Growing up, I was always on the thin side. Between ballet, gymnastics and running around with my friends, my metabolism was constantly going. My Mom cooked just about every night, so fast food and junk food were a luxury. During my Elementary School years, I brought my lunch. Entrance into Junior High and High School brought the cafeteria and high calorie and high fat foods into my diet. My regular Physical Education classes and gymnastics practices aided me in keeping the weight down. About that time, various Workout programs hit the airwaves. So during Summer

My Senior year of High School, brought my first job at a local fast-food restaurant. They altotted a free meal during our shift, this did not deter my efforts to keep my weight in check. Since I did not have a car, I would either walk or ride my bike to work, so I was able to continue to get some form of exercise in.

During my Senior year, I received notification that I was accepted to College. The following August, I entered College and the weight came on. There was no regular physical activity that the non-athletes could participate in. I would sometimes walk around campus, but since I had no walking partner, it became quite boring, quite fast. Since I had to work my way through school while carrying a full-load, I barely had enough time to sleep, yet alone think about exercise. My summers were filled with working 2 jobs, so exercise was definitely out of the question then also. Needless to say, by the time of graduation, I had put on approximately 55 pounds.

After I graduated and entered the work force, I wanted to lose the weight, but had no motivation to do so. I would see the various infomercials and read the latest magazines, but I could not find anything to motivate me to get back into shape. As much as I love to dance, even doing a tape from a show I did with a Jazz Dance Company in High School failed to motivate me. Over the next 6 years, I would be on the weight roller coaster, I would lose and gain the same weight. I managed to add an additional 61 pounds to the weight that I had gained during College.

In August of 1998, I saw the infomercial that would change my life forever and for the better. I was flipping channels and saw this infomercial for a new series of Workout tapes called Tae-Bo by a World Martial Arts Champion named Billy Blanks. I watched as the people interviewed talked about how this Workout helped them to shed those excess pounds and get into the best shape of their lives. The infomercial showed bits and pieces from the actual Tae-Bo classes and it looked like a lot of fun and something that I could do. My past mistakes kept me from ordering at first, although there was a money back guarantee. At that time, the thought of standing in line at the Post Office to return something was heavier than my desire to really want to try this. I was tired of ordering this tape and that gadget and if I was lucky, do it 3 times before I either got bored or didn't want to do it any longer. I didn't want to spend money on tapes that I might not actually do. Other tapes and gadgets looked like fun too, but I didn't stick to them.

Every time I saw the infomercial, I would sit there glued to the television watching away. I watched the testimonies and see how their lives were transformed. I always wrote down the information, in case I did decide to order. Finally on February 12th, 1999, I decided to go for it and sent in my $70 for the original 4-tape set. I received the tapes on March 3rd, 1999. When I pulled it out of the mailbox and saw Tae-Bo on the return address, I was so excited. I wanted to do the tapes right away, but I went off to Bible Study first. When I returned home that night, I changed into my Workout clothes and did the Instructional. The next morning, March 4th, 1999, I got up at 5 AM and did the Basic tape and I have been "Practicing Tae-Bo" ever since.

During the first month, I was continuing to workout 3-4 times a week, but my eating habits were the same as before. I wanted Tae-Bo to do all that it could do to bring on those changes. So on April 1st, 1999, I added Weight Watchers to my regimen. This has allowed me to grab a hold of my bad eating habits and gain control for the first time in a long time.

I have lost a total of 69 pounds and over 45 inches. I have also gone from a size 22 to a size 10. When I first began Tae-Bo, my goal was to lose 116 pounds in order to get back into a size 10. I have lost a little more than half of my original goal weight and am in the size that I wanted to be in. Tae-Bo has truly changed my life, body, mind and inner spirit and I'm not stopping anytime soon.

In the beginning, I was doing the Original Basic tape 3-4 times a week. I gradually worked the Original Advanced into my workout. I am now incorporating the Original tapes and the New Live! Series into my workout 6 times a week (Basic 3 times and Advanced 3 times).

I have truly turned my focus from the "Outside In" to the "Inside Out". I've learned that what you need has to come from within. It's that Spirit that's inside all of us, to motivate us to put that tape in the VCR, push "Play" and do the workout. Before beginning Tae-Bo, I let the mirror, magazine covers and television stories tell me what I was and what my worth was. I'm now able to let my Spirit tell me what I am and what I'm worth. It tells me that I'm more than a dress size or a number on a scale. I had to get beyond what I wanted to weigh and what size dress I wanted to fit in. I had to get to a point where no matter what the scale said or the tag on the dress said, I was happy with who I was. Once I was able to get to this point, everything fell into place. I no longer was confined by a goal to lose all this weight by a certain date or being moved by what the scale said. I was able to say "No matter how long it takes or what the outcome is, I'll stick with Tae-Bo and allow it to do it's thing".

I have become totally addicted to Tae-Bo and will continue practicing it for the rest of my life. I have finally found the answer I've been looking for all these years. My only disappointment, is that I didn't order the tapes sooner.

I hope to be an inspiration to others that are in the shoes I was in at one time. Those who have tried everything in the past, only to fail. To let them know that it will and can be done. They have to give Tae-Bo a chance and it will work for them. All they need is: their will, discipline and Tae-Bo.

-- Sandie