Team Beachbody ¡preestreno!Español Guest

My story is a long one and I can sum it up here in a few paragraphs. Ever since high school I have been conscious of my physical body and eventually the effects of food on how I look, feel and function on a daily basis. I used to receive most of my information through fitness magazines and health "fad" diet books from the library. I'd be embarrassed to tell you what I've put into my body to lose weight or fix some ailment. Over the years I have developed some serious imbalances due to a stressful lifestyle and eating habits I believed were beneficial at the time. In college I started to experience pain in my body when I would tumble in gymnastics. I addressed this pain with harsh pain medication prescribed by my doctor, which only gave me temporary relief and made me feel 'dopey'. While I managed my dis-EASE, I graduated with a teaching degree in health education and taught for the state for two years. A trauma later caused me to become nearly bed-ridden and I had to leave my job to get my health back. I spent a lot of money on finding a 'cure' for the pain I experienced on a daily basis. Chiropractic visits, physical therapy, acupuncture and clinical massage therapy sessions filled my week for about two years without very much relief. I stopped seeing my physician when she wanted to prescribe Prozac for the pain. I knew there was a better way and I was going to find it, regardless of the doctors inability to tell me what was causing my illness.

Months after I left my job, I met a woman who educated me on the importance of whole food nutrition and introduced me to a whole food nutrition program which nursed me back to health. Even though I was eating a 100% super-raw food diet at the time it wasn't enough to strengthen the organs I had damaged long ago. My body systems were not communicating with each other and I needed to feed them with system specific whole foods. I now use these foods everyday to boost my workouts and recovery, creating a healthy lean body I can live with, without trying to "die-t down" to see the results of my workouts.

When I regained some of my strength, the P90X workouts helped motivate me to start moving my body again. Since I had previous experience 'working out' this was the perfect formula for me. I over-trained, realizing my body wasn't quite ready for these workouts and I quit during the second phase to concentrate on getting stronger in my body first. Over a year later I have finished the Insanity program with Shaun T (It took me 3 months) and now I am trying Leandro's Brazil Butt Lift along with the Insanity cardio DVDs. This is the first time I have consistently trained without getting burnt out. Three months of Insanity and now I know what it feels like to contract my core and I feel it without sit ups...AMAZING! All those years of endless crunches and I feel so much stronger in my core now thanks to Shaun T.

My eating habits are beautiful, clean and my body cleanses on its own and I feel very light and tight. I am pain free- except when I'm sore from my workouts, which can be a little uncomfortable. I am amazed at the healing potential of the body when you give it the raw materials it needs to do its job. I recognize my body as a magnificent machine and I am privileged to live in it!