Personal Development, Personal Coaching, Self Help, Leadership Training

The very difficult periods of my life have been accompanied by overeating. Many of these life experiences have been transformed into strengths, but I never truly believed that this struggle could be transformed. When I watched the Body-for-Works video I realized for the first time that it was possible. In the midst of this year's life changes I found myself severely overeating and was mortified to see myself in an old destructive pattern. At age 40 it was time to change… and now I knew I could!

What was your initial goal for the Challenge?

Looking the truth square in the face is deeply embarrassing… but hiding from the truth doesn't make it any less so. I had to learn Mastery over a lifetime habit of numbing my emotions with food. I wanted to learn balance and grace under pressure… and I wanted to learn to maintain that balance in any circumstance/challenge that life may present.

My specific physical goals were to lose 25 lbs; Get under 17 % bodyfat… I ended the Challenge losing 33lbs and my bodyfat was 15.4%.

What motivated you during your Challenge?

My resolve that I could do it was primary. A year prior to my Challenge, an acquaintance sent me a picture of a female bodybuilder whose face strongly resembled mine, and to further his point he'd superimposed my name over hers. This became the center of my “dream board” of images that embodied my goals for my Challenge year. Working with a trainer accelerated my pace and added an extra measure of accountability. The joy of the Challenge was doing it together with a close personal friend and my husband… I knew we were depending on each other… and my commitment to their success, as well as my own was not negotiable. .

Watching BFL videos; reading articles of past champions over and over and over again continuously drew me forward toward my goal. The success stories of ordinary people, from all walks of life whose physiques and lives have changed based on the Body For Life program are hard to ignore.

Did you ever use a special song, movie, article or picture for motivation?

Picture of bodybuilder that was given to me who looks like me.

Michael Jackson's song… “Man in the Mirror”

I watched the BFL Videos and read the Muscle Media Profiles of those who had made the CHANGE many, many times during my Challenge!

What was your hardest obstacle to overcome during the Challenge?

My biggest obstacles were internal. I turned 40 in the 6 th week of my program and realized I was finally attaining the body I had never ever allowed myself to know. It was challenging to physically push further than I'd ever done before… but by far the most difficult thing for me was trusting that the process that had proved successful for so many others, would work for me. I had to remind myself to relax and trust in each day's successes. I was surprised at how emotional the challenge was for me, and it wasn't until the end that I realized why… I had transformed the core of my identity while I transformed my body and that has had a profound affect on my entire life.

Describe the first moment when you felt like you were making progress?

There were several moments that I recognized progress in different areas.

Personally, what is the biggest reward of the 12-week challenge?

Accountability! The victory goes so deep within me. I am now free to move out beyond the wall I created through doubt and fear. I am so proud to have completed this Challenge. I feel a sense of responsibility and accountability that goes far beyond just me. No longer is it a private battle… but an outward victory that is encouraging many people I deeply care about to take better care of themselves. I know I have transformed some of the most destructive and limiting beliefs I held about myself and have discovered parts of me I doubted I would ever find.

What makes the Challenge different from any diet or workout program you've tried in the past?

I found the Challenge to be life-altering as I immersed myself for 12-weeks in a lifestyle that nourished and strengthened every part of me . The holistic approach of the Challenge allowed me to experience myself in a completely new frame of reference in such a short span of time that it continued to draw me forward. The days off were key transition times for me, as each week I experienced the contrast of my old habits and how that made me feel in comparison to the rhythm my body was experiencing as a result of the Challenge. The resulting internal & physique changes that occurred in such a short period of time created an alternative to the lifestyle I had been living that I will never give up.

What part of the Challenge - nutrition, supplementation, training – was the hardest/easiest for you to “stick” to?

I worked with a trainer and did the Challenge with my husband and a great friend. Working with a trainer accelerated my pace and added an extra measure of accountability. The commitment to do the Challenge with Blair and Cathy definitely made a huge difference… I didn't want to let our little team down. I have come to appreciate the power of accountability to the power of TEAM… the times when I might have been tempted to skip a workout or compromise on my program were just not an option because I knew others were depending on me… and my commitment to their success, as well as my own was not negotiable.

What was your supplementation program during the Challenge?

I took (Myoplex, Betagen, CytoVol and NeuroGain).

How has your supplementation program changed since completing the Challenge?

I now take (Myoplex, MethoxyFactor, RiboForce)

What are the five “supplement” tips you can give people who are doing the Challenge?

