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I get a lot of questions about how I got involved in Beachbody coaching and I just wanted to give everyone a little insight into how and why I’m a coach today.

In August 2004, I was involved in a car accident that left me with what was termed to be “chronic” back pain.  I still consider myself extremely lucky that things weren’t worse, especially when the guy that hit me was completely knocked out at the scene…

I tried physical therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, rolfing, myofascial massages and corticosteroid injections.  The problem was, all of these things were only maintaining my current, painful condition and not improving or making it better for the long term.  One guy even told me that this was “as good as it will ever be” for me.  I was told that high intensity cardio and exercise was apparently completely out of the question.  I became very frustrated and stopped going to treatments all together.

We had had some Beachbody programs in my house for a while, but I hadn’t really done them too much.  A workout here and there was really all I had accomplished.  Turbo Jam always held my attention for a little longer so one day I decided to give it a shot.  I took matters into my own hands.  I focused a lot on Ab Jam but just the standing portion because I could barely make it through that.  I did the 20 minute workout modified for a long time, and didn’t even realize that I was increasing intensity until one day I wasn’t modifying anymore.  In fact, I was doing the entire Ab Jam, even the portion the floor!

Before Turbo Jam, I had back pain every, single, solitary day.  Some days were worse than others where I would hurt to the point of nausea.  Not a day went by that I didn’t have at least a dull ache in my lower back or a crick in my neck and those days of dull aches were blessings to me.  There were days when I just honestly couldn’t get out of bed or if I did it was mostly just for meals.

BUT NOW my back pain is, dare I say, rare.  Most days are pain free.  Of course I still get pain sometimes, but there is just no way to compare it to what it once was.  The fact that I can do Turbo Fire workouts is something that I didn’t think would ever be possible.  It still seems surreal to me that I’m able to do the things I do today.

When the opportunity was presented to me that I could become a coach for these amazing products, I knew it was something I had to do.  I wanted to share my story and give hope to people who just need someone to believe in them.  I wanted to offer support to those working hard and offer motivation to people who were discouraged.  Most of all, I wanted to pay it forward because of the amazing gift I have been given through exercise.  I’m also becoming a Turbo Kick instructor for the same reasons.  You mean I can actually teach the program that gave me my life back?!?!  Yes please!

I always love hearing stories about how exercise has helped others, so if you’d like to share with me, I’d enjoy listening.  I really, truly know how blessed I am to be able to work as hard as I do.