“After Losing More Than 170 Pounds, I Now Have Muscles”

Meet Errol R.! He participated in The Beachbody Challenge and won the $500 Daily Prize for September 24th!

Tell us about your life before you started the program. How did you feel about yourself and your body?
I experienced everything from awkward moments to utter humiliation. I began to develop social anxiety that kept me from enjoying life. I even wore jackets to sweltering Fourth of July firework shows. My loved ones knew what I was doing, and their pity showered their faces. I grew up hating my body, and was embarrassed living in my own skin. I attempted to repress that pain by eating.There was no fullness. I would eat until my stomach had swollen, and then passed out to sleep. My relationship with food was horrible, but I believed that I loved it. I felt as if I was an undeserving embarrassment to my family and friends. I’d offer to photograph our outings to erase my existence from ever being documented. I didn’t want to be seen. I didn’t value my life because it was filled with nothing but food and depression.

What inspired you to change your life and begin your transformation journey?
As my freshman year of college was coming to a close, I felt disappointed. Despite living on campus, I hid away in my dorm and lost out on many social and professional opportunities due to my fears of being judged, seen, and heard. There was not one thing that influenced me to change my life, but rather it was a culmination of everything I had faced and the clash between the life I was living and everything I wanted out of life. Now it was time to release myself of the physical burdens and limitations I had placed on my body. I often slept with the TV on, and would wake up to infomercials. While I had seen this particular one before, this particular morning, something shifted in me. Chalene Johnson’s voice wasn’t just background noise, but rather she was speaking directly to me! And she wanted me to try TurboFire, my first Beachbody program, my soul mate workout! Others followed.

What is the greatest challenge you faced before beginning the program? How did the program and Beachbody® help you overcome that challenge?
My greatest challenge was attaining the motivation to challenge the physical limitations I had placed on my body and myself in general. Low self-esteem carried over into every facet of my life. Once I began, I never believed I’d ever be able to keep up, move as quickly, jump as high, achieve similar results, etc. I was comfortable in accepting that I was who I was, and that I was incapable of changing that. However, each Beachbody program I have tried has been led by positive fitness professionals who only asked for my best efforts each time I tried. Beachbody’s trainers and camera crew helped me see the others who were challenging themselves alongside me. My latest effort became my biggest and only competition.That has carried into every part of my life. I only need to be better than myself.

Describe the results you achieved with your Beachbody program. Which achievements are you proud of?
After losing more than 170 pounds (half of my bodyweight) and strengthening my body, I now have muscles in my arms, legs, and back. I am also leaner than I have ever been in my life! Moreover, I no longer have to shop in the Big and Tall or extended sizes of clothing stores, and my shoes last a lot longer than they did before. My first major achievement was finishing Fire 45 of TurboFire without taking a break that wasn’t in the program. That was when I knew my endurance had improved tremendously, and I also notice how much it has when I walk across campus now and perform daily activities. Moreover, my legs are thinner and more built than ever, and I am more toned thanks to these programs. I would’ve never thought that I’d become less than 200 pounds, and I am quite proud that I have been able to beat something I have struggled with for so long. Seeing the changes in my neck and face was also something I’d experienced, and I felt like I was a new person!

How has your life changed since completing your Beachbody program?
My life has completely improved since completing TurboFire and other programs. I am happier, healthier, and have a much more positive outlook on life. I am also much more motivated to face my fears and challenge myself because I learned that, if I can overcome the mental and physical obstacles of obesity, I can overcome so much more. I have ended my relationship with self-imposed limitations! Also, I respect my body like never before by nourishing it with foods that will help rather than hinder it. I use it for purpose rather than as a coping mechanism now. Now, a staircase is not Kilimanjaro! Now, an invite to a social event isn’t something to meet with terror, but rather something to enjoy and immerse myself into. I am able to live a fuller life than I ever have before, and I am a better, kinder, more relaxed person because of it.

You can change your life, too. Take the Beachbody Challenge, for the ultimate motivation to get fit! Select any Beachbody program and once you complete it, share your results for your chance to win cash and prizes.