I had the opportunity to speak with many people who were attempting this challenge without supplementation. As I progressed in my program they began approaching me for advice because they weren't getting the results they saw I was achieving. These discussions confirmed for me the importance of supplementation and I definitely recommend it to anyone committed to success. (Personal use has included Betagen; CytoVol; Neurogain; Riboforce; HMB; Myoplex Deluxe and Methoxy Factor).

What was your nutrition program during the Challenge?

We kept if very simple, yet our meals were very flavorful. One of the most frequently asked questions I get is about the eating program. Many folks express that they find eating 6 times a day to be difficult and ask me if I found it difficult

3 meals a day were Myoplex Deluxe (1/2 package used in each shake)

A couple of days meals:

Daily Water Intake: 2 (12oz )glasses of water as soon as I woke up before aerobics and 6 quarts of water throughout the day

Daily Supplement: Betagen Morning & Evening; CytoVol after workouts

Meal 1          6 Egg Whites with Salsa
Meal 2 :        ½ Myoplex Deluxe Chocolate with ½ banana
Meal 3 :        Chicken Breast; Sweet Potato or Red Potato; veggies
Meal 4 :        ½ Myoplex Mint Chocolate
Meal 5 :        Chicken Breast; ½ cup Brown Rice; diced veggies (Spice to taste)
Meal 6 :        ½ Myoplex Deluxe Vanilla with ½ banana

Meal 1          6 Egg Whites; ½ cup Oatmeal
Meal 2 :        ½ Myoplex Deluxe Chocolate with ½ banana
Meal 3 :        1 cup of Nonfat Cottage Cheese and 1 nonfat Yoplait Yogurt mixed
Meal 4 :        ½ Myoplex Mint Chocolate
Meal 5 :        Salmon Filet; ½ cup Brown Rice; diced veggies (Spice to taste)
Meal 6 :        ½ Myoplex Deluxe Vanilla with ½ banana

How has your nutrition program changed since completing the Challenge?

Eating 6 times a day has become a very comfortable lifestyle for me. I still eat very similarly but I don't keep such a tight watch on my fat intake - (keeping it under 20 grams) - as I did during my Challenge. I now include things like Avacados; Olive Oil; Udos Oil; Different Cheeses and Pinenuts & Pecans into my meal plan.

What are five “nutrition” tips you can give people who are doing the challenge?

What's your favorite flavor of Myoplex?

Hands down… Mint Chocolate Myoplex

What is your favorite “cheat”meal?

I usually enjoy having some kind of ethnic food on my days off… and if the truth be told I thoroughly enjoy a Starbucks Venti Vanilla Latte or two… and usually have something Chocolate.

What is your favorite “authorized” meal?

This is a favorite of not only mine but of anyone I have served this to. It's simple, quick and very flavorful:

Chicken Breast or Salmon

½ - 1cup of Brown Rice

Diced Onion; Red Pepper; Baby Broccoli

Sauce: 2 Tbsp Braggs Amino Acids; ½ Lemon juiced; 1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Put the rice in the bottom of a large bowl; put diced veggies on top of the rice; top it off with Sliced Chicken Breast or Salmon Filet; then add sauce over the top to taste.

What was your training program during the Challenge?

For my aerobic workouts during the Challenge I used mostly the Precor machine and I worked my way up to burning 1000 calories per session by the end of my Challenge.

For the Weight Training portion I called and spoke to EAS' help line and was put in touch with someone who worked with women. I also spoke with several professionals who had worked to train female athletes and competitors in body building. There was a consistent message from all sources about higher repetitions for women to achieve certain results. After my first month of the Challenge I chose to do high repetition sets. For upper body I did 20 rep sets… and for lower body I did 25 rep sets. My workout during the Challenge is below.

WEIGHT TRAINING WORKOUT

Body: Tricepts; Bicepts and Shoulders

Machine Shoulder Press: 6 Plates/60 lbs(3 sets)

Machine Side Lateral Raises: 3 plates/30lbs (3 sets)

Behind the head Tricep: Extension (Using a dumbell) 30 lbs (3 sets)

Standing Barbell Curls: 35 lbs (3 sets)

Skull Crushers: 45 lbs ( 3 sets)

Preacher Curls: 30lbs (3 sets)

Dumbell Shoulder Press: 25 lbs dumbbells (50 lbs for 3 sets)

Incline Alternating Dumbell Curls & Incline Alternating Dumbell Curls: 15lbs dumbells (3 sets)

