2017 IsaBody Challenge Winner Still Balancing It All
Ask Helen Costa-Giles what’s next for her, and she’ll always have an answer. Whether that’s training for an upcoming Spartan Race or preparing for CNN Turning Points with Sanjay Gupta, she’s looking ahead.
Maintaining Success
“I didn’t realize how important it is to always have a goal you need to be working on,” Helen said.
As the 2017 IsaBody Challenge® Grand Prize Winner, she attained a gigantic goal of reshaping her eating habits, her body, and her priorities. But, once she won, she started going back on autopilot without a goal to focus on.
“When I didn’t have anything to work on, I just felt let down.”
This can be the case for a lot of people who undergo a huge physical transformation.
“It’s more about following a habit now. I feel like 220-pound Helen is always around as temptations and bad habits creep up, so I know when I must have a Cleanse Day to reset. And yes, I will have a shake a day for the rest of my life,” she said, referring to the Isagenix products that have helped her change her life.
Inspiring Others
Helen has become such an inspiration to her family, her neighbors who join her for 5 a.m. workouts in her garage, and those who have read about her in PEOPLE magazine, seen her on local TV, and followed her on social media.
Although she has experienced a bit of celebrity status, she doesn’t glamorize her hard work. That work hasn’t ended even after losing 90 pounds* and following a weightlifting regimen.
Helen poses with her boys (ages 8 and 5) after they all ran a Spartan Race.
“I always have to have a goal in the works and one in the background,” said Helen. “When I won IsaBody™, I was just so excited, but I found I always need to be working on something, whether that’s physically, financially, or family-focused.”
Finding a New Purpose
Helen says that 2017 was the year of physical wellness. 2018 was all about putting family first. 2019 is filled with financial goals and helping her team succeed as she pursues the Isagenix opportunity full time.
She uses a vision board to keep all her physical, family, and financial goals on track.
“If you work too hard on one thing, the other two can suffer. For example, right now my fitness goals are not as audacious as they once were, and I am OK with that.”
Don’t get her wrong. She still works out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5 a.m. with her No More Excuses (NME) crew and runs a Spartan Race when she can. But now, Helen said, her focus is more on service.
Helen Costa-Giles leads her NME team in a recent Spartan Race.
Training the Next Generation
“This year was the first year I knew I wasn’t going to race to my potential,” Helen said.
She realized she had a lot of ego to let go of and felt happier when helping others succeed. When her girls from NME raced with her this year, including some who had never done a Spartan before, she stepped up and led by example.
“I was there to not only race but see them cross that finish line and realize their stamina,” she explained. “Those races are not easy, and they are taxing on your body. I loved racing with my team and helping them see how powerful they really are.”
As for family goals, it all came together in a recent Spartan Race.
“My boys ran, too,” she shared.
If Helen’s 8-year-old and 5-year-old are anything like their mom, they were kicking butt in the race and will continue to do so in life.
If you are an Isagenix Independent Associate or Customer and a media outlet (e.g., a traditional or digital news outlet, television or radio show, print media outlet, or blog) approaches you about sharing your success story, contact Media@IsagenixCorp.com. A designated company representative will help you evaluate the opportunity and can provide media training so you have the best experience possible.
*Weight loss should not be considered typical. A two-phase 2016 study published by researchers at Skidmore College showed an average weight loss of 24 pounds after 12 weeks. The study evaluated the use of Isagenix products in men and women for weight loss followed by weight maintenance. As part of the weight loss phase, the participants took part in a calorie-controlled regimen of Shake Days and one Cleanse Day per week. During the weight maintenance phase, the subjects who continued the calorie-controlled program using Isagenix products better maintained their weight loss in comparison to those who transitioned to a traditional diet after 52 weeks. For more information on the study, see IsagenixHealth.net.
