Bo Changed My Life
Not sure how to start but here it goes….
Here I am, a 40+ successful business woman. A woman who after years of marriage and raising two boys, well, I?ll say I?ve put on more pounds than any of us ever care to admit. And like most women my age I?ve tried it all?. The fad diets, the quick fixes, the juices, the so many days of this and so many days of that, and even the magic celebrity pill. Finally, my weight reached a point that my Dr. wanted to start testing my thyroid, hormones, and whatever else to try and explain why I had gained so much. Once all of that came back normal I was advised to see a ?health coach?! Do you know what he told me??? ?Ma?am, you?re stressed. And unless you find a way to reduce your stress you will continue gain weight? REALLY?? I?m STRESSED?! Nooo. I have a full-time job, I have one son in college, the other getting ready to get his driver?s license, a husband, and home to take care of. Needless to say the health coach was of little help.
I was talking to my friend and she told me that I should reach out to Bo and see what he could do to help me. I was like “OK, but I don’t really see the point. Aren?t all health coaches the same??”
I contacted Bo and we talked about general things? what I did for work, kids, fun, activity level, diet etc… He honestly seemed interested in ME. He told me I can get the weight off, I just have to be willing to work on WHY I put the weight on in the first place, otherwise it will never stay off. He told me that he works on the total person. Physical, Mental and Emotional. He also told me it would not be a quick fix. That he believes in taking it slow so it becomes part of my lifestyle and not a DIET. He told me it would be work and that I would get frustrated, but if I worked with him, together we would figure it out. This is what sold me on Bo. He was not selling a quick fix, overnight success, or empty promises. As a matter of fact he wasn?t selling me anything. He was truly honest and sincere of what it was going to take and that he would help if I REALLY wanted it.
One of the first questions he asked me was “What is the worst thing that will happen if I take 30 – 60 minutes for myself a day?” “Will someone die? Will someone starve? Will the world come to an end?” When it is put to you that blunt, you realize that you can find that 30 -60 minutes. I had been lying to myself.
After a very detailed and honest conversation about my lifestyle, eating habits, activity level, and work schedule (to name a few), Bo let me know it would take a good day for him to create an all-around plan JUST FOR ME.
To say that Bo has changed my life is no understatement. He will tell you that I changed my life, as I am the one who did the work and he just provided the tools. He is very humble in the role he played in inspiring me to want to achieve my goals and become the person I want to be inside and out.
Understand, I was no typical case, I was only taking in between 800-1000 calories per day and GAINING weight. So the eat less move more that is a typical response was not going to work. I kid you not, I thought I was going to have an anxiety attack when he told me I needed to up my calorie intake. (SERIOUSLY?!? I was like you have to be kidding. I am gaining weight with as little as I eat now!) That is when he told me I hired him for a reason and I needed to trust him.
So reluctantly I increased my calories and started to add 35 minutes of cardio to my day. Boy was I surprised when I had more energy and started to feel better. Since I would weigh 2-3-4-5-6 times a day (don?t judge me) I had to remind myself constantly that this would not be an overnight fix. We all want results the MINUTE we make a change and we are often disappointed when we don’t see it INSTANTLY. Bo informed me that stepping on the scale was not the only way to see my success; that I am more than just a number on the scale. He told me I needed to take pictures and measurements. I really panicked then. I HATE pictures of myself. And who wants to take measurements?!?! Again with the trust factor?.he told me I would not thank him right away (duh), but to give it a couple weeks maybe even months down the road and I?d thank him for having me do it because of the difference I?d be able to see.
He sends out questions for me to think about and reflect on so I know what my true goal is, why I really want it, and why I’m willing to work for it. Talk about taking a good look at yourself! I am not one to open up to too many people yet somehow he has made it effortless. It didn?t take long for me to see and feel that he was honest about wanting to work on me as a whole and not just the exterior that others saw or what I saw in a mirror. We have weekly conversations about me, life, work, and kids. Not just exercise and food. He has prepared me for road blocks that I would encounter before they happen. So I would laugh a little to myself when the situation came up?. like how did he know? But I’m glad he did because I was prepared for how to respond.
14 weeks I have been working Bo. I am not only 23 pounds down in 14 weeks but I have lost 4″ off my waist, 5″ off my hips and have gained physical and (more importantly) mental strength. To my surprise I can look in the mirror now and give myself a compliment instead of putting myself down. I can stop myself before I self-sabotage which is something I would do in the past. Bo told me the other day, you just seem so much happier from the first time I talked to you. I just laughed and told him how great it was to actually be truly happy and not just putting on the fake happy that people have seen for so long.
I am not to my goal yet, but for the first time I know that I WILL reach my goal.
Bo can continue to say that he has not changed my life and I will continue to tell him he is too humble. Without his inspiration, support, and belief in me I know I would not have gained the self-worth that I now have. Before I had so much difficulty seeing, believing, and feeling that I was deserving. I now know and truly believe that I am important. I have worth.
I can?t thank Bo enough for being the truly inspiring person he is. I know that he truly cares about the well-being of others.
Because of how vested he was in me, he will forever be a lifelong friend.