I used to spend all my free time glued to the couch—watching TV, reading, or taking naps. I was fat. I was miserable. And I hated life. When my husband asked for a divorce last year, I hated life even more and completely lost my appetite. While starving myself did take off the pounds, one day I woke up and realized that I had to start eating right and exercising if I really wanted to get healthy. And that’s when my journey with Beachbody® began.

First I did TurboJam®, which really got my body moving. While I love weight training, I need lots of motivation to do cardio, which Chalene freely gave. This was a great beginner’s workout because it allowed me to see positive results very quickly while getting used to exercising again.

Next I gave INSANITY® a shot because I wanted to push myself and see what I was made of! During this time I started running and completed my 1st 5K in May 2012. INSANITY was the ultimate physical challenge—it was just me against my mind—and I was so proud of myself when I completed it.

Chalean Extreme® was the third program I chose to conquer. This one was great because it taught me how to lift weights without bulking up. Throughout this program, I continued training for my races, and the day after I ran the half marathon I started the Ultimate Reset®.

I chose the Ultimate Reset because even though I’d become an exercise fan over the past year, eating healthy was something I still struggled with. The Reset helped me stop eating sugar and processed foods, which enabled me to sleep so much better at night. And when I started drinking Shakeology® I realized I had found my missing link to nutrition. Shakeology curbed my cravings while giving me the energy I needed to push play everyday.

Though it all, my Challenge Groups were key to my success. The Challenge Group gave me the confidence I needed to step outside my comfort zone and achieve my goals. It has  been my biggest cheerleader throughout this entire journey and I couldn’t have done it without challenge group support and belief in me! My Challenge Groups were great because they held me accountable each and every day, and were there for me when times got tough—which they did, a lot.

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

After completing all these Beachbody programs, I lost almost 80 lbs., went from wearing a size 16 down to a 4, and wore a bikini this summer for the 1st time in over 20 years. And while my physical achievements are fantastic, I’m most proud of the mental shift I made. I went from a total pessimist to a glass-half-full kind of person, and am totally loving life. I’ve never felt healthier or happier than I do right now, and I owe it all to Beachbody. Thanks!