So this is me. Real. Raw. And on a journey...

So here's the sitch. My name is Alison VanArsdalen, and I am a middle school Social Studies teacher by trade. I love the kids, I love my job, and I love the teachers I work with. I'll be turning 31 this May, and I just got married last June. It took me a while to figure things out, but I finally found the love of my life in my husband, David. We live outside of Charleston, SC and we have an orange and white cat named Sadie. She is our one and only child. :)

I'll be honest with you. I'm a woman, which means I'm no stranger to vanity. Like many of us out there, I've experienced my share of inner turmoil when meeting with my early morning bathroom reflection. I've also had my share of ups and downs, which includes my weight. In fact, Yo-Yo Dieting is an old fair-weather friend of mine; we met in my mid 20's. I can finally say that as of last year, we've agreed not to see each other any more.

About a year ago, I was at a very different point in my life than I am today. I was in the throws of preparing for a wedding, MY wedding, and everything had to be perfect. To be fair, I'm super happy with how everything turned out. What I wasn't happy about, however, was what happened 7 months later. After my wedding, I gained back all of the prior weight I lost (with the help of my "friend", Yo-Yo Diet) to get ready for those part-of-your-life-forever wedding photos. I became extremely depressed about my body. Come January, I couldn't fit into any of my jeans. Or dresses. Or skirts. Or.... well, you get the idea. I knew I had to do something but going to the gym everyday just wasn't practical for me. Plus, I had been there and done that with minimal results. I needed a fitness regimen I could easily slip in before or after work... something that would fit into my busy lifestyle. 

So, I did what any normal person would do and I started googling. I had heard a lot about Beachbody's Focus T-25 program on TV, so I searched every imaginable site for reviews... I wanted to know the good, the bad, and the ugly. The transformation photos I came across really inspired me. 

After much internal debate, I decided to take the plunge. As instructed by the program, I reluctantly took my before photos at my all time highest weight of 141 pounds (on my 5'3" frame). I had never weighed this much in my ENTIRE life. They were selfies, and I showed NO ONE, not even my husband. I was too embarrassed about how I looked. Those puppies didn't see the light of day for the entire 10 weeks. Meanwhile, I took an updated photo after 5 weeks, and another after the completion of 10. It was what I saw when I compared them that opened me up to finally sharing my results. 

Although I am STILL really self-conscious, I think the message that these photos sends totally overpowers my cowardice:

This shit works.

I'm not going to claim I have all the answers, nor am I perfect. Despite all I've learned, I still slip up from time to time... but now, when I stumble, I finally feel like I have the tools to get my behind back in the game. If you're looking for motivation, accountability, and honest support, you've come to the right place. Heck, I'll even share some tips and tricks I've picked up along the way. The point is, no matter where on the continuum of fitness you are, going it solo makes the road to success long, hard, and really boring. If anything, I can help keep you honest and the journey a lot more interesting.

If you are interested in getting fit, more healthy, and getting HAPPY you can email me at alison.e.kenny@gmail.com .  You can also visit my page at www.teambeachbody.com/AlisonVanA .

So that's my story. I'd love to hear from you in any capacity. For all you do for others, choose YOU for once. And at the risk of sounding like a L'Oreal commercial, because you're worth it.