FOCUS T25 Results: Amanda Lost 58 Pounds in 5 Months

^†Results vary depending on starting point and effort. Amanda is an independent Beachbody Coach.

Meet Amanda N.! She participated in The Beachbody Challenge, shared her FOCUS T25 results, and won the $500 Daily Prize for July 19th!

Tell us about your life before you started the program. How did you feel about yourself and your body?
Before I started my fitness journey, I was very depressed about how I looked. Seeing myself in pictures was always a shock to me: Who was this person? Why didn’t the reflection in the mirror resemble the person I felt like I was on the inside? Going anywhere with my husband and children was overwhelming. I didn’t have any clothes that fit. I was self conscious in everything I wore. There was extra flesh hanging over at the waist; I was bursting at the seems. My face looked bloated. I hated to even go to the grocery store. What if I saw someone I knew? Trying to take a picture of myself and my husband was excruciating. Even though he never said anything negative, I wondered if he was embarrassed by how I looked. I know I was.

What inspired you to change your life and begin your transformation journey?
After having my second child, I knew something had to be different than before. I had to choose to do things differently than I had over the last several years, because obviously what I was doing wasn’t working. My daughter was three years old and growing into a little person more each day. How could I create in her the ability to eat healthy and exercise if she never saw me do it? Looking at my little girl, I knew that I had to make a change.

What is the greatest challenge you faced before beginning the program? How did the program and Beachbody® help you overcome that challenge?
The greatest challenge I had was learning to make time for myself. As a wife and a mother, we learn to be selfless. We take care of everyone else’s needs before our own. Beachbody helped me because I only needed that 25 minutes in order to progress. And so one day, I made time, and afterwards it felt good. It was difficult. I sweated, huffed, and puffed through my first workout. I almost quit. But the time ticker on the bottom of the screen told me I had twenty minutes left. Then ten, then five…I knew I could do it. And when I made it through, I felt absolutely empowered.

What in particular did you like about the program you chose?
I love Shaun T’s motivational words, and how he works out right along with you. I love how I can see that even the people in the video are struggling right along with you. You are not the only one who finds it difficult. I love how there is a rotation of workouts so you never get bored. I love how there is a schedule so you can follow, and I feel great as I cross them off. I especially love how it pushes me each time I press play. Shaun T pushes you to push yourself. If you’ve mastered an exercise, then next time you do it faster, harder, stronger.

Describe the results you achieved with your Beachbody program. Which achievements are you proud of?
In five months, I’ve lost 58 pounds! I lost 52.5 inches in five months! I am so proud to have definition in my abs that I have never seen before! And I don’t just mean after kids. I mean ever! My butt is lifted and shrinking, my arms have trimmed down. The most striking difference when you look at the before and after pictures is in my face. I barely recognize that girl, but she looks sad. But the woman in the after picture looks strong. She looks confident. She looks happy.

How has your life changed since completing your Beachbody program?
My life has changed for the better. I feel strong each morning when I get up. My back never hurts as soon as I get out of bed. I can play with my three year old and chase her all over the park without getting winded. I am wearing jeans I bought 7 years ago and never was able to wear…and even they are too big! I feel empowered and strong, able to carry my baby, and chase my three year old. And she expects me to workout every morning. She watches me and mimics my movements and acts as my own cheerleader yelling, “You can do it, mommy!” She thinks exercising is what you do. I know that I am setting an example my daughter can be proud of, each day demonstrating commitment and progress she and I can be proud of.

Did participating in a Challenge Group help you reach your goals?
The Challenge Group is amazing. At first, I didn’t join in. I didn’t know what to expect. When you are talking to people in your “normal” life, nobody wants to hear “Hey, I worked out today!” every single day. But when you go on a journey like I have, you want to shout it from the rooftops. And with a Challenge Group, you are surrounded by like minded people that do want to hear. They cheer on your every success and they lift you up after each bump in the road. They encourage you not to get down on yourself, Remind you to watch the inches, not just the scale. They call you out, in the most supportive of ways, if you’ve gone missing for a few days, But mostly, they understand.

How did your Team Beachbody Coach support you on your journey?
Tawnya has been amazing. My biggest fear with starting Beachbody, and being assigned a coach, was that we wouldn’t connect or see eye-to-eye. I was afraid of being pressured by some door-to-door-used-car-salesman type. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Tawnya has done the obvious and has been encouraging of my progress and hard work, but she has also been attentive and interactive. We have emailed but also had a personal phone call when I needed it. She has never pressured me to spend my money in a way I wasn’t comfortable. She only answered my questions. She has been a resource of information and also a well of support. I feel like I know her and we’ve never met. I never felt judged or lacking in any way.

You can change your life, too. Take the Beachbody Challenge for the tools you need to Decide, Commit, and Succeed! Complete any Beachbody program, and enter your results for a free gift and a chance to win cash and prizes.