Lower Body: Quads; Hamstrings and Calves

Squats: 135 lbs (3 sets)

Leg Press: 90 lbs each side (3 sets)

Hack Squats: 35 lbs each side (3 sets)

Standing Calves: 6 plates/ 60lbs (3 sets)

Lying Hamstring Curls: 5 plates/50 lbs(3 sets)

Sitting Calves: 90lbs (3 sets)

Leg Extensions: 50 lbs (3 sets)

Upper Body: Back and Chest

Incline Dumbell Press: 25lbs each side (3 sets)

Bent Over Rows: 70 lbs (3 sets)

Decline Dumbell Press: 25lbs each side (3 sets)

Leverage Seated Rows (Upper Back): 70lbs (3 sets)

Cable Crossovers: 5 plates (3 sets)

Seated Rows (Mid Back): 6 plates (3 sets)

How has your training program changed since completing the Challenge?

I have learned so much since my Challenge which was the beginning of my understanding about weight training. My intensity level has increased along with my ability to listen to my body. I have many more “tools in my toolbox” now and can work out smarter in order to continuously progress in my weight training. In the past for example, if an exercise caused undue stress on a particular body part I didn't know the alternatives… now I can accomplish the same muscle contouring and strength gains without risking injury.

What are five “training” tips you can give people who are doing the Challenge?

Learning the “Form” and “Function” of each exercise… and then adding “Physical” and “Mental” focus is the key… however, it's not typically easy for most people to reach this level of intensity and focus if they've never seen it modeled. Since completing my Challenge I've had the pleasure of working out with many folks (some new to weight training and some not). Without exception each has said after our workout together, “I wish I'd known how to work out like this earlier in my program”! Whether you get a trainer or a friend of a friend… realize that most of us need to be coached to bring out our best efforts.

Where do you work out?

I work out in several different gyms depending on what side of town I find myself on with work… (YMCA; Bally's; 24-Hour Fitness).

Which of the past Champions do you most identify with, if any?

Meredith, the first female BFL Challenge Winner. When I first came across the BFL Challenge it was right after the 1 st Challenge and when I saw Meredith's transformation it was the first time I realized that it could be done.

Who was the person that most influenced you during the Challenge?

My drive to make it to the other side of the most limiting beliefs that had controlled my life up to the age of 40… the lack of Mastery over this area of my life had robbed me of my freedom to truly engage with life at so many levels. The benefits/comforts found in hiding from myself and life no longer outweighed the costs.

What would you say to motivate people that are just beginning the Challenge or thinking of entering it?

When going after changing destructive habits that have taken root over the years or over a lifetime… my feeling is, any and all positive and legal forms of support are fair game, and highly recommended. For anyone like myself with a strong “Lone Wolf” tendency… if it's not getting you the results you want…break the pattern!

Start your program with the end vividly in mind … Be willing to do whatever it takes to support your own success… ( With No Excuses )! Immerse yourself in the success stories of others throughout your program… your belief that it CAN BE DONE is most of the battle. Leverage yourself by committing outwardly… accountability is an incredibly strong motivator to stay the course . Don't hold back because you're afraid of disappointing others… this is about you… and for you … So Be Your Own Best Friend !

Commit ; Enter the Challenge officially and allow the accountability to draw you into putting your best foot forward consistently until you reach your goal .

Who would you most like to inspire to take the Challenge now?

Initially it was my high school friend Lorraine. We've both struggled with destructive and debilitating cycles of compulsive eating and the inevitable hopelessness that pervaded our lives. I wanted her to experience the freedom and self-confidence that permeates your life after this transformation. She took on that Challenge and did an outstanding job! The Challenge is definitely a “ Pay it forward ” experience! For me personally, I'm still surprised that something that was a private battle for so long… is now an outward victory that encourages even strangers to take better care of themselves… and perhaps even embark on their own transformation journey. That is a personal joy beyond words!

What are your physical goals now that you have completed the Challenge?

To get breasts again ( smile) J… and continue to improve my overall strength and stamina. My physical goals now are more related to experiencing and learning more about different training techniques and the results they produce.

What is your next big goal aside from improving your physique?

My focus for the next 3-5 years is building a leadership team of business partners and creating a leveraged income stream of 1 million a year.

Aside from the physical aspects, how has the Challenge changed you?

