Finally landed in LA, exhausted. Then I faced the frustration of getting into our country. I have flown into many airports from overseas over the last ten years and this was the worst. There were just too many people arriving at once. And very long lines for everything. Plus my bag was one of the last to arrive. I landed at 1330 and finally walked out of customs at 1445. I'm sure the driver that Team BeachBody sent for me was quite annoyed standing there with his 'Ms. Mont' sign for over an hour.
It was a fairly quick drive to Santa Monica. I could see the Hollywood sign in the far distance as we cruised along the 405. Last time I was in California, I was a baby Veterinary Corps Captain in the Army. My how my life has changed in the last eight years. All for the better!! We are staying at the Double Tree by Hilton in Santa Monica. It is just a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean. At 1600, I met the group to receive our spending money for meals. They gave me $200 and we are only here for two nights! It was great to see my friend and Coach, Wade. We've known each other for 20 years. So interesting how people come into your life for one reason (cute high school football player to date when I was 15), but end up becoming important in your life for another (supportive BeachBody fitness coach). I also met the other winners and some of their coaches. It is a very interesting and diverse group of people.
That first evening, several of us walked down to a nearby mall area for dinner. Discovered a great healthy restaurant, True Foods Kitchen. Yummy! Then back to the hotel so that I could crash before our big day with Tony Horton.
I was up early Monday morning. Excited and a bit jet lagged, but feeling good. Our bus to Team BeachBody HQ was about 40 minutes late. That was a sign for how well the schedule would be followed today. Everyone was so excited when we arrived at the HQ. It was just an office building, but everyone in the group has been greatly touched by this company. We were total tourists, taking photos of the logos and people working there.
They showed us to the playroom and put out some directors chairs for us to relax in. Then the hair and make-up people started taking us back to check us out and make sure we looked good for the cameras that would be filming our workout with Tony. We were all told to bring certain types of clothing items. For the workout, we weren’t supposed to wear logos. Solid colors were encouraged. They mentioned that bright colors were good. So I brought my hot pink work out top along with some black shorts and black yoga pants. They liked the top and had me put on the pants. I thought I was good to go. Meanwhile several others had to change clothes multiple times to get the ‘right’ look. While I was getting my hair touched up (it was a ponytail!) and a bit of make-up, Tony showed up. I missed him coming in and meeting everyone for the first time. Ugh!
Then we moved into the workout area. Awesome open space with everything you need to get your sweat on. Employees of the company are allowed to use this space for their own workouts. Of course, that is highly encouraged in this company. Major perk of working there! Once we got into the workout area, the director started placing us. Then they realized they didn’t like some of the color schemes that were going on with us. My shirt was deemed too bright so off I went to wardrobe. I ended up in a turquoise top that showed up my arms. And of course, while I was gone, I missed a group photo. Ugh, again!!
Tony came in and out a couple times. He had his own hair and makeup that needed to be done. We were told that we were going to do about a 60 minute work-out that would be composed of mostly Ten Minute Trainer moves. The basic premise of this program is that you do ten moves in ten minutes. There are a variety of workouts targeting different areas; lower body, abs, yoga, cardio, etc. So we finally get started and it is so exhilarating. Tony warmed us up and then we started doing some different exercises. He was all over the place, motivating each of us. Telling us when we were doing awesome and giving us tips to improve.
We did about ten minutes and then the director yelled ‘cut’. A couple people had some sweat marks on their shirts so wardrobe came in and literally took their shirts to either dry them or wet them completely. Too funny! Then Tony came up with a specific routine that we were going to do for the cameras. We practiced the moves and then did a full ten minutes of that workout. Then another break and two more takes. It was so much fun! A great workout, but I think I could have done that off and on all day with him. The highlight for me exercise-wise was during a move called ‘Chuck-ups’. The idea behind this is that you do push-ups in three different forms consecutively; regular, wide-arm, and diamond/close-hand. I do these quite a bit to prepare for my Army Physical Fitness Test, but usually when it is time for the close-hand, I drop to my knees. Well on this day, I decided to try and do them from my feet. And I did!!! Not only that, I did them with Tony Horton right beside me telling the cameras that I came all the way from Germany. Hooah!!
He did that with everyone at some point during the routines. There were some people that lost major weight, 72 pounds, for example. Tony made sure to point out their accomplishments. He also talked to us off and on during the breaks. He gave us fitness pointers. He told us that if he ever met any of us again, he better not see those extra pounds back on our bodies….or else! He told a couple corny jokes, but was just so friendly. The only downer was that because we were behind schedule, things were rushed at the end. We all wanted our photo opportunities and time with our hero. That was much shorter that we all wanted. It is easy to forget that the camera crew was actually working and they have rules about breaks for lunch, etc. I’m used to the Army where you just work until the job is done, no questions asked.
After we wrapped filming the workouts, it was time for lunch. We were all quite hungry. It was a rushed lunch because we all had to get showered and off to wardrobe, hair, and make-up so that we could be interviewed and photographed. Again, they told us to bring a few different outfits. Packing for this trip was tough for me. I wear a uniform every day to work. I also don’t have a robust wardrobe selection that fits. Not complaining about that! I got showered and dressed. My interview was later so I lucked out and got to take a mini-tour of the BeachBody HQ. We were able to meet some of the people that are behind the marketing of the company. We even got to see a couple things that were hot off the presses; the packaging for the upcoming P90X2, for example.
