Hi Guys!  I am so excited to share with you April’s transformation story.  I love this story because it is not the typical tale of someone trying to “lose weight” it is the story of an expecting mama looking to prepare her body for a healthy pregnancy and do the best for herself and the growing life inside of her!  Just thinking about this girl gives me goosebumps as she is such an incredible woman with a beautiful heart for the Lord, for others, and for life!

April and her husband Cam work with my husband in the National Park.  When I first met her, I had heard that she and Cam were runners and trained vigorously throughout the year training for both half and full marathons.  So naturally, being a non-runner (my personal best is maybe 7 miles…and that’s being generous to myself) I immediately was intimidated by her; I thought she was fierce and beyond any “help” my coaching services could provide.  Almost two years ago we somehow started a conversation about nutrition (maybe she remembers the exact details better than my old mom brain will) but I was just waiting for her to teach me something about nutrition as I just assumed as an extreme runner/athlete she would have it all figured out.  Turns out, she was looking for something to help keep her energized and sustain her through her long training runs and that actually benefitted her body rather than just spiked her blood sugar.  So we got her started on Shakeology and within a few weeks she recognized a noticeable difference, here’s what she had to say about it in her own words:

“I’ve been running half marathons since 2012, and I was struggling to fuel my body properly for my long runs.  If I didn’t fuel just right, I would get nauseous or I would completely run out of energy.  A little over a year ago I started Shakeology.  I knew my diet needed to improve, and I was curious how it would affect my running.  Within the first week I noticed that I had more energy whether I was running that day or not.  It was also easier to wake up in the morning.  I started to have a shake about an hour before my long run, and with the first run I noticed the difference.  I hit my stride earlier, and my energy lasted the entire run.  My husband was skeptical at first and wasn’t interested in trying the “shakes”.  However, about a month after I started, he tried a chocolate shake and has been hooked ever since.  When we travel overnight for races we always pack our blender!  It’s the perfect way to fuel up for a race, and we wouldn’t consider anything else now. Even when we’re not training for a race, we often replace lunch with a shake.  We notice that we have more energy and feel better overall throughout the day.” 

A little less than a year ago, April reached out to me again to talk about nutrition, but this time it wasn’t just for her, it was for the budding life she was now growing inside of her! April was very honest with me about the fact that in college she struggled with her weight and body image, and said it took her a really long time to lose the extra weight she put on. She was concerned because once she started putting on weight during her pregnancy, all of those “insecure feelings” from college came flooding right back:

“I tell you the first pound I put on brought back all of those feelings. Even though I knew that this time around the weight gain was for a good reason, it was healthy, I still struggled with it.”

April was also very honest about the fact that based on what everyone had “told” her about pregnancy “the aches, pains, weight gain, exhaustion,” etc., left her feeling dispirited about being pregnant. But she had resolved herself NOT to feel this way and she was going to do everything she could to create the healthiest environment for her body to grow this little baby, and hopefully feel great!

Because April was an avid runner, she, like many of us, told herself that she could pretty much eat whatever she wanted:

“Because I was logging a lot of miles I didn’t think I had to focus on the intensity of my workouts or eat healthy…but logging a lot of miles doesn’t make you a healthy and active person.   I was eating poorly and I wasn’t investing good quality time into workouts I was doing.  I didn’t have anyone holding me accountable so I didn’t feel like I needed to do those “things”.”

Those “things” included eating for nourishment, training for strength and with a purpose, and learning what a healthy balanced diet looks like.  So, I introduced April to the 21 Day Fix.  Now don’t freak out, I wasn’t prescribing a “diet” to a pregnant woman; the 21 Day Fix allows you to calculate your calorie intake to achieve different goals.  April’s goal was to learn exactly what a healthy balanced diet looked like, gain a healthy amount of weight according to her body as determined  between herself and her OB, and to create the optimum environment for her bodily systems to function and grow/support life.  We got April off and running (not literally) on the accessible, no-nonsense approach towards portion eating and 30 minute workouts of the 21 Day Fix and here is her personal testimonial about that experience:

