All of the success story submissions we receive are touching and inspirational, but every once in a while one comes along that resonates in a special way. We’re in this business to help people achieve their goals and enjoy healthy, fulfilling lives. It’s not always about losing the most weight or getting ripped. Sometimes, pushing play is as important for your mental health and those around you, as it is for your physical appearance.
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Melynn Fanning has always had a full and happy life. She’s been married for 13 years to a wonderful man in the military, and the couple has a 7-year-old little boy together. Life was good. Then in January 2010, Melynn’s husband – a member of one of the most elite groups in the United States Air Force – was in an accident that left him as a C4 quadriplegic. He has no ability to move from the shoulders down.
Melynn stepped up by forgoing her career in North Carolina as a manager of medical offices and started caring for her husband 24/7. She moved the family to Texas to be closer to relatives and start a new journey. With all of the extra responsibility and difficult task of raising a young-boy and being the primary care-giver for her husband, she put herself last. Before she knew it, she had gained close to 20 pounds and was feeling stressed and overwhelmed. For 2 1/2 years Melynn and her family traveled around, living out of suitcases and hotels trying to find the best therapy for her husband.
The travel and the stress of being “on” all the time was taking its toll. Melynn knew she had to do something about her health. She started working out with a personal trainer twice a week for 30 minutes. Then she started working out at home on her own. She was getting somewhere, but soon found her workouts to be boring and repetitive.
It wasn’t until she was in Atlanta for three weeks going through intense therapy with her husband, that Melynn decided to really COMMIT. She saw her Beachbody Coach posting on Facebook about the benefits of getting healthy and fit with TurboFire and Shakeology and knew it was something for her.
Melynn has since completed multiple rounds of TurboFire and joined on as a Beachbody Coach, sharing her story with others and inspiring them to get past the hurdles in their life and take time for their health. She found Team Beachbody was the perfect fit, not only because of the fitness programs, but the nutrition (Shakeology) and the support from the Team Beachbody community.
“Since I have started with Beachbody, I have so much more confidence in myself, inside and out. I’ve had the opportunity to meet some of the most positive and amazing people. I’ve lost weight, inches, and I can now say that my muscles are more toned than ever! I have confidence in myself to push and do more for me and that benefits my family. I am proud of the fact that I am a part of a business who is helping others, and is helping me get my ‘me’ back with positive energy and personal development.”
Melynn made no excuses for her circumstances or her situation. It’s always easier to think of reasons not to work out, not to make health a priority, and not focus on the importance of doing things for YOU. But, the easy way wouldn’t have helped her lose 20 pounds, increased her confidence, and made her an even better caregiver for her husband. She’s truly got a fire inside her (some might say it’s a TurboFire) that keeps her strong and driven when many others would have given up and accepted the role of victim.
Congrats Melynn on an incredible journey… one that’s just beginning! You’re an inspiration and an example of strength – body, mind, and spirit!
Want more inspiration? Check out our Success Stories blog here – http://beachbodysuccessstories.com
