SUCCESS STORY: IRISH

This girl right here has blown me away with her determination and drive to really change her life! I am so very proud of how far she has come and being a part of her journey has been a huge blessing for me. I asked Irish if I could share her story with the world through my blog and she kindly agreed and send this letter. I hope you enjoy her story as much as I did. And the best part is, she is still going steady. Day by day. I know she will reach her goals and inspire so many others with her journey!

Hi, my name is Irish, I am a military spouse and I work full time as a passport agent overseas. I have struggled with my weight since I was a kid, but as I entered into adulthood the pounds just kept adding on. I did not realize how much I had gained until I hit my 30s and after the birth of my son. For years doctors were advising me to lose weight and eat better and I will be honest, I heard them but did not listen. I like many others I'm sure, just blew it off like sure I could do it, but when do I have time. I would make excuse after excuse until I stopped trying. It's been an on again off again battle, I'd go to the gym for a month or two and then stop, then at it again, and then stop. I've paid money for personal trainers, I tried numerous different weight loss programs, all with the same result. Not keeping the weight off and gaining all back within months. I could never manage to stick with it. The one key thing I always neglected was the way I ate. In my mind, I thought, hey as long as I'm exercising it's okay to eat anything I want. Yes, silly thinking and definitely not the right mind set. After awhile, I will be honest, I gave up. I told myself that I was happy just the way I was. In truth, deep down, that was not the case.

In 2013, I reconnected with a high school classmate on Facebook, ironic huh, lol. However, his wife's fitness page would pop up every so often as people you might know. So I liked her page and started following what she posted. I will admit, initially I thought, there's no way I could be fit like her. But the inspirational quotes and phrases she posted daily kept drawing me in. It made me think, huh, I think I can do this. I researched Beachbody and the programs a lot over the next month. I was more and more intrigued with what it had to offer. Hesitant for sure, because I wasn't sure if it was the right fit for me and I didn't want to fail again. But something kept drawing me this program. I had some questions but was too shy to ask and then one day, Jennifer and I were connected and we talked on the phone, she answered my questions and well thus began my new journey with Jennifer and Beachbody.

I initially started with the Clean Eating program with Shakeology. I knew if I were to succeed I needed to learn or retrain myself on better eating habits. Talk about the BEST decision ever! I learned so much and the support group offered was AMAZING. I realized that I needed the support and accountability to keep me going. After that program was complete, I went ahead and tried my hand at Hip Hop Abs. That was another awesome program too. Each month, I found myself believing more and more in myself and thinking, I can do this. By Christmas, I had decided to take on P90X3. Scared for sure, doubts lingering if I could do this or not, but my heart told me, you can do this and the support will be there for you. The best part of being a part of Beachbody has been the AMAZING support and advice. From the coaches to the others just like me trying to lead a healthier life. I truly do not think I'd still be doing this if it were not for the wonderful people and friends I have made. We all share the same goals and can relate to what we are trying to achieve. That's the one thing that I had been lacking in the past. Today, I can say, I am not lacking, I know I can go to any of the group members for help when I'm having a bad day or a good day. A bonus for me, is that my husband has been fully supportive from the start. He's been so wonderful and I have convinced him to try the programs too upon his return from deployment. He's excited to try the P90X series and Shakeology too.

All in all, if it were not for Jennifer and the Beachbody family I would not be where I am today. And that is, I am fitter than I have ever been in years and the best part is I'm keeping it off and still losing...what they have given me back is what I thought I had lost forever, my self confidence. Not only has this changed my life, it has changed my lifestyle. I'm thankful I am a part of the Beachbody family and plan to continue this journey for as long as I can.