Long story-may just HELP someone...

First we have established that everyone should have some MOVEMENT in life, preferably on a daily basis, but minimally 4 days a week would work too. There are in fact, some people's schedule that is so hectic, it is very hard to schedule in a workout. But in all honesty, the lack of exercise in someone's life is more detrimental and hazardous than trying to juggle the schedule a bit to squeeze in something.

I like Beachbody's products and I recommend them because I believe I am in a position to recommend them. My position comes from years of trial and error with diet and exercise, years of a rollercoaster ride of normal life stress, major weight to lose (lost about 60 lbs -- 19 yrs ago), pregnancy weight to lose -twice, divorce stress, job stress, mommy stress, family stress, allergies....

Childhood
At one point in my life, as a child, doctors told my mother that I should stop exercising and keep myself calm. Asthma and bronchitis run in my family (along with high blood pressure, obesity and other stuff) and so as a young child (about 10 years old), I defied my doctor's orders, and started running around like a NORMAL child SHOULD be doing. If we set the wheels in motion at a young age, perhaps the odds are in our favor that we will continue with it through adult life....perhaps!

I hear people say, "I wish I was motivated to exercise." It does not have to be a wish. You just need someone to tell you ... "go for it," .. "I will do it with you," .. "You can do it."

I am an authority
I have tried it all, seen it all, bought tons of exercise equipment. I do in FACT have my own gym in my house. I have 2 treadmills, an elliptical machine, a punching bag, barbells, dumbbells, a strength training machine, body bars, boxing gloves, Fluidity bar, step benches, jump ropes, yoga mats/blocks, ab benches, rebounder, hula hoops, medicine balls, swiss balls, resistance bands, 40 lb weighted vest. Also: TaeBo videos, 3 min Abs, 6 mins Abs, Rebounding videos, the 20 min workout, Windsor Pilates, Reebok Step Videos (which I used to LOVE!!!), David Kirsch's New York Body Plan, Crunchless Abs, Hula Hoop videos, Rodney Yee Yoga videos, MTV workout videos, The FIRM videos, Core something videos, Cathe Friedrichs, Denise Richardson, P90X, P90X Plus, Tony and the kids (for my children), Hip Hop Abs, and many others........ shall I go on?????? Been there... TRULY done that. I know how to work out... I design workouts. I help people to train, lose weight, etc.

Not to mention. I was a gymrat. I would do the "gym" scene every day for 2 -3 hours at a time. 3 years ago, I belonged to 3 different gyms because each gym offered something different. About $150.00 a month in monthly gym fees. Do the math.... $1800.00 in yearly gym fees.

Pursuit of Fitness HAPPYNESS
Some would say after reading all of this that I am just a "workout addict." No. I, just like many people, was in PURSUIT of fitness HAPPYNESS! What works best?

You know it's the truth. You have been on part or all of my same journey. You can relate.

I also was a runner, and for me that was an amazing way to keep my weight down without having to THINK. Running is still one of my first loves of exercise, but I realized that it was NOT ideal for my body. Too much running is surely taxing on the joints -- even with great cross training. If you run and do nothing else, you sure are lean-- and FLABBY. So unless you have a pre-disposition to being muscular (as a runner).. you have to include STRENGTH training to enhance your body composition as a runner.

When I trained to do my 2nd marathon in 2004, I realized that INTELLIGENT cross-training was the key to being a FANTASTIC long distance runner. Yoga, bikram yoga, and pilates helped me to cross the finish line with shining colors and absolutely NO body aches and pains in November 2004.

Body needs??
So that was when I realized that the body NEEDS a full spectrum of exercises to be ideally fit. A wonderful triathlete (who did a zillion triathlons and in his late 30s) introduced this intelligence to me and I have kept it with me since.

A few years after that revelation and a hugely successful marathon, I found myself watching the P90X commercial and thinking.... "Wow, that's the ideal package. It has everything all wrapped up together. Everything I know to work." Ok, it does not have pilates, but 1 1/2 hours of yoga is surely good coverage. I won't lie, it did look amazingly intense, intimidating and SCARY.

I thought though... what can be scary about TRYING it in the comforts of my own home at a mere $100.00 investment (at that time)? I had been through my divorce, and my life had CHANGED a lot --- I did not have the luxury of "gym'ing " it anymore... but I knew I had to keep working out. Here I had been spending $1800.00 a year .... Was a $100.00 going to truly set me back???

I ordered it and I was giddy. I anxiously started it as soon as I got it, not knowing what to expect. I found myself with mixed feelings... I felt great about some of the workouts that I could keep up with. I felt "out of shape" with the ones that had me gasping and laughing because I just could not do some/lots of the exercise. Laughter... what's that??? That is what you do when you are in the comfort of your own home and no one else can laugh at you. So you just try.... talk to the TV .. talk to Tony ... maybe say, "this is crazy!!!" or ... "What the !!!!!" Come back tomorrow and try AGAIN !

