“I Feel Privileged to Be Living in My Skin”
†Results vary depending on starting point and effort. Kristy is an independent Beachbody Coach.
Meet Kristy M. She lost 49 lbs with Slim in 6, 21 Day Fix, and 21 Day Fix EXTREME. She entered her results into The Beachbody Challenge, and won the $500 Daily Prize for June 27th!
Tell us about your life before you started the program. How did you feel about yourself and your body?
I’ve never been an athletic person. Although I tried a myriad of team and individual sports (softball, basketball, dance, karate, and bowling) as a child, fitness did not come naturally to me. Until 2014, my favorite sport was channel surfing and my lifestyle was considered sedentary. Sadly, my health suffered from my choices. I got winded going up the stairs too quickly. I struggled playing with my nieces and nephew when visiting them in Colorado due to the change in altitude and the stress on my lungs and muscles. I had high cholesterol and ate poorly, slept poorly, and lived poorly. I bought clothes as a shield. Their purpose was to cover my rolls and folds. I lacked confidence and happiness.
What inspired you to change your life and begin your transformation journey?
After visiting my sister and Coach in January 2014, she bravely sent me Slim in 6 with a simple message: “I love you. I’m worried about your health.” I hadn’t been on a scale in 6 months. Getting the gift made me step on the scale. I took my before photo that day and went downstairs to start doing something about my health. My husband decided to join me on the health journey. We made it a goal to get as fit as possible before leaving for our 40 day trip to Europe for the summer. We were intent on doing it the healthy way. . . healthy eating and exercise. I still didn’t know how to eat properly, though. I expressed my issues with food knowledge to my Coach. When 21 Day Fix was announced, she let me know that she had the solution I needed. Slim in 6 got me moving, but 21 Day Fix has transformed my life. I took it as a personal challenge to completed 21 Day Fix EXTREME as an anniversary present to myself. It was tough, but it helped me learn just how far I’ve come!
What is the greatest challenge you faced before beginning the program? How did the program and Beachbody® help you overcome that challenge?
I didn’t know how to eat. I didn’t understand portion sizes. I grew up in a household with a single, busy, working mother who was stick thin. Ease was all that was ever considered when our meals were made…full fat milk, ice cream, microwaveable, and cans. It wasn’t until 21 Day Fix came into my life that food started becoming decipherable. 21 Day Fix is more than an exercise program… it’s a teaching tool. Thanks to 21 Day Fix, I now understand portion sizes. I now understand what to fuel my body with. I now know that you must have balance. I now understand how to balance. I was able to go to Europe for 40 days this summer and eat the right things in the correct quantities to come home without any weight gain. Beachbody has transformed my life. I now eat fresh, not fast. I’d always been ashamed of my body. But now, I am more fit than I was as a freshman in high school. I wear a smaller pants size and a brighter smile. Clothes are no longer a shield.
What in particular did you like about the program you chose?
The 21 Day Fix is revolutionary to a person who doesn’t know how to eat properly, and it teaches you visually how to balance a plate. I also really appreciated how there are people of varying fitness levels always visible on the exercise videos. I might have been discouraged about my fitness level, but I always had Kat there to help me know what to do. I strive to match Autumn, but I was never lost due to Kat. The 21 Day Fix is truly a grow with you program meant for anyone. It helps you decipher fitness and nutrition from the comfort of your own home. 21 Day fix EXTREME bumps that up a level. It challenges you to reach deeper inside yourself to a place you might not know exists. It is a true test of your balance, strength, stamina, and willpower.
Describe the results you achieved with your Beachbody program. Which achievements are you proud of?
My proudest achievement is my new commitment to living a healthy life. I didn’t do the system and stop. I’ve been adapting it into my life. I’ve kept going. I’ve continued using the 21 Day Fix nutrition plan and exercises. I’ve pushed myself to try harder programs like 21 Day Fix EXTREME. My husband and I went to Europe as a healthy couple. We were able to go on hikes that I never could have done before. We were able to backpack and carry our packs from the train station to our lodging for long stretches of time without getting winded. We were able to go and do without reservation about our physicality holding us back. I had high cholesterol before beginning the program. My labs are now impeccable. I feel privileged to be living in my skin. I would have never said that before Beachbody.
How has your life changed since completing your Beachbody program?
People shockingly now look to me for fitness advice. I NEVER thought I would inspire people to start their own health journey. I can easily breathe when completing tasks like hiking or going up the stairs. I can feel muscles where I never had any before. Clothes are no longer a shield or protective armor. I can shop in stores that previously didn’t have sizes that fit me. Aesthetically, one of my biggest shocks stares me straight in the face. My cheeks were so large before that you couldn’t see my ears when you looked at me. Now, when I look in the mirror, I can see my ears. I’m a remodeled version of myself. . healthier with renewed confidence. The biggest proof that I’ve changed? I’ve submitted photos where you can see my abdomen. I’m now okay with showing the world the surgical scar that I’ve hidden for the last 30+ years. As I shrunk, it shrunk too and the significance I placed upon it has diminished as I gained pride in the hard work I’ve put into shaping a healthier me.
How did participating in a Challenge Group help you reach your goals? How did your group support you and keep you accountable?
Challenge Groups are an emotional support system of people sharing a common, tough experience. Having the group to share recipes, ask advice, offer encouragement, and provide their own inspiring stories kept me going in trying times. Continuing in Challenge Groups motivates me to press play when I might not otherwise do so. They connect you to others fighting the health fight, and it’s nice to know you aren’t alone.
How did a Beachbody Supplement or Nutritional Product or Program (such as Shakeology® or Beachbody Ultimate Reset®) support your transformation? What are the greatest benefits you gained? Did you see benefits to your energy, sleep, mood/mental clarity, digestion/regularity?
My Coach suggested (for the umpteenth time) that I give the Vegan Chocolate Shakeology a try to give me the nutritional boost I needed. I have happily been consuming Vegan Chocolate Shakeology ever since. Not only do I enjoy the taste of the variety of recipes, I love the energy it gives me to get through the day. It fills you up literally and figuratively, and it cures my cravings for dark chocolate. I happily consumed Shakeology during the entire 21 Day Fix EXTREME, and I now have abs to thank for it.2
You can change your life, too. Take the Beachbody Challenge for the tools you need to Decide, Commit, and Succeed! Complete any Beachbody program, and enter your results for a free gift and a chance to win cash and prizes.
2These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.