I have a 4.5 year old son and have been a yo-yo dieter for ages! I reached 210 pounds in January, and it hit me, what am I doing??? I decided something has to be done, now. But what different thing could I do that will end this dieting for good?

Having a young son, we are fans of "The Wiggles" an Australian kids band. I had chatted on their board to other mom's with young kids for a few months.

I had an idea to start an on-line "diet board" to help others and myself. I posted a message and received lots of e-mails. I started the board in January 2003 and have 50 women. We had The Wiggles in common, and now this group of strangers have grown into a "sisterhood" and we have never even met! I have made some life long friends on my board. I logged all the girls height, weight, and goal weight for June 1. They e-mail me every Sunday and I log their new weight. As a group, we have lost about 775 pounds so far! Helping others has helped me to help myself. I am thrilled when a 300 pound woman who has given up, e-mails me to tell me I am the only one that has inspired her to start losing weight with our board! We have changed from a diet board to a Life Change board. I can tell Billy really loves to help others and maybe that is what I see in myself that draws me to Tae Bo.

For myself, I have done various exercise tapes and the gym route, but nothing really kept me coming back day after day. The aerobics at the gym wrecked my knees to a point I could not even walk let alone continue to work out, and my home tapes were boring after doing them for a few weeks, or had so much choreography you just didn't get it..I had the original Tae Bo tapes and started using them again. I also discovered the "Ripped" series which I LOVE! I started with the basic, whew, hard back then, and have now worked up to the Advanced! I like the Ripped the best so far. I do the tapes EVERY DAY in the livingroom, sometimes 2 Basic Ripped back to back, or the Ripped Advanced. Billy is SO motivating & I feel he is truly a part of my life! I love doing the tapes and look forward to exercising with Billy every day. I used to say, hmmm, should I exercise today? Now I say which tape should I do today! I just don't get tired of them. My son Aidan (4) does Tae Bo with me, (he is a great kicker) and I think it is ingrained in his brain! Ha-ha. I'll be in the car and he is shouting "Are you ready? Are you ready? 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 march it out." Or he walks around saying, and doing, "step kick touch your toe down." Every day all day! Ha-ha. YIKES! Even for him, he loves to exercise and kick & punch. What a great way to have a child interested in Tae Bo as well. I recently got the Impact tapes and bag, wow!! I recommend that!

My husband commented on how my legs were looking nice, my big trouble spot. I tell all the woman on my board to do Tae Bo. I feel great, my stamina is greatly improved, I have muscle tone just from Tae Bo. I even feel like I can defend myself if need be thanks to Billy! Tae Bo truly is on my mind every day and helps keep me on track. Even if my food is going badly for the day, or I feel down on myself, I pop in Tae Bo and it revitalizes me! Billy is amazing, funny, motivational, and I have his tapes to thank for my reshaping and motivation! People are now starting to comment on my weight loss and when they ask how, I say a sensible diet, support group and TAE BO every day! Mind, spirit, body, it is all one. Forget diet, a Life Change is the key! I lost both parents about 5 years ago, devastating! I knew I needed to get in the best shape I could for my sweet son and husband, so that I would live a very long life. Until Tae Bo, I had not found the right path and had stumbled around yo-yoing up and down. My parents were both athletic all their lives, and my siblings had no weight problems. For some reason I always had the weight issues. Now that I finally get it I feel like they would be so proud of what I am doing. My Dad was always into Martial Arts, so I think of him when doing Tae Bo, and my Mum a dancer would be so happy I have found something and am sticking with it!

I'm still on my weight journey, 20 more pounds to go. With my new life change and Billy helping with the fitness and mind part, I know I will succeed, I already have! I would love to have the opportunity to thank him and be able to help others in the process.

I just found out I am one of a few chosen to go to LA to do a testimonial for the new Tae Bo Infomercial! Wow, me? Seems like a dream! YOU CAN DO THIS TOO! WAHOO!

-- Loren