That title has turned into my personal mantra thanks to a book about Audrey Hepburn that I picked up on my trip to our National Coaching Summit in 2017. The title has truly inspired me to just be me! That's what the world needs! So, I am excited to share with you who I am and how I came to be ME! Just Audrey!

 

My love for sports and competition started at a very young age. As a little 8 year old, I pulled out the yellow pages and called around places until I found the right number for a soccer team in my area. I am sure the adult on the other line was rather surprised to hear a little pip-squeak calling to find out where she would go to get on a soccer team! 

 

It is hilarious to look back on that experience that really served as an inflection point in my life as it sparked my passion for soccer, love for fitness, and my official independence to get things done. Through youth days and college I was able to eat anything and everything and never saw an ounce of weight gained because of vigorous sports training. Actually, while playing collegiate soccer, we were taken to fast food restaurants and buffets and was told to eat as much as we could. Probably not the best life advice or training but still didn't really make a difference with my self image and fitness because training was so intense, we burned it all off...DAILY!

 

By the age of 22 I was graduated and married. I played one year of semi-pro soccer after getting married, so I was still hitting it hard with fitness and conditioning. It wasn't until my first baby that all my priorities, body image, and self esteem were totally thrown out the window and disappeared into the abyss. Babies totally rock your world, all day and all night! It is so hard to find time for your sanity, let-alone a workout plan! I got back into soccer but I got into a slump of feeling ok about having my one game per week an ok amount to workout because there just wasn't time between work and caring for my baby and husband. As time went on, I was NOT HAPPY with myself or what was happening and struggled with looking at myself in the mirror and not being in good shape.

 

Fast forward a couple years and a full other baby later, I was totally plateaud with my results. I was a previous personal trainer but as far as what I could accomplish for myself while I was at home with my kids and just a couple sets of dumbbells, I was STUMPED. On top of the post-baby emotions and body image changes again (my kids are only 19 months apart!), my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer. We did everything we could to help and reach out and long story short, my in-laws moved in with us and within 2 weeks she passed away. In hind sight I can clearly see how much comfort food was consumed during the rest of that entire year as I picked up slack of feeding and caring for 2 teenage brother-in-laws as well as a grieving father-in-law on top of my family of 4. It was a rough time and we took it day by day, it's actually still aches my heart to share that much about 2013. 

 

I finally was so sick of how I looked and felt, I reached out to a friend who was posting crazy amounts of fitness and coaching things. I didn't know what she was doing but I did a free fitness group of hers and really felt the effectiveness of a new style of plyos and weight exercises that I could rock at home! She had pulled moves from the 21 Day Fix and T25. It was about a month later I responded to one of her "Behind the Scenes of Coaching" posts and considered the possibility of me coaching. After a couple days of consideration, I went for it! I signed up as a coach with the 21 Day Fix and Shakeology and put the products to the test. I joined a challenge group with my coach and fell in love with the program, Shakeology, and the actual challenge group environment —– FINALLY I knew that this is what I needed to help me stay accountable and on top of nutrition and health! After 2 weeks of a full serving of Shakeo for my husband and me, we were hooked. Our health and fitness journey had begun. In 21 days of Autumn's amazing program+ Shakeology, my husband lost 6 pounds and I lost 5. The 30 minutes of exercise locked into the morning routine was the most consistent we had both been in years. We killed it! And here we are, months and months later, still consistent with at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, 6-7 days a week! 

 

I wanted to become a coach for the accountability and Shakeology discounts along with a missing X-Factor in my life. I quit working after my second baby was about 6 months old and my in-laws had moved in. I really needed contact with adults outside of toddler world and knew there was something out there for me but didn't know what it was. I didn't want to have to leave my kids but couldn't find any type of work that was fitting for my personal goals along with helping others and providing me with that fulfillment I was looking for. However, after giving coaching a "go" I was in my first month and was able to help a challenger lose over 10 pounds with the 21 Day Fix and I realized this was it! I was hooked! If I could just get my Shakeo paid for each month by helping 3 people, I would be set. I learned quick that starting your own business is not easy and takes consistency. Doubts are a normal part of the process at the beginning and I really had to start believing in myself that something like this REALLY COULD WORK FOR ME! I get to focus on my health, working out from HOME, set a great example for my children and create a healthy lifestyle for my whole family. I am constantly growing and becoming a better version of ME and then on top of all that goodness for me and my family, I get to inspire others to reach their health & fitness goals and enrich their lives financially as well when they join my team. Can someone pinch me, please?! Sounds too good to be true but IT IS! Beachbody has been such a blessing in my life and I am thankful every single day that I get to stay home with my babies, doing something that I’m so passionate about —- fitness & nutrition —- to help provide for my family.