How to Lose Weight for Summer

* I was 7 when my dad died. He was my best friend. My super-hero. How could he be gone? I kept thinking he’d walk back through the door. When I finally realized that would never happen, is when I turned to food for comfort. It didnt take long for me to gain a lot of weight. Not only was I obese, I was also the tallest kid in my school. Talk about sticking out like a sore thumb, when all i wanted to do was hide. It wasnt until highschool that I tried my 1st of many attempts @ weight loss. You name it, I tried it. From diet pills to starvation, from bulimia to juice fast, from expensive creams to fitness gadgets. None of these things worked for long. I always put the weight back on. By 25, I had lost & gained 50 + no less than 5 xs. Fast forward to after the birth of my daughter & a severe case of postpartum. I found myself @ my highest weight, over 250 lbs. My entire body hurt. I felt alone, ashamed, hopeless, unattractive, exhausted and worthless. I hated the person in the mirror.

* It wasn’t until I saw a picture of myself from my grandparents 50th anniversary party, that I was finally able to see just how much I had let myself go. Up until that point, I made sure to always be the person holding the camera, not having their picture taken. I cant thank my sister-in-law enough for sneaking those pictures of me. Had she not taken them, I wouldn’t have been able to see myself for what i was. I realized then that I needed to change. Not only for me, but for my daughter as well. The last thing I wanted was for her to grow-up thinking it was normal to hate the way you look. That crash diets were the answer. To eat more meals from the drive thru than from the dining room table. to waste away your life on the couch while others had all the fun. Or worse, to hate the thought of waking up to another day with these feelings of shame and hopelessness.

* The greatest challenge I faced, after so many failures in the past, was giving up control and trusting the program and the process to work. Believing that if I followed the guidelines, that this time would be different. That this time, I would do it the healthy way. The lasting way. The way that would make me feel good about myself. That this would be the missing piece that I so desperately needed. I overcame it, by pressing play. Simple as that. Even on days I didnt feel like it. Chalene says “give me five minutes and I promise you, you wont be sorry.” That couldnt be more true. I planned the day before by hanging my calendar on the wall and never being surprised by what workout I was doing that day. That way I couldnt use the “time excuse”.

Why did you choose this particular program? * I chose this program because it simple looked fun! Something I could see myself wanting to do, instead of feeling like I had to do it. The idea of a class schedule was what really sold me. I wouldnt have to guess what to do for that day. I could pull up the calendar, grab the DVD and press play. Easy. Along with the schedule, the music was great and the moves, doable for a beginner with the option of moving up to more advanced moves as I progressed. Everyone in the videos looked healthy, fit and had genuine smiles on their faces. I wanted those things for myself too.

* I liked that I had many options for workouts. I get bored easy, and in the past, the thought of doing the same dvd day after day after day made me want to stop before I even got started. This program has everything. Cardio, HIIT’s, strength, core, and stretching. I never felt bored. I even started looking forward to the next class while I was doing that days class. I also loved the classroom type setting. It makes you feel like youre there with them. And I cant say enough about Chalene Johnson. She knows just what to say and when to say it to get you to push past your comfort zone. You think theres no way I can do this and then she says something that hits you right in the soul and you find this inner strength you never knew you had. Its amazing!!

* My life now if completely different from the one I was living just a couple short years ago. Im down over 100 pounds and more inches than I can count. I no longer have to shop in the plus size department. I look forward to wearing the cute, form fitting fashions that girls my age have always worn, that have eluded me for so long. I’m back to my happy, confident and congenial self. I jump at the opportunity to meet new people, hear their story and share my own. But I think the thing I most proud of, everyday my daughter asks me, “mama are we going to exercise today?” eating junk food and lounging in front of the TV all day is no longer her normal. Healthy eating and exercise that’s fun, is. Together we re-wrote the story of our future.

* My life now if completely different from the one I was living just a couple short years ago. Im down over 100 pounds and too many inches to count. I no longer have to shop in the plus size department. I look forward to wearing the cute, form fitting fashions that girls my age have always worn, that have eluded me for so long. I’m back to my happy, confident and congenial self. I jump at the opportunity to meet new people, hear their story and share my own. But I think the thing I most proud of, everyday my daughter asks me, “mama are we going to exercise today?” eating junk food and lounging in front of the TV all day is no longer her normal. Healthy eating and exercise that’s fun, is. Together we re-wrote the story of our future.

It helped keep me accountable. Everyday I had a place to post my workouts, get support, ask questions and watch others work hard towards their goals as well. All those things helped keep me motivated to reach my goals

Let us help you set your goals and help you learn how to lose weight for summer or that special up-coming event.  We are proud of you Kelly Cox-Demase for your dedication, commitment,and success with the Beachbody Challenge!

I’ll help YOU learn how to lose weight for summer!