I have gained the freedom to choose in new areas of my life. Understanding something or having a goal is one thing… using what you understand or engaging in the active process of attaining a goal is a totally different story… because that's when resistance shows up. The most valuable part of engaging in the Challenge and then choosing to maintain the lifestyle has been the learning that has come while overcoming my resistance to “ change ”. My lessons of learning had only just begun with my 12-weeks… that was a time of concentrated, massive action toward my goal to “ make a change ”. The focus, determination, and willingness to become aware of what's holding me back… and then the commitment to make the necessary adjustments to stay on course… that has been an invaluable process that has made me stronger and wiser in both my business and personal life.

What is your profession?

I teach people how to build home base Internet businesses and get OUT of the rat race so they can spend more time with their family or do the things they really want to do.

What would be your “dream” job?

My dream job is exactly what I am doing… I love being a Success Coach both at work and in the gym. I had the pleasure of hearing General Norman Schwatrzkopf speak on leadership and when asked what leadership was he said… “Leadership is getting People to Willingly do More than they normally would”. EAS did a flyer titled “Ordinary People Getting Extraordinary Results”… today I find myself professionally and personally blessed by more than my share of “Ordinary People” who inspire “Extraordinary Results” out of the people around them… they are my colleagues; my friends and my mentors.

What are your hobbies?

One of my hobbies has become working out with different men & women who have a sincere desire to make a BFL change… working out together and watching their bodies change and their confidence grow has been a great joy.

I love the outdoors… biking; rollerblading; tennis… and anything by the water.

I grew up in a family who enjoyed many hours together playing games… (whether it was cards playing Hearts; Spades; Pinochle or a game of Chess… and if there is a group of us then we usually ended up having great laughs with a game of Charades. My favorite thing to do is spend time with the people I care most about doing anything they enjoy.

How would you describe your lifestyle?

I am so grateful for the things that became a part of me through the Challenge. Whatever I choose to put my hand to now… I don't leave taking care of myself out of the equation. It's a great feeling of freedom. My life is filled with great challenge and surrounded by wonderful people with a desire to make a difference in the world around them… both at work and personally. I feel incredibly blessed to be right where I am!

What was your lifestyle like before the Challenge?

In the year prior to doing the Challenge I had major life changes. I moved across the country from Washington, DC to Dallas, TX… got married for the first time at 39 and changed everything in my life at the same time. It was in the midst of all this change when some very difficult and unexpected personal challenges caught me very much by surprise… especially in a new environment where I had yet to have built any roots for support. I had definitely overestimated my ability to handle all of this with grace. It was in the midst of this time that I found myself back in old habits of compulsive overeating… and I truly scared myself. The fact that at the age of 39, I still had the capacity to turn in on myself and become my own worst enemy was a HUGE WAKEUP CALL.

Many people ask me how did you stay committed to the Challenge? It's a great question , and for me… I had a huge “Why”. All of my life I've had this unmanageable part of my life that I had learned to control… but never to master. There were many things both professionally and personally that I held back from because I knew I hadn't learned how to manage myself in this area… and I was afraid of my own lack of control.

In my professional life I have always been a person who put 150% into my work and usually worked long hours. So my hours were long… my eating habits were inconsistent at best. I'd work all day with nourishing foods like coffee; soda and perhaps a bag of chips or a candy bar… and usually eat at the end of the day. My philosophy on breakfast used to be, why eat it… it only makes you hungry.

I had heard about the Challenge several years before and knew I would do it “ Some Day ”. It was at the point of my WAKEUP CALL that doing the Challenge went from being something I'd like to do… to something I MUST DO. At the age of 40, it was time to Master this area of my life so I could engage with life more fully and loving more freely…

What do you remember most about your childhood?

… That's a tough question for me. There was a lot of chaos in my family of origin during my childhood. The adults in my family are all very bright and gifted individuals… but many of them allowed their lives to be ruled by fear… and in many respects had given up on their lives in early mid-life… although they went on to live many years past that time. I learned unconsciously how to live in an isolated world of independence while engaging both professionally and socially in the world at large. I mentioned earlier that the Challenge was a very emotional experience for me as I realized I had transformed the core of my identity while I transformed my body and that has had a profound affect on my entire life.

How have your parents influenced your life and who you are?

They have given me a deep love for others; an appreciation of learning & language; a love of family; an enjoyment of great conversation; a passion for excellence; a delight in the art of playing games; a love of great humor… and an incredibly powerful example that the cost is too high not to live life fully engaged.