The battle to defeat your weight begins with the MIND!

*A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise.*   A. A. Milne ~Teddy Bear

* I'll NEVER lose this weight!!*... * how on earth could YOU, over 300 pounds EVER be able to work out and actually lose ENOUGH weight to be happy?*......* how will I ever defeat this " Battle of the Bulge "? Is it even POSSIBLE? Or am I hopeless??!?! *  * I'll be fat and unhappy my whole life!!* ...* I might as well just give up and enjoy this food *.....Have you ever said any of these things to yourself? I said some of these and similar statements to myself before my journey began and I felt help-less......

Thankfully, I no longer feel such desperation as a regular part of my mindset...(Though in honesty, especially when hitting a weight-loss plateau as I have been for at for a little while now, I have felt bits of that trying to come back into my thoughts! ).

The thing about it is... WEIGHT loss ( and for some on the opposite spectrum of Anorexia and Bulimia, weight GAIN...let us NOT forgot our fellow sisters ( and brothers too) who share with us many of the same emotions~different effect outwardly, but same poison inwardly.) this change...is NOT just a physical thing!!  Healthy lifestyle, includes your MIND, BODY AND SOUL!

One of my fellow coaches and I have talked about this a bit... she posted a wonderful post on her blog recently regarding her thoughts after watch Wynonna Judd on Oprah.. ( Please visit http://franceehaydel.blogspot.com/ for her amazing post! ) 

Honestly my loverlies, you should have NO shame, in seeing a counselor/therapist/ whatever you want to label it if it helps you tackle unhealthy mindsets that have been keeping you trapped and immobile! You should instead be PROUD of yourself for confronting whatever demons are lurking in your past! There are many reasons that people gain ( and in the case of the Anorexia and Bulimia, lose in an unhealthy manner) weight... One of the biggest causes of unhealthy Weight in my opinion (in most cases~though not all) is the outward manifestation of a hurting heart, mind and soul. We self medicate with food, which only leads to more depression and low feelings of self worth. It is a vicious cycle that only WE have the power to stop! But the WONDERFUL news... is that we CAN stop that cycle! This year has been proof positive of that in my own life, over 50 pounds lost doesn't lie!

I have FINALLY after 36 years of doing this to myself... gotten to the point that I can more often then not turn to something better for my overall well-being when I am stressed out or sad ! A HUGE triumph for me occurred a few weeks ago when I was TEMPTED to delve into some tasty but detrimental  treat when I was upset...and instead, I did my TurboJam...! Quite honestly... I felt about a million times better simply from that one healthy act. Exercise can feel like renewed life flowing through your veins! ...I'm not sure of all the Scientific terms, but I know it DOES release something good for body AND mind!

Truthfully, would that one treat have messed up all my months of progress? No. Of course not. BUT it could have led to OTHER times where I gave in and THAT would have been un-healthy.

For anyone struggling with this, please don't beat yourself up over it, and DON'T lose heart! You CAN DO this! FIGHT for yourself!! For your family ...for your LIFE and your DREAMS!!!! It takes a long time of un-covering whatever issues of the mind and heart led to an addiction to food... nothing changes over night! Take EVERY victory as a step forward into the new, healthy you....!

I still over-eat at times, and I still struggle...but more times then not, I am considering those dreams that slept dormant inside my soul yet still flickered with a hint of life worth it.  For me, those cherished dreams include someday getting married and having children. Being HEALTHY and comfortable enough with myself for those things and for all the rest of who God made me to be. To make them MORE important that a momentary pleasure of a tasty morsel on my tongue. There are so many aspects of life I long to taste INSTEAD that I never have...and THAT is now my priority! 

What, and who...are YOUR priorities? Make yourself a list if need be, and hang it on the Fridge. Whatever it takes to change your mindset so that your body can follow. Because you ARE worth it. You CAN do this. And eventually, as an added blessing, you will be able to inspire and help others out of that deep, dark chasm of an un-healthy relationship with food.

I am praying for you, and fighting for you all the way . Because I know where you are at. I've lived 95% of my life trapped inside my * flubber suit* ...and I'm still on that Journey! Let's show the world we are worth it, and stop hiding behind those walls of our own making!!!!! I believe in you!!!! Join with me as we defeat these mindsets and habits one step, uppercut, fire-throw and roundhouse ( or whatever works for YOU!) at a time!

in love and hope, 

~Aimee ( the TurboBear ;)  

Aimee the TurboBear is on Fire for TurboFire! :)

*A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise.*   A. A. Milne ~Teddy Bear

  

Chalene Johnson, you are totally a Godsend!!!! :) I have found my soul-mate workouts, and am never looking back! I loved TurboJam...but I am ADDICTED to and adore TURBOFIRE!!!!! WHAT a simply AMAZING workout...Wow. 

