My Fitness Story!
I started my fitness journey my freshman year of High School with High School Track. What a rude, but GREAT awakening! As a kid, I liked being outside, but I had never done any sports. No park district, no clubs, nothing. Yet here I was at Naperville Central High School (IL) in the middle of January in the dead of winter wanting to run Track and Field. There was snow everywhere, it was about 50 billion degrees below zero and I was wearing some Wally World Sorry Excuse for Shoes Let Alone Running Shoes, shoes.
It gets better. The only group who hadn't left for their run yet was varsity. Awesome. Not knowing ANYTHING about track, I figured, what the hey. How hard can it be?!
How hard indeed. That run was probably the worst of my life, but it totally inspired me to really give get and STAY fit. I never wanted to feel like that again: miserable, embarrassed and inadequate. And would you know it, I was a Varsity runner by the middle of my first Track Season. Not number one, but by no means inadequate :).
After High School, I decided to go to the United States Military Academy at West Point. I had my reasons, but I felt up for a challenge. Needless to say, at West Point and in the Army, physical fitness is a pillar on which you are evaluated professionally and judged.
I pushed myself beyond what I thought I could do. I worked my tail off and remained a decent runner and competitive. It was a good feeling and where I really learned what a good workout can do to make you feel fantastic all day long.
I loved it. Not only was it a habit, I was pretty much addicted. But life isn't without its bumps in the road! Shortly before leaving the Army I had a beautiful baby boy, fell off a horse, fractured 3 of my vertebrae and had a series of foot surgeries. Yipes! I wasn't able to just slap on my shoes to go running anymore, it was too painful in too many places. I had to make a change to ease my body back in to working out.
I started going to the gym and tried all of their different cardio machines, but I didn't really enjoy it. I didn't find a huge sense of camaraderie; I pretty much went to the gym by myself, worked out and left. I didn't share my work outs, I didn't love them, I held no one accountable and no one held me accountable. I just did it.
I decided to spice it up a bit with the home dvd. Hellooooo Denise Austin! Haha. The home DVD approach just made sense. I didn't have to hassle with going to the gym and I could be home with my little guy at the same time. I was in a bit of a rut, however, and didn't seem to be getting results. I felt ok, and glad I was at least doing a mediocre workout, but not awesome like I did when my workouts were more intense. I would definitely say I was in a bit of a "rut" and knew I was stagnating.
But luckily for me, I discovered Beachbody! I immediately became a part of a community who was passionate about helping others achieve their fitness goals. I had the camaraderie, support and accountability I had been craving! And it got even better when I decided to try the Insanity Challenge Pack. I loved the meal plan, the workouts were INCREDIBLE and best of all I had the accountability and camaraderie that I had been cravinb.
Insanity is fun, challenging and whips you in to better shape than you ever thought possible... all in the comfort of your own home! I also started drinking Beachbody's Shakeology and LOVED it. I've tried my fair share of meal replacements, but this one was different. It was delicious, filled me up and gave me TONS of energy. There are entire websites devoted to Shakeology "recipes" which really appeals to my inner creative foodie :). I literally could not wait to wake up, drink my "healthiest meal of the day," work out and input my workout into the group accountability tracker and let everyone know. They say it's the little things that make you happy and it's true. I would do all that and it wouldn't even be noon yet! I had the whole day to spend with my family! What could be better?! I even brought my laptop and a magic bullet with me on vacation and specifically made time to do my Insanity and drink my Shakeology and I was excited to do it! Being a Beachbody coach just makes it that much better because it gives me the ability to pay it forward and do the same for someone else. All while reaching my fitness goals and helping others do the same.
It gets better. The only group who hadn't left for their run yet was varsity. Awesome. Not knowing ANYTHING about track, I figured, what the hey. How hard can it be?!
How hard indeed. That run was probably the worst of my life, but it totally inspired me to really give get and STAY fit. I never wanted to feel like that again: miserable, embarrassed and inadequate. And would you know it, I was a Varsity runner by the middle of my first Track Season. Not number one, but by no means inadequate :).
After High School, I decided to go to the United States Military Academy at West Point. I had my reasons, but I felt up for a challenge. Needless to say, at West Point and in the Army, physical fitness is a pillar on which you are evaluated professionally and judged.
I pushed myself beyond what I thought I could do. I worked my tail off and remained a decent runner and competitive. It was a good feeling and where I really learned what a good workout can do to make you feel fantastic all day long.
I loved it. Not only was it a habit, I was pretty much addicted. But life isn't without its bumps in the road! Shortly before leaving the Army I had a beautiful baby boy, fell off a horse, fractured 3 of my vertebrae and had a series of foot surgeries. Yipes! I wasn't able to just slap on my shoes to go running anymore, it was too painful in too many places. I had to make a change to ease my body back in to working out.
I started going to the gym and tried all of their different cardio machines, but I didn't really enjoy it. I didn't find a huge sense of camaraderie; I pretty much went to the gym by myself, worked out and left. I didn't share my work outs, I didn't love them, I held no one accountable and no one held me accountable. I just did it.
I decided to spice it up a bit with the home dvd. Hellooooo Denise Austin! Haha. The home DVD approach just made sense. I didn't have to hassle with going to the gym and I could be home with my little guy at the same time. I was in a bit of a rut, however, and didn't seem to be getting results. I felt ok, and glad I was at least doing a mediocre workout, but not awesome like I did when my workouts were more intense. I would definitely say I was in a bit of a "rut" and knew I was stagnating.
But luckily for me, I discovered Beachbody! I immediately became a part of a community who was passionate about helping others achieve their fitness goals. I had the camaraderie, support and accountability I had been craving! And it got even better when I decided to try the Insanity Challenge Pack. I loved the meal plan, the workouts were INCREDIBLE and best of all I had the accountability and camaraderie that I had been cravinb.
Insanity is fun, challenging and whips you in to better shape than you ever thought possible... all in the comfort of your own home! I also started drinking Beachbody's Shakeology and LOVED it. I've tried my fair share of meal replacements, but this one was different. It was delicious, filled me up and gave me TONS of energy. There are entire websites devoted to Shakeology "recipes" which really appeals to my inner creative foodie :). I literally could not wait to wake up, drink my "healthiest meal of the day," work out and input my workout into the group accountability tracker and let everyone know. They say it's the little things that make you happy and it's true. I would do all that and it wouldn't even be noon yet! I had the whole day to spend with my family! What could be better?! I even brought my laptop and a magic bullet with me on vacation and specifically made time to do my Insanity and drink my Shakeology and I was excited to do it! Being a Beachbody coach just makes it that much better because it gives me the ability to pay it forward and do the same for someone else. All while reaching my fitness goals and helping others do the same.
0 comments: