“My Whole Family Is On Board With Fitness”
†Results vary depending on starting point and effort. Leslie is an independent Beachbody Coach.
Meet Leslie S. She participated in The Beachbody Challenge and won the $500 Daily Prize for February 18th!
Tell us about your life before you started the program. How did you feel about yourself and your body?
Before I started with Beachbody, I didn’t have the best self-esteem as far as my body image went. I made every effort to cover myself, either wearing dark clothes or layers. I completely lacked self-confidence. I hid in the background of pictures, if I even was in any at all. There are so few pictures of me with my daughter when she was a baby because I didn’t want to be in front of the camera. If there was a gift-giving occasion, such as Christmas, I never asked for clothes so that no one would know what size I was.
What inspired you to change your life and begin your transformation journey?
I had a close friend complete a program and sign up as a Coach. I saw her before-and-after pictures and figured if she could do it, I could too. It took me a few months to actually open the box after buying it; but once I made the commitment and started, I was hooked! After that, I never looked back! Once I set my goals and schedule, my family knew that I needed that time for me to work out. Soon after, my husband started working out too, and fitness time became part of our family’s daily routine.
What is the greatest challenge you faced before beginning the program? How did the program and Beachbody® help you overcome that challenge?
My greatest challenge was myself. I would always find excuses not to stick with something, or to slack off. I like walking outside, but living in Chicago, we have a short window of when that’s feasible. Beachbody programs were something I could do in my living room, regardless of the weather. And that could have easily been another excuse – time and space. But with every program I’ve done having been less than an hour, I no longer could use time as an excuse and surprisingly enough, I have been able to do every workout in my living room so far! Having the support of my Coach helped tremendously too! Another challenge was nutrition. When I first started exercising, the weight was coming off purely because I was moving more. It’s easier to eat well during the week but then the weekends come, and you want pizza and drinks. I had to tell myself that I wasn’t going to waste all of my hard work!
What in particular did you like about the program you chose?
I chose PiYo , and I loved it because it was so different than every other Beachbody program I had done. I love all of Chalene Johnson’s programs, she’s so fun, inviting, and relatable. But after a year of jumping and kicking with her in Turbo Fire, Shaun T in T25, and even Tony Horton in P90X3, my body longed for something different, and PiYo was the perfect answer. This was wonderful because it was low impact, but I got stronger than I had with any other program! I wasn’t killing my back, I was stretching and lengthening. I felt stronger, leaner, and more defined with this program than any other I had done to date.
Describe the results you achieved with your Beachbody program. Which achievements are you proud of?
My results have been extraordinary. Through the first few programs I did lose weight and shed pounds, but I just felt better with PiYo. I didn’t wake up in the morning achy or have any dull pain. The pain I did have were sore muscles, but ones that I had worked differently than in the past. For me to finally do a true push-up, especially a tricep push-up, was pretty miraculous. I am so proud of my PiYo results. I am proud that I have definition I’ve never had before. I’m proud that I reached a goal in completing actual push ups, and several at that. And I’m very proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and posting pictures on Instagram, Facebook, and even entering the Defined by PiYo Casting Call.
How has your life changed since completing your Beachbody program?
My life has changed immensely. I have the confidence in my body that I never had before. I get excited to go clothes shopping, I wear a bikini in the summer (something I never did before), and my whole family is on board with fitness. My husband has joined me in working out every day, and we are both now Coaches. Even our kids know that fitness is part of our daily routine, and they are great accountability partners. I have taken to social media to spread the word of my accomplishments, and my desire to help others reach their goals. I never saw myself as someone who would be into any kind of fitness, much less love it, yet here I am.
How did participating in a Challenge Group help you reach your goals? How did your group support you and keep you accountable?
Checking in every day with the group is a great way to stay on top of everything, and have a good outlet to vent, compare, and praise. Challenge Groups are fantastic, and I’ve even formed friendships in there!
How did your Team Beachbody® Coach support you on your journey?
She is a great Coach and an amazing friend. Through this journey she was never been anything but encouraging and helpful with my million questions. I know that I could not have done this with anyone else as my Coach. She is truly an inspirational person, and I owe so much of my success to her. She has been my #1 cheerleader.
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?
Shakeology was a great nutritional boost to my day. There have been times that I have drank it later in the day, due to scheduling, and I can tell how “off” I feel those days. As if I was missing a component of nutrition.
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.