Team Beachbody ¡preestreno!Español Guest

I struggled with my weight all through my early years of life. I wasn’t active and never played any sports. I certainly never made the cheerleading team. Also, I was not blessed with a high metabolism. This was not only genetics, but I soon learned I was creating a slower metabolism because of my eating habits. My roller coaster weight came to a screeching halt when I hit my top weight of 162 and a size 14 by the time I was twenty. I wanted (so badly) a quick fix to loose the weight. However, in hindsight, I made all the most common mistakes. I would not eat all day and then by dinner I was famished. Therefore, my dinner was not only very high in calories but it was enough to feed five people. Further, I tried all the fad diets and I even tried to ban all the foods I loved so much. Thus, only to fail on the next bite I had of my forbidden food. It would turn into a binge fest followed by the next day tying to starve myself. The insanity! All of this was done without adding any exercise. Boy, not only was I still heavy, but now I became even unhealthier by hurting my body with the give and take of food.

However, a few years later I learned I was pregnant with my first son. My eating habits changed do to a necessary need to ward of nausea. I started to eat only small meals every few hours. In my mind I thought I was eating so much because I had never eaten this often in one day. But, before I knew it I started to loose weight while being pregnant. What in the world???? I found this interesting and puzzling. There was something to smaller portion sizes. Hmm..this is what began my determination in understanding fitness and nutrition. I researched and read up on everything.

So, a few months after my son was born I joined a gym. I had tried many classes but none of them kept me motivated. I was about to give up until I walked into a Turbo Class. For the first time, I never looked at the clock on the wall wondering when the torture would end. I didn’t even pay attention to my large thighs in the mirror, or had time to compare my body image with those around me. I was having too much fun to notice!! The music was incredible and the choreography fantastic. Before I could even think about my weight I started to see a different person in the mirror. Six months later, I had lost 45 pounds and a total of 12 inches! I felt great both physically and mentally and soon I was approached to become an Instructor for Turbo! For 8 years (and 2 kids later) I taught Turbo at national health clubs. I was passionate not only about the class itself, but the connection I made with my members in class! I felt truly blessed that I had a part in encouraging, entertaining, and motivating my members to achieving their fitness goals.

However, as my 3 kids grew older so did their need of my time so I hung up my instructor shoe’s. My job as their mom required tons of flexibility for volunteering in their classes, chaperoning fieldtrips, shuffling them off to hockey, baseball, soccer, football, play dates, sick days....Okay you get the picture! So suffice it to say I needed my fitness time to be flexible as well. So although I was still a member at the gym I promised myself I would still attend classes. But very soon I found that when I missed a scheduled class on a certain day I missed a workout and before I knew it those missed classes added up and I had put on 15 pounds(you can see this in my “before” picture)! AGH! All that hard work! Plus now I’m in my 30’s..geeze and I thought my teen years were tough trying to loose weight!

But fate was on my side, I got an email close to 4 years ago letting me know Turbo Jam (The class I used to teach) was coming to home video. Of course I had reservations at first, because I was used to being locked in an aerobic room for an hour with no escape. However, I quickly learned how much more I enjoyed doing it from home. With Turbo Jam I can get a fantastic workout in 30 minutes on the days my time is limited or the luxury of using 2 or 3 DVD workouts for 1 –1 1/2 hours! I love those days! Turbo Jam gives me a full body workout with cardio plus the 3T Turbo and Ball workouts give me more muscle definition than ever! Oh it gets better, the music rocks and the choreography is amazing! I not only lost the 15 pounds I gained, but also another 5 in the first 2 months after starting Turbo Jam! I couldn’t wait to see what else Beachbody had to offer. As soon I ordered my next non-Turbo workout, Hip-Hop Abs, I was sold on the entire Team BeachBody concept. I loved being in control of what workouts I wanted to do which days. No more Gym schedules telling me what day and times certain classes were available! I made my own schedule. I have recently challenged myself farther with the help of my BB Coach in completing ChaLEAN Extreme and P90X! I have never felt healthier or stronger. I owe it all to my coach and to Beachbody! My husband has also joined me in being a coach after seeing his results with P90X! He lost 30 lbs! We enjoy working out together at home now. We both feel great, look younger, less stressed and therefore enjoy each other so much more. Plus, the message that my husband and I are sending to our sons is invaluable. We are setting an example for our children in eating healthy, exercising and the kids want to join in too! In our Crouse house we are a family who lives life together. Our motto is not, ” Do as I say and not what I do” but, “Do what I say and Do what I do!”