Get inspired by these Daily Burn success stories, which showcase real people who committed to fitness and saw results that were way beyond average.
Growing up, Victoria Williams dreaded working out, whether it was gym class or running with the track team. Her lack of self-confidence also made it difficult for her to have a social life in high school. “When I was young, I hated gym class and team sports. I was never good enough to be picked for teams I tried out for,” she says.
Inevitably, her low self-esteem created a Domino effect in her life. During her senior year of high school, Williams wasn't required to take gym class, so she would drive to fast food joints against her parents' wishes. By the time Williams graduated high school, her 5'4" frame was tipping the scale at 173 pounds.
For four years after high school, Williams struggled with losing weight and did Zumba workouts at home or walked outside, since she didn’t like going to the gym. But her workout routine never stuck, and she continued to reach for soda, burgers and fries.
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A Rude Awakening
Then, one day at her cashiering job, a woman approached Williams and asked her when her baby was due. The problem was Williams wasn’t pregnant. “I had never been asked this question in my life and I thought I heard her wrong,” Williams says. “But when I asked her to repeat her question, I realized I had heard her correctly.” Williams felt embarrassed and upset. She knew she needed to make a change — stat.
“I just wanted to feel better,” Williams says. “I finally decided that I didn’t feel as good when I was sedentary and ate poorly.”
That’s when she discovered Daily Burn and signed up for the program in January 2016. “I stopped Daily Burn for a little bit after starting a new job, but then I re-committed to it in July 2016. It was then that I stuck to a regular exercise routine and did the workouts every day — no rest days in between.”
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Opening Up to Different Fitness Possibilities
“I hated working out because I thought I wasn’t good at it."
Williams started her Daily Burn journey with True Beginner and then expanded her workout routine to include Barre Harmony, Undefeated kickboxing, Daily Burn 365 and DB10 (for short but efficient 10-minute workouts). “I used to hate yoga and kickboxing, but Barre Harmony really opened me up to doing exercises similar to yoga. The variety of workouts keeps me coming back because I can never ever get bored,” she says.
Today, she finds motivation and support from the Daily Burn 365, a daily live 30-minute workout, community and enjoys talking to the trainers and other members. “I love the fact that I can actually communicate with the trainers through Facebook and thank them when they work me so hard my ponytail comes undone!” Williams laughs.
RELATED: How Daily Burn 365 Got Me Through a Weight Loss Plateau
Overcoming Insecurities
The weekly topics on Daily Burn 365 have also helped Williams get past her insecurities and build self-confidence. “I hated working out because I thought I wasn’t good at it and because I wasn’t perfect. I had no patience and didn’t want to invest that time in learning. But I learned to be OK with failing and having imperfections,” she says.
Williams says the cardio-focused Undefeated kickboxing workouts have also made her mentally tougher, which she carries through to her day-to-day life. “It’s like therapy realizing that I’m not the only one who has struggles. [The program] has taught me to do the work and be patient. I had to give myself a chance and not just give up right away,” Williams adds.
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Improving Eating Habits
It was also time to address her food choices. Williams knew all too well that continuing to eat fast food would just put her back in the endless cycle of yo-yo dieting. So she cleaned up her eating habits and learned how to cook nutritious dishes at home with her husband.
“I used to be addicted to energy drinks and diet soda and never cooked at home. I also rarely ate vegetables,” she recalls. “But now I eat more wholesome foods.” While meal prepping will never be her thing, Williams says she has simplified her meals to make them convenient and easy to prepare. As someone who has tried Weight Watchers, she didn’t want to go back to counting, whether it was calories or carbs. “For the first time, I was about making sustainable eating choices that could realistically last the rest of my life. I don’t want to think too hard about the food I’m eating or worry about calorie intake,” Williams says.
When it comes to indulging, she admits she still loves ice cream. (Everything in moderation, right?) “Halo Top ice cream is my favorite. You can enjoy a whole pint for very little calories and sugar,” she says. The important thing for her was learning how to choose healthier options with fewer processed ingredients.
A New Year, A New Woman
After just a little over a year of working out regularly and eating well, Williams lost 28 pounds. But shedding the weight came second to shedding her old hang-ups and learning to love fitness. She says she is miles — years — from the teenager who would skip gym class to hit up a drive-thru.
“Over the last year, I found so many more reasons to continue on this healthy path,” Williams says. And they have nothing to do with that initial impolite comment or negative self-talk. It comes from a place of positivity. “The community, love, support and real people of Daily Burn have all inspired growth in me. There’s nothing I can’t do.”
To learn more about Daily Burn 365, or to start your free trial today, head to DailyBurn.com/365.
Note to reader: The content in this article relates to the core service offered by Daily Burn. In the interest of editorial disclosure and integrity, the reader should know that this site is owned and operated by Daily Burn. Always talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise or weight loss program. Daily Burn users who worked out for 30 minutes or more at least five times a week for 60 to 90 days reported an average weight loss of about one pound per week. For those seeking to lose weight, keep in mind that extreme weight loss can be harmful to your health if done improperly or too suddenly. Always talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise or weight loss program.
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