I have always considered myself an active person.

I’m Shannon Leach, and I am beyond excited to have you here. I am a mom of three, wife, nurse practitioner, and, an online Health and Fitness Coach. My life was completely changed in 2015 when a friend of mine introduced me to what would eventually become a vehicle of change of my life...on in which  I could use my passion for health, fitness, and helping others to work on their own wellness, and to find confidence and happiness.

My family has always been active--growing up, my siblings were all involved in sports. We would go on family hikes, bikes, and even runs. Throughout junior high & high school, I ran track and played softball, basketball, and soccer. Soccer became my primary sport and passion, and I was fortunate enough to play college soccer at the University of Washington (Go, Dawgs!) from 2003-2007. After college, I no longer had a built-in fitness routine, so, in an attempt to stay active, I took workout classes at our local YMCA and trained for half marathons, marathons, & triathlons.

I fell in love with running, and, quickly set the Boston Marathon as a bucket list item. I qualified for the Boston Marathon twice, once in 2008 during the Seattle Marathon and then in 2012 at the Portland Marathon. It was  on April 15, 2013, that I finished the Boston Marathon with a personal best. That was the most memorable and amazing athletic event I have ever been a part of… until the bombs went off. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about and say a prayer for those who were injured or died as a result of the Boston Marathon bombing.

I quickly fell in love with the support system.

It was just 4 weeks prior to being introduced to Beachbody that we had our first child, Brooklyn. As you may have read on the welcome page, a huge part of my life and my story is that I struggle with infertility. In 2014 we went through one round of IVF, transferring two embryos in January of 2014, both of which failed. I was devastated. However, we had one embryo left, and, we found out on April 3, 2014, that we were pregnant for the very first time. Our daughter was born nine months later on December 5th, 2014.

Sports, fitness, and exercise had played such a strong role in my life that, as I neared the end of my first pregnancy, I started panicking about the available time I would have to work out. I knew it would be harder to get to a workout class at the gym or train for a marathon or triathlon. I feared I would never again feel fit and strong... that is, until I saw a friend posting about the 21 Day Fix. When I learned of the at-home fitness program, I thought that at least I would have something for the times I couldn’t make it to the gym or go for a run. My friend (and Beachbody coach) then sent me a few sample packets of Shakeology to try—a complete nutrition shake I had never heard of. I loved the Shakeology, and I realized it would be a perfect solution for me as a busy working mom to have a healthy, clean, and delicious breakfast. Not only that, but I learned it was so nutritious that it would be able to replace my prenatal vitamin while breastfeeding (and later when I was again pregnant!). Not only that, but I had tons of energy (no coffee needed any more despite having a newborn!), it curbed my cravings, and it helped me get back to a place of confidence post-baby.

Before starting my first program, however, I was a bit skeptical about the home workout programs and whether I would be motivated enough to work out at home. I was completely wrong. I quickly fell in love with the support system from the challenge groups. I quickly realized that, with a newborn baby, I didn’t want to devote extra time to get her to the gym. By the time I’d unload the car seat, take her to childcare, race to my class, race to grab her, feed her, and get home, it was a 2+ hour process for a 30-45 minute class. I realized that I had been looking for a cost-effective, time-efficient way to get back into my pre-pregnancy body and I had found it, or, rather, it had found me. I realized that most challengers were just like me.

Suddenly, I started thinking that coaching was something I could do.

We all had goals and similar struggles. There were other new moms looking to get back into shape. There were people who had tried many different diets before and had hit a plateau, but, regardless of our stories, we all worked together to achieve results. And we got them.  Suddenly, I started thinking that coaching was something I could do to help others to live a healthy lifestyle through exercise and proper nutrition. I could teach people that proper diet isn’t about eliminating certain food groups or eating all low-fat/non-fat products and that people can enjoy their food, so long as it is in moderation.

I learned so much during that first round of the 21 day fix—one of many Beachbody programs I have now completed. I learned that, yes, I could work out throughout my entire second pregnancy. Yes, I was able, with my obstetrician’s approval, to maintain most of my previous fitness and workouts during my pregnancy, which, I truly believe, helped me to have a very uncomplicated, uneventful delivery, and recovery from my second and third pregnancies. In my own personal journey, I have seen how effective and efficient these programs are in helping me reach my goals and the goals of my challengers. I learned that I was able to get in the best shape of my life in just 30 minutes a day because of the right exercise program, the right nutrition, Shakeology, and an accountability/support group to help me reach my goals. Most of all, having that 1:1 support from my Coach made a world of difference.

I have to tell you, though, before I began, that I was SO skeptical of this multi level marketing platform. I thought there was no way I could turn a passion for health and fitness into a job. Despite being the ultimate optimist, I immediately though it was a “pyramid scheme.” However, I quickly learned that was far from the truth. I initially signed up as a Coach purely to get a discount on the shake and other programs, and told my coach 1) I didn’t have time to coach 2) I had no intentions of “coaching” anyone else. What I didn’t tell her is I thought it was a scam, too good to be true, and I read the fine print over and over to make sure I could get out of it if needed.

Thank God, I was wrong about all of my preconceived ideas. Instead, I learned that the products and this opportunity were something that everyone could benefit from, and I knew I had to start sharing it with others. It had changed my life, and I wanted to help others change theirs, too.

So now, I pay it forward.

It is my absolute passion to share this amazing experience with others, and to teach them what I have learned.

Now, I continue to wake up early (4:30 when I’m working!) and eat a well-balanced diet. I drink Shakeology daily. My husband is right there with me—working out daily, eating healthy, and drinking his Shakeology, too. I honestly feel as though I am the healthiest and most fit I have ever been in my life. I truly have found my calling and am fulfilling my passion for health, fitness, and disease prevention. I feel blessed to have the incredible opportunity to help others change their lives, too, so as to feel confident, strong, and healthy.