Season 02 Week 08 – Jill Sturge, 3rd Place Winner of $250 – Coach Laeann Amos-Reed

Before she took on The 15 Day Challenge, Jill Sturge battled stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer. After rounds of radiation and chemotherapy, she is now cancer-free! Though she managed to maintain a positive attitude through her fight, she struggled with the “rollercoaster” of her weight after battling cancer. Throughout Season 1 of The 15 Day $25K Contest, she built consistent habits that contributed to a healthier lifestyle. By the fourth challenge of Season 2, she had lost a total of 50 pounds since starting her 15 Day Challenge journey in August 2022. She posted about her accomplishment on Facebook and received an outpouring of support. But one comment nearly halted Sturge’s progress: She received a direct message telling her that even though she had lost a significant amount of weight, she was still fat.

Though Sturge was hurt by the comment, questioning whether she should continue to share her journey so openly, she refused to let one person’s negativity stop her. Instead, she focused on the people who were inspired by her story and continued to spread positivity. During Season 1, her powerful journey brought her to the Top 10 of the contest, and though she did not progress to the Top 3, she attended the Gala to support her fellow contestants. Her coach and accountability partner, Laeann Amos-Reed, brought her to the front of the room and told Sturge to visualize herself on the stage where the winner had just been revealed. She asked Sturge a question that launched her into Season 2 with a new sense of purpose: “What can you do in Season 2 to make sure that you are representing your community on that stage?”

Throughout Season 2, Sturge’s “no-quit attitude” powered her 15 Day Challenges. “I really had to get out of my own way,” she said. “I had been pushing through, but it wasn’t enough, so I really stepped up.” During her most recent challenge, she increased her cardio exercise, making time for not one but two sessions per day. As an event planner and single mother of two, she had previously struggled to fit movement into her busy schedule, but her commitment drove her to work out during her lunch hour and again at the end of the day. Additionally, she strengthened her resolve to avoid going out to eat, packing a bag full of healthy meals and snacks for work. She also used a time-marked water bottle to drink roughly a gallon of water per day, adding different pieces of fruit to her water every day to help her avoid her cravings for juice.

Sturge’s lifestyle changes helped her lose a total of 22 pounds throughout Season 2 and helped her practice body positivity. “I have learned how to love my body again,” she said. “This experience has pushed me to go even harder and love the skin I’m in!”*

*Total Life Changes, LLC makes no claim that its products mitigate, prevent, treat or cure any disease, including COVID-19 or the coronavirus.

**Results achieved through one or more TLC 15 Day Challenge cycles combined with a low calorie, balanced diet, and regular physical activity.

***Individual results are not guaranteed and may vary from person to person. Taking TLC Products is not a substitute for a reduced-calorie diet and exercise if you are trying to lose weight. You should always consult a physician before starting any weight loss or fitness regime.