My name is Amanda and I’m 33. In my mid 20’s, I began gaining weight. When I weighed myself the day after Thanksgiving 2006, I saw that I was 247 lbs! I knew I had to do something or I would be basically sentencing myself to an early death. On November 26, 2006, I began my journey by starting Dr. Ian Smith’s Fatsmash Diet as well as moderate cardio DVDs and walking outdoors. Dr. Ian’s plan is basically a diet that teaches one to eat a clean and healthy diet to lose weight on a four-phase plan. After a month of Fatsmash and exercise, I was pleased to see I had lost over 10 lbs!

At that point, I realized that I would need to incorporate weights to enhance muscle tone and hopefully downplay the loose skin I may get from the weight loss. I wasn’t sure what to do about weight training though. I knew I wasn’t ready for a gym, and I wasn’t sure which DVDs to go with. I visited Collage Video’s website and they were featuring Jari Love’s Slim & Lean on the front page. After reading the description and reviews, I decided to order it and give a whirl.

I started using the Slim & Lean DVD in January 2007 and boy oh boy did I feel it! I was VERY sore but determined that I would do it three times a week, and I did it, no matter what. That February I ordered the other three DVDs and started rotating and haven’t looked back. I’ve recently incorporated RIPPED!® and Chiseled and I love it.

Jari’s DVDs are great because they use functional fitness, upbeat music, and the people on them are so motivating-especially Jari and her “Jari-isms”: “Turn your scars into stars” from Slim and Lean has become my own personal motto. Plus, almost anyone can do the Get RIPPED!® program; sure it’s challenging, but the moves are easy to learn and take up very little space.

While I haven’t reached my goal yet, I have lost 88 lbs and only have 35 more to go! I know I will reach this goal. Jari mentions in one of the DVDs that when you gain control of your health that you have a better outlook on life. This is so true. Since losing the weight, I feel like I can achieve anything if I put forth the effort. Thanks to a clean diet and Jari’s DVDs, I am motivated every day by the success I’ve already experienced and am looking to more in the future.