The ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ star is using her own major weight loss to empower others as an ‘accountability coach.’
Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave’s total body transformation was also a total life transformation.
“I always wanted to fight for something,” she tells ET. “I always wanted to fight for myself.”
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star’s weight has fluctuated her entire adult life, pushing the scale at nearly 200 pounds at one point -- a number that shocked her fellow Housewives when she first told them. Now, she shares her weight loss story to inspire others. In fact, it’s become her passion as an “accountability coach.”
“I think it's hard to hear sometimes somebody being so vulnerable,” she says of her co-stars’ reactions. “I'm 100 percent happy sharing my story, because it was my struggle and it's something that, if one person, it makes them think, 'Oh wow, I can do that,' then, it's worth it to me.”
“Whether it's any kind of fitness or health, or anything, we all have something that we struggle with,” she adds. “In regards to the people that watch the show, I mean it's been amazing … for my business at this point I have been, 'Woah!' I have, you know, six girls working for me now and they've all graduated from my program, which is such an empowering thing because we all live the same lifestyle. We all believe it and now we're able to help more people and empower them.”
Teddi and her team connect with clients daily via text messages and phone calls, sending reminders and encouragement to stay committed to fitness.
“I’ll remind you of that conversation that we had 10 days ago when you said you wanted to change,” she says. “I myself was in that situation ... It’s not like I’m one of those women who’s like, ‘Oh, I had kids and it just fell off. I don’t know! It’s just, like, I was running after them and now I’m so thin.’ No, I worked very hard and I know what it takes. So, I’m helping women, empowering them.”
While she wouldn’t say how much her coaching costs, she was adamant that anyone, anywhere can afford the services (via her website).
“[You] fill out a questionnaire, and then we go through a process of seeing if you're a right match,” she explains. “Then, I have a two-week jumpstart, which is what kind of gets the ball rolling. That's where you see extreme results because it's a big, I mean, a big change to the lifestyle. And then there's a monthly maintenance and just -- every person is different and what they want to achieve is different.”
“I'm never promoting you have to have a personal trainer,” she notes. “Or, that you have to have a special food delivery. I mean, it is something that any woman, anywhere can do.”
Teddi says to set achievable goals for yourself, tasks you know you can accomplish in a realistic time frame -- and when it comes to weight loss, don’t focus on the scale.
“It's not about a number on a scale, it's about how you feel,” she explains. “Because, when you're feeling good, you're gonna ask for that promotion. When you're feeling good, you're gonna require more from your spouse. When you're feeling good, you're gonna be a good parent. When you're feeling like crap, what are you going to do?”
If you’re not interested in daily check-ins with Teddi and her team, Teddi does offer up some free advice to people looking to lead a healthier lifestyle.
“Three tips that can make a change: start your day with a full glass of water,” she says. “One hour of cardio a day. If you're not feeling it, it could be a walk. It could be pushing your kids in a stroller. If you're feeling it, and you wanna do a run or a spin class or a hike, great. But just movement -- being active for one hour a day. And eat dinner two to three hours before bedtime.”
Tune into The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo for more Teddi, and check out the links and video below.
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