I tend to be all over the place (if you have not noticed)... so 2/3 into P90X a few years ago... I put Tony aside, and went back to all the other stuff I have.... and still running. I should not say I put Tony aside... never did that..not my Tony! I always had my FAVORITE P90X workouts. And... last year, I ordered the P90X Plus DVDs... I remember getting giddy when I got the email about them.... Gotta have it!!!!

As I said, I always had my favorites and so I would incorporate them when I felt like it. KenpoX, KenpoCardioX (Plus), Plyo X... and days when I truly needed some good body love -- Yoga X. My family knows this. We spent many-a-weekends in the Poconos last summer, and I called it "Bootcamp weekend.. then we eat and drink." Always included running up and down huge hills and then back to the house for mix of P90X!!!! My family comes in all sizes and shapes, but they loved the workouts too! One of my aunts actually bought P90X.

Why Beachbody?
A little over a month ago, I connected here on FB with my wonderful friend Mirdza (a Beachbody lover and Coach too!) and within a few short minutes I decided to do my P90X from start to finish. I am approaching the middle of week 6. I love it. I love the mix. I love the challenge. I see the MANY improvements. There are soooooooo many people who have done it. So many people who have transformed their lives in a HUGE way. Some of the stories are AMAZINGLY unbelievable. But they are the TRUTH. These are real people deciding to do it, committing to it, and succeeding in the process.

When I think about all I have invested in, I can say, I have gotten my money's worth and then some, and then some more, and then more and more, from my P90X. I can never get back the $150.00 a month that I was spending for a few years. I can say, I also spent a good amount of time commuting to said GYMS... I have my 12 DVDs (and my 5 Plus DVDs)... here at my finger tips to do over and over and over...

Beachbody has a workout for everyone. P90X may be intimidating for the beginning exerciser ... But there is P90 --- only 35 mins.... For the truly time strapped individuals, there is 10 minute trainer workouts... There are other shorter workouts...

There are beginner workouts, intermediate, advanced... dancey ones.. fun ones... something for EVERYONE.

Real people
Better than that... the company is growing with the very people who buy the products. I became a Beachbody Coach because I know the workouts are good, and I want to help people commit to and succeed with them. This is not an airbrushing, hire professional athletes to advertise .. type of company. It's real people like YOU and ME who are advertising the product. Real mothers of 4, 5 and 6 children, transforming their bodies. Real people overcoming diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure... or just mere "fear of exercise," or mere, "never exercised before" type of people. Yesterday they couldn't... today they CAN.

I can say for sure that the many other companies out there -- well, I can't speak for them. I can only say that based on the purchases I have made.... I don't feel the same love and results.

Beachbody offers major support to anyone who embarks on a program, and that is KEY. Support is very necessary when you are trying to do something (perhaps something you have never done before) and you WILL indeed need SUPPORT. Never try to go it alone unless you already have the "go it alone" personality. This is where you will fail. Beachbody is here for you -- I am here.

For me:
I am doing P90X now, and I am already planning for after P90X (Insanity or ChaLean Extreme)...
I know what it feels like - it's hard, but I try my best.
I have my good days and my bad days -- don't we all?
I have my challenges -- I accept them, work through them
I know where my strengths are - I go hard with them
I know my weaknesses ... and I try to better them or I just say..."oh well"
I have a feeling what others may struggle with because we ALL share some struggles...
I have years of "working out" experience, so I understand LOTS...

I said this before... Beachbody can surely intimidate some people. Just the name. BUT... there are people losing 20,50, 100, 150 lbs.... doing a Beachbody workout .. or workouts.... It's all about getting the body... that's good and healthy for YOU. You will indeed progress to a level that will make you smile. Maybe you only lose 10 or 15 lbs, and that is all you need, but you have a BRAND new sense of you, health and ability.

There is something special about this company.

You learn that it's not about doing a workout ONCE and then moving on. You realize that you want to keep doing something... trying something new... you get inspired to keep it going...

Age is just a silly number
I am 44 years old. For some people, that means I am ... in my 40s... old gal??? I don't think so. For some, that is young. I choose... who cares what age I am. Take the focus off of the number, and put the focus on how you want to feel. I may just live for another 44 or 54 or 60 years... I would like to take on those years in good healthy, physical condition!

Some people think the workouts are about "pumping iron," or "jumping around like a crazy person." So wrong. It's about realizing that beneath the outside layers, the numbers.... there lies a regular person who can achieve true fitness and good health... and enjoy it in the process.... without having to commit to a gym, or hours and hours of working out daily....

Put aside misconceptions... try it .. you may just love it too!

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/CoachJacq22