This is one of the few companies hiring lots of people right now. Their staff has doubled over the last year or so. Plus through their Independent Team BeachBody Coaching program, they are hiring hundreds of new employees daily. Some people view this type of thing as a pyramid scheme, but it really isn’t. I was skeptical myself, but the more I read into it, the more I realized that being a part of this company is something that helps me stay healthy and even better, help others achieve their own goals. If I weren’t in the military, I think I would seriously commit more time to building a business with them. Heck, in ten years, when I retire from the military, I might still do so. For now, I am happy to be a product of the product and help steer others to the phenomenal fitness and nutrition products that the company produces. I would also enjoy helping others learn more about the Coaching opportunity. It really can become a nice full or part-time career.
I was called away from the tour to head to hair and makeup. I was wearing some khaki slacks and a violet button-down top. Again, I thought I was going to win the wardrobe battle because the stylist liked what she saw initially. Then she said my shirt was too loose and started looking through her racks for something more tailored. Unfortunately I did not take photos of this fiasco!!! Sure wish I had. I tried on at least four different tops. They finally liked this pink, sleeveless top. However, the top of my pants created a bulge just below my waistline so now they wanted to find different pants. I told them I had a pair of blue jeans that might work so they let me put those on. They worked, however once I got into the interview area, they pinned the shirt to my pants to minimize the natural creases. This was quite frustrating for me. I am not comfortable with public speaking. I always feel tongue-tied and self-conscious. They told me to act naturally and move my hands and arms as I would normally. When I did that, they would then tell me to pull down on my shirt or the stylist would come over and pin it down further. I guess they don’t like wrinkles on camera.
The only preparation we had for the interview was a list of possible questions. The actual questions were similar. All the answers were just straight from the hip. I wish I could do it over again because I don’t think I conveyed what I wanted to. I felt like my answers weren’t what they were looking for or that I didn’t say them with the right emphasis. I’m definitely not an actress.
There were twelve contest winners. We were all interviewed and in the end, bits and pieces of the workout with Tony, our interviews, and still photos will be used for an upcoming Ten Minute Trainer infomercial. They told us that producing something like that typically takes at least six months. They said we would get a copy of it, but it will be quite a while.
I was the last person to be interviewed. By this time it was already about 6:00 pm. Our schedule said we would be finished around 5:00 to be able to enjoy an evening in California. I still had still photos to take and there were about 3 or 4 people in front of me. The still photos were taken in workout wear; back to wardrobe I went. This time I ended up showing my abs. I really don’t think they are that great yet, but the crew said I looked great. This day was definitely a lesson in just how overly critical we are of our own bodies. It was such a confidence boost to have total strangers telling you how great you look. Yes, they are paid to do so, but nice nonetheless. So I ended up in a sports-bra and yoga pants. They took several photos from different angles. I learned a new trick to make your abs look tighter than they actually are. Inhale deeply and then as you exhale, chuckle and smile. That makes you suck in your gut, but it looks natural, or so they say. I’ll believe them when I see the photos. The last picture they took of me was with my old blue jeans, a size 12. I’m wearing a size 6 as I type this. Did I really just type that….size 6….still can’t believe it.
There were only a handful of us left on the last shuttle back to the airport. Those that finished earlier were taken back before us. We were all super-hungry so we quickly changed and then walked down to the Santa Monica Pier. We ended up at one of my favorite restaurants, Bubba Gump’s. Great food and great company! The people I met during my short trip were so awesome. The youngest was an 18 year-old college student and I think the oldest winner was close to 50. We all shared a common bond, conquering the battle of the bulge. I wondered what it was about each of our stories that set us apart as the 12 winners. I never really got an answer to that question. One of the coaches told me that it was because we were such a diverse group of busy people.
Whatever the reason, I was chosen, I am thankful. I’ve never really met a celebrity before, and meeting Tony Horton was really cool. But it was cooler to meet new friends and see an old one again. Plus, this experience just reaffirmed my commitment to stay healthy and active. I’m in the prime of my life. I gotta keep up with my active husband and daughter. He may be twenty years older than me, but he’s still a firecracker and Amelia is his mini-me when it comes to energy.
I also have a professional challenge next year. I am going to take a job as an instructor next summer at the Department of Veterinary Sciences at the Army Medical Department Center & School. This is where new veterinary officers and enlisted come for their initial training. This is where I first struggled with passing my PT test and meeting the Army’s weight standard. I still remember sitting in LTC Dan Holland’s office as he told me that if I didn’t pass, I wouldn’t graduate. I passed, but fought this demon for ten years. Even though, it took me too long, I know he would be proud of me now. LTC Holland was killed in action in Iraq in 2006. Before he deployed, he came to greet my unit as we returned from Iraq in October 2005. He was the first person there when we stepped off the bus at Fort Hood. Many dear friends and myself were devastated by his death. I will be filling that job that LTC Holland had at the schoolhouse. Every day I stand in front of those students will be humbling. I know how much I looked up to LTC Holland as a student. I want to be that kind of mentor for my students. I feel much more confidant that I will be able to help anyone that struggles with the fitness aspects of a military career.
As I type this, I am on the airplane back to Germany. Can’t wait to get back to Cesar and Amelia. I’ve already posted some photos on Facebook and am so appreciative of all the super kind comments people have made about this experience I had. All I can say is thank you! I have never lived anywhere for more than three years, but I have some of the best friends and family in the world. You all rock!!
