people who do Beachbody fitness programs in their homes than I've EVER seen from anyone going to a gym, even with a personal trainer! We all have the opportunity to become a Beachbody success story!...REALLY!!!

However, we need to stop putting ourselves last & put our health & fitness first! Its important to continually renew my dedication to myself, my health, and to “Pushing Play” everyday.

I’m not at my goal weight or ideal physique yet, but I’m reaching closer with each workout. As of late spring, I used an array of Beachbody programs because I have ADD when it comes to these programs & want to do them all....LOL Now, I'm starting a round of P90X, so that I'll be finished before the holidays...just in time to receive & start P90X2, the sequel to P90X, which is available for pre-order Sept. 1st. I will be pre-ordering my P90X2 kit on Sept. 1st, so that I'll get it by Christmas and be all set to begin by the New Year! I've got my plan in place; do you?!? :-)

Thanks to Beachbody, we have more accountability in completing our daily workouts because of the
great peer support network. As I continue to experience success with Beachbody products, I hope to help motivate others to reach their fitness & health goals as well. So, drop me an email & introduce yourself! Let’s Bring It…together!!!

Create a FREE membership from my page by clicking JOIN (I'll be your free coach too) & then send me a buddy request to workout virtually together in WOWY the online supergym! Then, chose a program and sign up for The Beachbody Challenge. Log your daily workouts for a chance at the daily cash prize! I have some friends who've actually won! Submit your success story after finishing your program for the chance at some serious cash! Bring it, my friend in fitness! :)