“I wasn’t that excited about being pregnant and the whole process.  While I did experience some pregnancy discomfort, I found, I was able to overcome those things through a sound fitness & eating program.  Before Jen introduced me to the 21 Day Fix, I thought eating plans were bland, left you feeling hungry all the time, and I thought all I would be able to eat were raw vegetables.  Thankfully the 21 Day Fix wasn’t like that at all!  The eating plan on the 21 Day Fix left me feeling full and boosted my energy, which I really did need some days (I was growing a human being).  About a week in, both my husband and I noticed our cravings for high fat, processed, and other unhealthy foods had greatly diminished and we both recognized a noticeable difference in our energy levels.  We also noticed how bad we felt on the days we were not fueling our bodies with proper nutrition and nourishing food. The attention to form and detail in the 21 Day Fix workouts was also unlike anything I had ever done before. And there’s nothing more motivating to push through a few seconds of an exercise than knowing that you have to push out a baby in a few weeks.  But I must admit that the biggest change I noticed was a more positive body image.  About one week into the three-week workout program, all of the mental strength I was gaining from the strength training really kicked-in; I started feeling different about my body without even realizing it.  One morning I just woke up and didn’t have those insecure feelings anymore – I felt stronger than I ever had before and I felt good about my body, even though I was putting weight on for pregnancy.  Knowing that the choices I was making daily, even though some days those choices weren’t easy, because I felt tired or uncomfortable or “large”, but knowing they were the benefit of myself and my baby really helped me build mental strength.  It was so empowering to know that what I was doing for my body was helping me overcome some of the pregnancy symptoms that I would be experiencing otherwise, and that those symptoms weren’t getting the best of me.”

April, her husband Cam and new baby Grace in the shadow of the Tetons

After completing the 21 Day Fix April feel so in love with the Beachbody at home fitness and nutrition programs that she decided to join my team of coaches to pay it forward and help others lead healthier more vibrant lives.  I asked April about what changed for her and what was different this time around when it came to committing and seeing a wellness program through from start to finish and she said it was because of her “WHY.”

“I want to encourage others to find your reason, find your WHY to take care of your body and to strengthen it – mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  For me it was pregnancy.  But it doesn’t have to be pregnancy, it doesn’t have to be having children.  Personally speaking, it’s knowing that I’m setting a healthy foundation for my daughter by taking action.  She’s going to adopt eating and exercise habits from me, whether I make good choices or bad choices.  I also want her to value her body and what it’s capable of.  So often our bodies are capable of so much more than we give them credit for and I want her to grow up appreciating that.   I also don’t want her to struggle with her body image like I did, and I know that starts with her mother, and setting a good example for her.  So find your why and make sure it has a lot of meaning to you; it should be something that you are willing to fight for.  And then form a plan to get to where you want to be and, even more importantly, surround yourself with a community of people who will encourage and support you.  This is so important and often the part we leave out.  Honestly, that is what has made the difference for me in the past 9 months – having a community of support that has encouraged me to stay committed to my workouts, to eat healthier, and to keep going – even on days when I didn’t necessarily feel like it.   I feel healthier than ever because I’ve had a great coach and community to support me and I’m fueling my body properly.  And now I’m really excited to see what my running will look like when I’m able to return to it in a few months.  So thank you Jen and thank you to everyone else who has supported me during this journey!”

April at her first 5K post pregnancy (3 months post partum) with sweet baby Grace
(I’m not loving the Steelers shirt but I guess we can still be friends…Broncos all the way baby!!!)

In May, April gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl, Grace, who is now four months old.  April is back to running, and has completed several other Beachody at home workout programs since the arrival of Grace and has also decided to pay it forward and became a health and fitness coach herself so she could inspire and serve others in health!  If you are a new mom, expecting mom, or a runner, I encourage you to connect with April as she has a heart of gold and is a wealth of information – your life will be forever blessed by having her in it!  Connect with April on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/aprilpreussalivefitness/?fref=ts or by visiting her blog at:  https://alivefitnessblog.wordpress.com/ .

April and I will be joining forces later this month and hosting an online virtual bootcamp that starts Monday, September 26, Prep for the Holidays: Body & Home Edition.  It’s a one month accountability group where we select a workout program and nutrition plan to meet your individual needs and goals, and then we coach and support you through 30 days of health and wellness.  This virtual bootcamp is unique in that in addition to our health and fitness support, we will be providing practical and simple at home cleaning and organization tips to simplify and prepare you and your home for the holidays. Just think, 30 days of working out, eating clean, support & coaching by two wellness coaches, and a clean and organized home…all before the holiday season begins – sounds like a dream come true!

Registration is currently open for our Prep for the Holidays: Body & Home Edition Virtual Bootcamp.  To apply simply complete the form below.  We can’t wait to get you started on your own personal transformation story!