She encourages, she motivates...she keeps you in line and makes you laugh....You truly feel as though you are IN class with her. The music is edited and crafted so closely to the particular elements of the workouts that it keeps you going forward, and if you miss a step, can get back in fairly quickly because the music moves WITH the workout..not against it!

I can be sitting at my desk at work the next day, and hear a song from the workout in my head and WANT to get up and do the moves that go along with that part! We were at our Northland Fit Club a few weeks ago, and one of the girls asked about TurboFire... we had just done a workout DVD from P90X and were all zapped, but as soon as we put the TurboFire in, I literally had to FORCE myself to simmer down and not do the whole thing right then and there! ;) I couldn't help tapping my feet and moving to the beats... Even so tired from the P90X, it had that effect on me! 

Such a wonderful job is done to, throughout TurboFire to keep your knees safe, and Alee the modifier is always up on stage...That has been crucial for me, because of my knee and ankles, and even some of limitations from my weight.... The Burpees are too much for my knee right now, but Alee shows you how to still get a similar effect but keeps it safe! I also LOVE the HIIT workouts... and yes, I HAVE seen a spike on my BodyBugg as to calories burned at rest.... even WITH my knee/jumping limitations! There is also a great Core workout, and a few I havn't even gotten to yet, but I have NO DOUBT will be simply amazing!!! The music keeps you feeling like you are at a dance party, even while you are sweating gallons. LOL. I have seen a slimming in my mid-section, which is my biggest area by the way just since starting a few weeks ago... 

The energy is SO enthusiastic, as are all the people in class, but most especially Chalene herself... If one could bottle her energy, drive and enthusiasm it would be worth a gazillion dollars. ;) She definitely is key to her workouts being successful, motivating and fun!

I tried another workout DVD a few months back from a very popular  Trainer....whom I love on TV....let's just say she helps people lose big ;) . LOL. Well anyhow.. I was honestly VERY disappointed in the DVD... why? To start with, the *music* was dry as year old toast. LOL and most importantly, NO Modifier! I gave up on that one after just a few tries...... gave it away actually..and back to my Turbo! If she had added a modifier, perhaps it would still be in my workout rotation... a very small thing, but SO critical! That is one place many workouts, both in gyms, and in your living rooms fail so badly! Sure, you can try to come up with modifications on your own as I did in Kickboxing class a few years ago, but having the trainer create it for you is both safer AND more effective! 

That is also the OTHER reason I love all things Turbo! As to the afore-mentioned Kickboxing class. Did it work? Sure! I was the biggest loser of the group! But $ 400 dollars for TEN weeks...! 

And THEN what?! ? After that class ended... I was terrified! Would I gain back the 25 pounds I kicked my behind to lose? What could I do at home? Could I find a way to AFFORD another round? If I had known about Chalene Johnson's workouts then, I would have had my answer! Sadly, I did not, and proceeded to gain BACK the 25 pounds I worked so hard to lose. It was SO frustrating! 

I have been working out now with TurboJam and now TurboFIRE for more then the past YEAR. NEVER in my life have I been able to be this consistent with a workout! I am over 50 pounds lighter, and went from a size 26/28 to sometimes 20's now... NOTHING has ever been this effective for me!

It has every element I need! :

Flexibility of time. ( I tend to workout late, sometimes even @ Midnight! )!  I'm able to workout in the privacy of my living room, so even my terribly un-coordinated self doesn't feel like a total fool ;), no worries about what I look like AS I workout, my OWN bathroom and shower, and complete freedom! It's also portable! Bring it on vacation as long as you can access a DVD player! No Gym memberships, no parking issues, no trekking out when it gets cold into the snow ( and if you lived in MN like I do..that's a crazy chunk of the year! ;) 

No Gym membership could provide that. Even at $120 for the basic TurboFire set, you get a mountain of DVD's, including Fire, HIIT, Stretch ( and ohhh... the stretch is AWESOME! DON'T skip the Stretch 10  @ the very least..I did 2 times last week and my body was NOT happy! She made the Stretch on each DVD for a reason... TurboFire is intense!  ;)  TONS of great info including a nutrition guide, calendar, measuring tape, band, etc. etc..... What is that, maybe 2 or 3 months worth of gym membership fees? And THIS my loverlies, you have for LIFE. An amazing program! 

