CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

On November 16, 2017, drunk and living on fast food, I had hit rock bottom. I was going to change my life or continue to die. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. When I wasn’t drinking I was sleeping. In fact, I was sleeping through life. I had gained 100 pounds from partying and self-medicating. I weighed 250 pounds, had no self-esteem, and was completely a mess, inside and out. That was the day I knew that if I didn’t want to continue to suffer and if I wanted a better life, I was going to need to sober up, and start taking care of myself with exercise. For me, the two go hand in hand. I can’t maintain one without the other.

I took pictures that day and decided to force myself to start exercising and going to A.A. daily, NO MATTER WHAT!!

November 17, 2017, is my sobriety date. I joined a kickboxing club and an inexpensive gym and started my fight for serenity. Little by little, things started to get more manageable. In January, I was looking for a new club to continue my workouts/kickboxing classes. I also was looking for somewhere that offered child care (so my friend could join me with her 1-year-old), and somewhere that was open 24/7, with kickboxing group classes. In the Colorado Springs area, only a few gyms fit all the criteria. I took a free pass to Life Time and checked out their boxing class.

I was blown away by what Life Time has to offer! The level one kickboxing class I checked out had more energy and intensity, and I learned more mechanics than the private club I was transitioning from! The staff at Life Time were all super motivating and encouraging, and the other clients of the gym all seemed to have the “Savage Status” I was striving for! I was in Disneyland . . . a magical place swarming with love and the drive for greatness!! I have been to NUMBEROUS gyms before, and never have experienced the vibes and energy that I do at Life Time.

I went through an onboarding process and was paired with the Nutrition Manager, Melissa Caiyem, and with Personal Trainer, Jesse Salazar. Jesse and Melissa suggested I do the 60day that started right when I got my 90-day sobriety chip. I signed up to hold myself accountable to the life changes I was already committed to. As the 60day progressed, so did my results. Life Time literally saved my life and has become the top factor (tied with my sobriety) of my success. All I did was take the encouragement and suggestions given to me. About half of that would be actual fitness and workouts. I am blessed to have learned so many other holistic/realistic practices that I include in my daily life along with the workouts that really have become my self-care regiment, as well as my reward system. I eat better, meditate, use grounding exercises, dry brushing, steaming/saunas, Life Cafe meals, group classes and yoga.  All of which were presented to me as part of my total plan. I also used metabolic testing, nutrition meal planning and the appropriate supplementation of Life Time’s products. Both Melissa and Jesse conferred regularly and tracked my results. They truly acted like a team!

The funny part of all of this is that everything that I’ve been doing hasn’t been difficult at all! I look forward to going to Disneyland every day! I feel the people that work at Life Time and the other clients have become my new family.  I have not felt deprivation/discouragement at all since I’ve joined the gym. Life Time didn’t restrict my life . . . it opened my opportunities beyond my wildest dreams . . . and made it fun and easy to do in the process!!!

I am so grateful for my sobriety, the 60day and Life Time!! Of course, I want to win the 60day for the great prizes- who wouldn’t want to go to Disneyland for free for a year? Yet, this 60day has already made me the winner. I am on step 8 in the A. A. program. I have learned how to love myself, get through hardships, and stay strong mentally and physically when times are tough. My energy and work ethic are better than ever before. For the first time in my life, I finally know I can do anything in my Life Time. I want to share this transformational message with everyone I meet.  I hope my story encourages anyone out there struggling with life on life’s terms, and/or self-esteem. Let this plant the seed for your new life journey. We all can do anything in a Life Time! Why not now?