A tiny backstory because this may be a long post … I started working out at the gym on post (Fort Riley) during Aaron’s second deployment in 2009 as a way to make the time go by faster, to feel connected to the military way of life while he was gone, and to make an effort to get my pre-pregnancy body back before he came home.
Fast forward to 2017… Aaron has medically retired from the Army. We made the decision to move to my “hometown,” Girard, KS, to be around family. I felt so hopeful that things would start to get better! We could get out of our “fight or flight” mode. Unlike moving to a new duty station, this location was going to have a built in support system from day one. Like I did in 2009, I made the decision to join the local gym for an hour of “me time” every day.
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In reality, that hour was more like 3 to 4 hours. Living in rural Kansas, the gym was located in the next town over. So, 20 minutes to drive there, 10 minutes in the truck to convince myself to go in, 45 minutes of cardio or warm up, 1 hour of lifting, 20 minutes of stretching or cool down walking, plus the 20 minute drive back home. Anyone else go through this song and dance too or was it just me?
Fast forward again so I’m not too long winded … this time to 2019 … I felt like my life was literally falling apart! Kinzie decided she no longer wanted to live in our house at the ripe old age of 14. In a matter of 24 hours, we became a family of 3. In my mind I had FAILED as a mother wether it was my fault or not. I felt since I was the current “leader” of our family, the blame fell solely on my shoulders. At one of the lowest points in my life, dragging myself out of the house to make it to the gym was becoming harder and harder.
In December of 2019 my coach (now mentor), Kelsey, made an Instagram post about a new Beachbody program that was launching called Barre Blend with Elise Joan as the trainer. I said fuck it … what do I have to lose and filled out her application to join her bootcamp. At that moment, I decided to give working out at home another try. I had been a Beachbody customer off and on since 2014 but never found a program that kept my attention enough to finish it. Can you relate?
I’ve always wanted to try a barre class but … hello, rural Kansas … a class like this wasn’t available. Every day during Kelsey’s bootcamp I showed up. Day after day I pushed play and completed my workout. Every single day … and here’s the part that saved me … I got to hear Elise’s positive words of encouragement for 8 weeks to dig me out of this GIANT hole of depression I found myself in. At the end of 8 weeks, I was in remarkable shape!!! Here’s my before and after photos…
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The real change took place upstairs, between my ears. That program “taught” me about positive affirmations, gave me a daily “I am” statements to repeat to myself as many times as I needed to to make it through the day, and allowed me to pour into my cup first to help me become the best WIFE and MOTHER I knew I could be. I was able to gain the confidence to put one foot in front of the other again, learned to take it one day at a time, and heal my broken self. Barre Blend helped me learn how to forgive myself, smile and laugh, and feel like my “old” self again. It helped me BREATHE and feel the heavy, and I mean HEAVY, cloud of depression start to lift.
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I will be forever grateful the universe brought Kelsey, Beachbody, and Elise into my life when it did!!! I truly believe that 8 week program and all the positivity it brought with it saved my life because trying to tough it out at the gym by myself just wasn’t cutting it!
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Since completing Barre Blend and several other programs, I signed up as a coach and mentor to share this gift with others who need it too. I want to assure you, Beachbody is so much more than just a supplement company! With every program that is launched, I (and you too) have a calendar to follow so I know exactly what I’m doing from day to day, a trainer to coach me through the entire workout, and a POSITIVE and supportive community of women (and men in a group of their own!). Beachbody programs are a “tool” I utilize to help my clients achieve their goals like Kelsey did for me!
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I know a lot of you out there have a perceived idea of how Beachbody coaches are. I want to encourage you not to let a few “bad apples” spoil your chance to change your life. I’m not sayin this is the only way, but it is what is working for me and so many others! You have the option to stay where you are keep doing the same shit/different day … OR … you can jump in with two feet, change directions, are start to build the life you look forward to living! Which option are you going to choose?
Here’s the link to sign up for my next bootcamp when you are ready to jump, https://forms.gle/26BpbHZjmogekQFU6. We’re starting with a 3 week program called MBF to help us get/stay on track before the busy holiday season hits.