I was tired of shopping in the Women’s Plus Size department, being completely out of breath from walking up just one flight of stairs, and shuffling through life with stiff knees and joints. I wanted to be able to get down on the floor and play with my grandkids without needing help standing back up. I wanted to feel good about myself when wearing shorts or a swimsuit. And I really, really, really wanted to get off those high blood pressure meds that I’d been taking for the past 25 years. So I turned to my husband for help.

Being the fabulous Beachbody Coach that he is, he suggested I give Body Gospel a try—and thank God I did. Body Gospel was the perfect program for me. It was low-impact (which I absolutely needed), fun, spiritual, and uplifting. And since I’m a Christian and find my strength through the Lord, the praise and worship music was key to keeping me focused and motivated.

So far, I’ve lost 38 lbs., went from a size 18 to a 12, have ridiculous amounts of energy, and feel absolutely amazing! I’ve also ditched my two old blood pressure meds and have since switched to a very low dose. Friends constantly compliment me on my weight loss, and I recently had someone ask if I had gastric bypass surgery. Nope, I did it the right way—through diet and exercise.

Not only have I been blessed with an amazing husband whose support and encouragement has gotten me to where I am today, I’m also very thankful for my Facebook group, Stayfit, who helped keep me going when the times got tough. Without all this support, there’s no way I would have been this successful. My heart goes out to everyone. You all saved my life.

Click here to find out more about the Beachbody Challenge and Challenge Groups