Fitspiration Friday: PiYo Gave Me the Confidence I Needed
If you’ve tried a Beachbody program, you’ve probably had a goal in mind that you wanted to achieve. Maybe you wanted to lose weight. Maybe you wanted to get stronger. Maybe you wanted to improve your health. Maybe it was a mix of all three, or something else entirely. But, along the way, no matter what your goal, everyone needs a little inspiration. Every other Friday, the Beachbody Success Stories team will share inspirational fitness stories from some of the folks who have done Beachbody programs. Maybe one will inspire you!
Today, we want you to meet Michelle. Here’s her story in her own words.
“At the age of 4, I was diagnosed with Fibrous Dysplasia [a bone disorder that causes tough, scar-like tissues to form instead of normal bone] and soon after, had my first surgery. My tumor kept coming back and I had six surgeries, four on the tumor in my hip and two on my knee from complications from the tumor. My doctors told me that I would never be able to run or do normal physical activity.
Growing up was awful. My parents were divorced, my dad lived a million miles away, and my mom married a guy I didn’t like. I was really unpopular in school. It felt like no matter what I did, I was never good enough for my peers or my parents, and it totally destroyed my self-esteem.
On top of everything, my stepdad sexually harassed me and I felt like there was no escape. At 18, I had to have him arrested for sexual harassment. This, unfortunately, was not my only negative interaction with men at that age. Eventually, I finally found a beautiful safety net in my sorority sisters and my amazing friends. I also worked really hard and was able to follow my dream of going to medical school.
But something was still missing.
In college, I also started eating a lot of junk food because I had a busy schedule and it was convenient. I didn’t really work out, and I used my tumor as an excuse. I went to the gym a few times and tried to eat healthy, but that would last about two days before I went back to my old ways.
Then one day, someone in my Tumor Support Group posted that she had Fibrous Dysplasia too but was able to stay in shape. I reached out to her about two months ago, and since then, everything in my life has changed. My doctor had always really wanted me to be more active, had urged me to start physical therapy, and had been telling me for years to try yoga! I finally started doing physical therapy and also started PiYo! With PiYo, I learned to meal prep, to work out everyday, and to take care of my body and soul. PiYo was a miracle for me.
I really liked that I didn’t have to be perfect with PiYo — I could follow the modifier if I needed to. The low impact program was perfect because of my bone tumor. And, as I went through it, I gradually stopped using the modifier and I could feel myself getting stronger! It was nice to know that even though I had a ‘disability,’ I could still do an awesome workout program and see real results! The moves were easy enough to learn, but performing them and mastering them was a whole other story!
Now, I feel so much more confident. I’m no longer embarrassed by my body. In fact, I’m in awe of my new physical capabilities and feel so proud of my body because I worked hard to make it exactly how it is today. Getting fit is so much more than working out, and I’ve never felt as good as I do writing this today.”
Remember, always consult with your physician about your unique medical needs before commencing any fitness program or nutritional product.