Healthy Empowered Mama

My transformation with T25

When I first found Beachbody, it was at the end of January, 2014. I had been chatting with my friend Annalisa, who I had played field hockey with in high school. She was a Beachbody coach and I had NO clue what a simple conversation about a workout program and Shakeology was going to lead to...

I wanted to get healthy again and I had NO idea where to start. When I had Declan, I weighed 181 pounds. I had gained over 50 pounds. YIKES! I had lost quite a bit with walking but I was no where near where I wanted to be. I mean, I was a newly single mom, had just moved across country, I had just moved into a home of our own, I was struggling with how to balance all my responsibilities, making time to take care of me while tending to a new baby and learning how to be a good mom. I made all his food from scratch-- but when it came to me, I was surviving on snacks and coffee...lots of it. The only decent meal I would eat was dinner. I often had cravings late at night. I just thought, I don't have time for me! (WRONG.)

Me, yes ME, I had EVERY excuse! 

The idea of leaving my son with someone to go to the gym for an hour was impossible and made me feel selfish (WRONG). I thought, I can't possible make him good meals, and make them for myself too! I can't possibly add ANOTHER thing to my routine (WRONG again). Taking care of yourself is SO important, especially if we want to be the best we can for our families! I knew this, I have always been passionate about a healthy lifestyle, but I didn't always follow what I knew. But I was STUCK...I just had NO idea where to start, and I honestly, lacked the belief in myself. I doubted if I was even worth it...(You guessed it, WRONG again.)

(SIDE NOTE: Moms, and dads, listen to me, YOU are just as important as the rest of your family. If you are not taking care of yourself, how can you possibly give your best to take care of anyone else!? If you don't make yourself a priority, who will!? )

I was still about 16 pounds from my goal weight, I had NO energy, I felt sluggish and I was unhappy with who I saw in the mirror. I hated getting dressed because I never felt beautiful...I'm not saying it is about being vain at all--but feeling confident is important! My self-confidence was in the dumps, I napped with my son almost everyday because to me it was like survival mode. I didn't realize that the reason I was so tired was because I was not giving my body what it needed! I was creating my own road block.

Contrary to some people's belief, it is NOT normal to feel like crap all the time! We should all feel healthy and energized, if we are treating our bodies right! And we should all realize...we ONLY get one body...this is not a dress rehearsal! The best project you will ever work on, is YOU!

So, the last day of January, I took the plunge. I signed up with T25 and Shakeology and decided I was never looking back. Within four days of drinking Shakeology, I felt like a new woman. And that, is the day I decided to become a coach....I knew if this was already helping me so much, it could do the same for others! (If you want to learn more about Shakeology, I will post a video at the bottom of the page). 

Sounds crazy, but it's true. I wasn't feeling sluggish when I woke up in the morning and my cravings were gone. I was relying less on coffee, because I had natural energy! I was making healthier food choices and making ME a priority (I also started following the 21 Day Fix meal plan, which I will discuss in another post). When my son would nap, instead of napping with him, I would press play and my kick ass 25 minute workout gave me such a sense of accomplishment! T25 challenged my body. It was a combination of cardio, strength training, and dynamic moves that used my own body weight. Many things I was told I would never do because of injuries, were in these videos-- such as lunges and squats. I could have easily felt defeated, but I focused on doing what I could. I started slow, I modified what I had to. Within 3 weeks I was feeling SO much stronger. I was doing things I had never been able to do before!

 I knew I was doing something good for myself and my body and it felt amazing and empowering! Feeling that sweat drip down my face, and challenging my body...was SO much more than a workout to me. It was bringing my self confidence back. It was me loving myself enough to make a small change. It was me knowing I was going to be setting a good example for my son, that your health is important. It was healing me just as much on the inside and mentally, as it was starting to show on the outside. I also was having less stomach issues and my frequent headaches were no where to be found. In 3 weeks, I was already seeing results! 

I was hooked. I was so passionate about sharing my journey with others, because I knew what it could do for them too! And I have NEVER looked back. I completed the 10 week program the beginning of May. My physical results spoke for themselves. I was ripped! My energy was soaring, my self confidence was coming back. I felt like I was finally finding ME again! And I will forever be grateful for my coach, and my community of coaches, who supported me through it. Often, we need someone to believe in us,  especially when we don't believe in ourselves!

It is not easy to make the change to a healthy lifestyle, I know this. If you want a change, and you don't know where to start- I would LOVE to help you! With the right tools and support...you can do ANYTHING you set your mind to! Empower yourself! YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Now... I am paying it forward to help others! What a blessing!


Here is the link if you would like to learn more about Shakeology and why it is a staple to my diet. My healthiest meal of the day! If you have questions, email me at danafotiades@gmail.com