Honestly, for the amount you would pay for one YEAR of gym memberships, you could probably buy most of the Beachbody fitness catalog! ;) 

I'm never going back that route, no sir!  ( and no m'am! ;) At home fitness has been a God send for me. I am thinner, have more muscle and am happier about my health  then I've ever been... true, I am only 1/3 rd of the way to my ideal weight, but the point is, I WILL get there! The only thing that could stop me now is myself, and luckily THAT person has had an about-face of her former lazy attitude and is on a roll! Fire-throwing all the way!  ( an awesome ab-crunching move in TurboFire...LOVE it! ;) 

Please check out this AMAZING program at: http://beachbodycoach.com/embersfallen and join with me on this incredible journey into better health and fitness!  :) 

a bit about Aimee, and why I am here! :)

   *A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise.*   A. A. Milne ~Teddy Bear

Hi there!

My name is Aimee Lee Wynn, welcome to my page! So good to have you visit :)
A little about myself and why I am on this journey into better health below :

I am truly not your *typical* fitness junkie....but have become one the past year! :) I am SO excited to share with you how this wonderful, life-changing (and life saving!) change came to be! :)

I have been struggling with weight my entire life...and not just a BIT a weight... a whole extra PERSON of weight! I started out this Journey a bit over a year ago at 337 pounds! Kinda crazy I am sharing that horrid number here on the Internet for all to see, but I feel it is important for those visiting my blog here to know it. Thanks to finding my *soul-mate workouts* I am now down over FIFTY pounds, and have truly become ADDICTED to fitness! When I miss a day due to illness etc., I MISS the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual boost that it gives me! My day no longer feels complete without a great workout! I CRAVE that, instead of filling my mouth with foods that were only keeping me feeling trapped, depressed, and unable to see any possibility of the future I want for myself!

For anyone who grew up knowing me, they would tell you, that is a complete about face from the *old Aimee*. :) ! The current Aimee, and the woman I desire to be in the future is so happy the *old Aimee* finally got up off that coach, stopped making excuses to herself and got to work! Physical activity has never been easy for me. I have had a chronic sprained ankle since I was about 13 (I am 36 as of this writing), a knee that had a meniscus tear and has had surgery, and still has an ACL injury. On top of that, I injured my *good* ankle with a hairline fracture a few years ago with a klutzy trip down the stairs. * sigh*. ;) Both ankles are always wrapped up during exercise and modifications are often done due my ankles/knee and size. ( Beachbody is WONDERFUL with having a modifier present in their workouts! Such a crucial thing!)

Even WITH those limitations... this lifestyle change has become a permanent fixture of my life!!! My hope in becoming a fitness and wellness coach via Beachbody is to encourage everyone, but most especially those of you out there with weight and/or limitations that you might have felt would prevent you from pursuing health that you CAN do this! I am living proof!!!

I am SO very excited to be part of the simply AMAZING Team SOS. ( please see our Team blog @ http://fitcoachnetwork.blogspot.com/ )  .my fellow coaches and I are all here because we desire to see you succeed and find something you come to LOVE doing everyday that will help enrich and change your lives for the good! WE have found that elusive element that has helped us each personally, thus why we became coaches. Feel free to ask any of us about our individual journeys!

One final thought I would like to share: Fitness is not just about your body! It is a mental, emotional, and spiritually transforming act as well. It is combining all those elements of who you are, and fighting for the person you may have had hiding inside to bring that person to the surface. You all can do this!! Let's Fall In2 Fitness together and see how amazing we feel as time goes by!

A few little tidbits about my non-fitness related interests if you may be curious! :) I ADORE animals, my best friend/roomie and I have a few cats, and her beautiful golden retriever mix Rylee. I am ADDICTED to music, especially ethereal, intense sounds in the minor key ;) . I am a musician myself, trained to sing operatically, and also play a bit of guitar. I am in love with the art of photography, write poetry and am an artist as well. I may occasionally post related to those here as well. :)  The greatest blessings in my life, are my Lord Jesus, my friends and family, and being able to lift others up in prayer and encouragement. ( and on that note if that is something you ever would like, I am always willing to lift you up in prayer! Just feel free to jot me a note!:) .

Bless you each on your individual journeys, and SO good to have you here!!!! :)

You can also check out my Independant Team BeachBody Coach page @ http://beachbodycoach.com/embersfallen ! :)