Amazing Weight Loss Transformations Earn Baltimore Elementary School Teacher And A Real Estate Agent From Puerto Rico $100,000 In Annual Beachbody Challenge

LOS ANGELES, June 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- As if transforming their bodies by losing nearly half their body weight wasn't enough, Baltimore's Jessica Weiderhold and Puerto Rico's Andy Arreaga just gave their financial lives a major boost as well. Beachbody®, the innovative fitness company behind products such as P90X® and INSANITY®, announced the two as winners of the 2012-2013 Beachbody Challenge™ and the $100,000 grand prize that comes with it at its annual Coach Summit in Las Vegas. 

Designed to help end the trend of obesity in America, the Beachbody Challenge helps consumers across the country achieve personal fitness goals through the company's wide-array of industry leading home fitness programs and nutritional supplements. But for Weiderhold, a 30-year-old elementary school teacher and Arreaga, a 31-year-old real estate agent, the successful life-transformation would not have been possible without the critical factor of ongoing peer support. 

"Beachbody's exercise and nutrition programs provided me the tools to succeed, but there's no way I could have sustained the discipline to successfully transform my body and my life without the support of my coach," said Weiderhold. "It requires a drastic change in habits and an incredible amount of discipline and sacrifice and I don't think that's possible without support from a coach like I had, or simply friends and family that encourage you and keep you accountable."

Beachbody's peer support model armed Andy and Jessica with a devoted "Coach" to assist and motivate them through every step of their health and fitness transformation journey.  Proven time and again as the most important aspect of the Beachbody Challenge, supportive peer groups have been shown to drastically improve one's chance for overall health and fitness success as highlighted by studies in publications such as the American Psychological Association and General Surgery News. Since its inception, Beachbody's network of brand ambassadors known as "Coaches" has grown to over 100,000 strong.  These individuals act as motivational resources for consumers like Jessica and Andy. In addition, Beachbody "Coaches" actively promote and sell Beachbody products providing financial incentive to go along with a healthier, more fulfilling lifestyle.

"There's nothing more motivating than being part of a team, where there are strength in numbers and that's what the coach's support brings," said Arreaga. "It's like running a marathon. There are times that you feel like you just can't go another step, and the difference becomes that voice of support pushing you forward and reminding you where you're headed."

At 31, Arreaga began the Beachbody Challenge weighing over 450 pounds and suffering from high blood pressure and a lack of blood circulation in his legs, which caused an inordinate amount of pain, especially performing simple physical activities such as walking up a small flight of stairs.  It took a scolding from a good friend and local doctor to open Arreaga's eyes about making a life-changing health and fitness decision that would begin with his "gateway" Beachbody product, INSANITY.  He decided to commit to the Challenge and used Beachbody's incredible peer support, fitness products and nutritional supplements to begin a life-altering journey.  With support from his Team Beachbody Coach, Andy lost over 200 pounds, 22 pant sizes and 35 percent body fat, while lowering his blood pressure almost 20 points.

An elementary school teacher in Baltimore, MD, Jessica Weiderhold, 30, had a life changing experience this past Christmas when she looked in the mirror and didn't recognize the person looking back.  Standing 5 feet 5 inches and weighing over 200 pounds, a lifestyle change needed to be made and after birthing two children in two years, Weiderhold was done with the excuses.  She called upon her best friend and Team Beachbody Coach to get her enrolled in the Beachbody Challenge where she began the popular gym-based program, LES MILLS PUMP® and nutritional supplement, Shakeology®.  With the help of her best friend and Team Beachbody Coach, Weiderhold lost 70 pounds, 12 dress sizes and almost 10 inches on her waist.

"Presenting oversized $100,000 checks to our Beachbody Challenge grand prize winners is truly one of the highlights of my year!" said Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler. "Andy and Jessica's stories are amazing inspirations to the rest of us who struggle with daily health and fitness choices. And yes that includes me. The most exciting thing is that perhaps thousands of new contenders might find their motivation to commit to the Beachbody Challenge from this inspirational event!"

The current 2013 – 2014 Beachbody Challenge is under way and consumers interested in committing can log on to www.BeachbodyChallenge.com, choose their Beachbody fitness program, take a before photo and begin tracking their progress.  Entrants have several opportunities to win cash prizes throughout the year-long contest.  Daily prizes of up to $500 are awarded while monthly prizes of $1,000 are given out during the second week of each month. 

The quarterly winners of $5,000 are chosen in July, October, January, and April, while the Grand Prize winners, receiving $100,000, will be announced in June at the mecca of Beachbody events, the Team Beachbody Coach Summit.  In addition, consumers can share their Ultimate Health Transformation story with any of Beachbody's many supplements for a chance to win an extra $25,000.

For more information on Beachbody and all the fitness products they have to offer, please visit www.Beachbody.com. For more information on the Beachbody Challenge, visit www. BeachbodyChallenge.com.

About Beachbody®, LLC

Founded in 1998 by Carl Daikeler and Jon Congdon, Beachbody, LLC, operates Beachbody.com and TeamBeachbody.com. The Santa Monica, California-based company is the creator of the nation's most popular fitness and weight loss solutions including P90X®, P90X2®, Insanity®, Insanity: The Asylum®, Brazil Butt Lift®, 10-Minute Trainer®, and Les Mills Pump among many others. Beachbody® programs combine challenging DVD-based workouts with easy-to-follow diet guidelines, nutritional supplements (including its breakthrough superfood shake called Shakeology®, AKA "The Healthiest Meal of the Day"), and an unparalleled customer service and peer-support system. In fact, Beachbody has expanded this support system through TeamBeachbody.com, which includes a network of thousands of independent "Coach" distributors as well as a dynamic online support and fitness community. The company's expansion into the beauty category includes Derm Exclusive®. The corporate mission is to help people achieve their goals and enjoy healthy, fulfilling lives.

SOURCE Beachbody, LLC