I’m back in clothes I haven’t worn in 6 years!
46 pounds lost...
35 inches gone, and...
my mile time has dropped by over 2 minutes!!!
Eluned: " …I went online and there were photos of women of every age, size and shape. I had already made a major lifestyle change to get up at 5:45am to walk – I am NOT a morning person. So what was another hour in the wrong direction if it worked, other than persuading my husband that he could learn to live with 2 alarms at 4:40 and 4:45am!
I committed to 1 boot camp to see if the process could kick start my obviously sluggish metabolism. I’ll be honest; the first week I gained 3 lbs but I was so surprised by the atmosphere and support of the women participating, particularly those who were old hands at this, that it didn’t bother me too much. By the last week I was beginning to feel so have so more energy that I was happy to see I’d lost those 3 and another 3lbs!
But t he best part was just feeling in control again.
I am now on my 5th boot camp and signed up for the rest of the year.... Why?
- Like many of us, I understand my own metabolism and that it took 4 days a week of 1 hour workouts when I was in my 30’s to stay in shape, so it’s not going to take less now! Life and careers get in the way of keeping that up, especially if we lose workout buddies or change jobs and locations. With Adventure Boot Camp, I found a structure that gives me 60+ buddies who quickly get to know you and notice if you don’t turn up! At 5:30am the excuses for skipping a workout are pretty limited and it’s 5 mornings a week for an hour so I know I’m getting enough to keep in shape… when I reach my goal.
- At 53, and after those dislocations in my neck, I was worried about going too quickly or re-injury. Cliff and the other trainers provide a continuous reinforcement on pace and form. Though be warned, when they get to know you and your capabilities, you won’t be let off lightly if you’re not working hard enough! By the way, I started with 3 lb hand weights and now use 7lbs and can now dead weight lift 145lbs. Two years ago after the car accident I couldn’t lift a frying pan!
- At 53 I am in better shape than I’ve been in 20 years, I have energy, I thrive on 6 hours of sleep, I’ve stopped taking Nexium, and I’m handling stress better.
- My students have not only noticed but my actions have motivated several of the women to take fitness classes themselves. Sometimes we don’t even realize the impact we’re having on others around us.
I’m back down the 3 sizes associated with those 40+ lbs and back in clothes I haven’t worn in 6 years!
There’s still at least one more size left in the closet before I need to shop in earnest. My husband is enjoying my trips to the ‘barely worn’ closet across the house but is getting worried that he’s going to see bell-bottom jeans eventually!
This isn’t a quick fix, but the Fitness Together approach is to use the knowledge and science as it becomes available to update our understanding of how to achieve our goals individually. Each person is different and approaches the benefits of boot camp differently. Some are working toward a shorter term goal, others towards a health improvement, some have achieved their fitness goals and want to maintain that state, and most of us are struggling to keep control and keep moving in the right direction; a ½ lb or ½ inch at a time. But there is always someone out there who has similar experiences and who can share what worked for them. There are quiet folk, the non-morning types, and there are ‘blue-birds of happiness’ who are hilarious at 5:30am, and there are the ones who just get the job done and keep steadfastly working away. Once in a while you look more closely at one of your colleagues and realize “you’ve changed shape!” or “your legs are really showing definition” or you just cheer with someone who just ran the whole mile for the first time. Or there’s the day when that last interval was almost too much and one of the others who had finished came back and ran the last leg with you.
So what if you had 60 or so buddies ready to help? Would that help you get started? It did me!" |
