The American Boot Camp Company Changed My Life!

My friend asked me last weekend during our annual beach trip…….”Why did you finally do it this time? What was different? I have seen you go through multiple trainers and weight loss programs and you never succeeded. You are so much more confident and happier this year. The last beach trip you were out of breath carrying your suit case up the stairs and this year you were running up the stairs with a case of water and your suitcase. Also, the previous years you slept the whole vacation and this year you were up at 7AM running down the beach. What a difference a year makes.

I thought about my previous failed attempts at weight loss and I finally realized what made the difference. I finally found someone believed that I could do it and pushed me to believe the same. You taught me to believe in myself and that is what made the difference.

When previous Personal Trainers asked me to do something that was difficult I would say “ I am too fat to do that” and they would typically they would move on to an easier exercise. I remember the first time you asked me to do an AB Bridge, I told you “I am way too fat and there is no way that a 240 pound woman can do an AB Bridge. I thought you would say OK and move on to something easier but your response was different. You said that is absolutely not true and you are going to try it. I only managed to do an AB Bridge for about 10 seconds and now I can do it over 60 seconds. I also remember the first time you asked me to run. I told you that I haven’t ran in over 5 years and wasn’t plan on starting now but you convinced me that I could run and 5 months later I completed a 5K.

This has been one of the toughest journeys in my life and it is still not complete. I have lost 55 pounds and I have done more that I thought I was capable of during the last 7 months and the next 45 pounds will be the toughest.
I have had a lot of ups and down and you were always there beyond your duties as a personal trainer. You always replied to my emails when I was frustrated or discouraged and you never gave me the option of quitting.

I could never repay for all that you have done. My life has completely changed and you one of the biggest reasons.

The American Boot Camp Company has completely changed by life…….from my initial emails with Tara, personal training with Whitney and now Boot Camp. Tara was always positive and told me “Don’t worry, we will get you where you need to be”. Whitney has been simply amazing. She has encouraged me to do things that I never thought I would accomplish. Boot Camp is giving me the extra push that I need during the 2nd half of my journey. I still can’t believe that last October I couldn’t walk ½ mile and now I am attending Boot Camp.

I still have 45 pounds to lose but I have no doubt that I will succeed because of everything that you have taught me.

Thanks for teaching me to believe in myself.

Sherri

It's All About the Numbers

What makes me leave a warm bed at the unholy hour of 5:00 a.m. to roll around in dew soaked grass, do weird things called “butt kickers”, “hell raisers” or “super stars”. I do it because of my numbers; 9, 147, 267, and 3.

9- Every night before going to bed I dump 9 different prescription medications in my hand and chase them with water. Out of these 6 are to help control my diabetes, and three are for high cholesterol. I hate pills, they are easy for the Dr. to prescribe but harder to get off of than crack cocaine. This number has been on a steady increase over the last 5 years, I am closing in on my 70 year old mothers daily intake of 16 pills. It is time to change.

147- My pre boot camp fasting blood glucose readings. The Dr. keeps telling me he wants me below 110 but I have NEVER averaged that low, and I have never seen a single reading below 100. There are 2 things that scare the hell out of me. First is I feel like I am following in my Mother’s footsteps, I was diagnosed about the same age that she was, and I have patterned the same worsening glucose levels, but the rest of the story is that she suffered a crippling stroke in her early 50’s and soon after became insulin dependent. The second thing is how my doctor keeps telling me I am at the same risk for a heart attack as someone in their early 40’s that has already had one. It is time to change..

267- My weight. Recently reviewing my weight the doctor’s office pointed out I have gained a pound a month over the last three years. It is time to change…

3- My wife and 2 children. The obvious reason is to be around to see them mature and grow. The less obvious but equally important is to show them they do not have to go down the same path I have with my health.

In 5 weeks my numbers have changed. 9 is now 8 not a big difference, but less is an accomplishment.
147 is now 115 I have seen several readings under 110 and even one under 100. That’s just 5 weeks!
267 is now 255 not bad considering how much muscle I have gained!
3 is now multiplied to include a group of people who get out of bed at 5:00 a.m. and stumble down to boot camp with The American Boot Camp Company at Mason Mill park to be healthier. It has also multiplied to include Sonja, Cyndi, Natalie, Joe, Dale, Beth, Jen, and Regina the friends (i.e. instructors) who never miss a chance to encourage, struggle, and laugh with me.
I have paid the gym memberships and never gone. I have bought the exercise equipment that rusted away. Know I have found friends who will work with me to reach my numbers.

If I can so can you! HooAhh!
Scott

I am not a runner

I finished the ING half marathon today!! I did not really have a time goal (only to finish!!) but I felt great the entire race and actually had a good time. Other than slowiing down for water I was able to run the entire course. Without you and boot camp this would never had been possible. A year ago I could barely run 2 minutes at a time and I would just give up. I remember my first month of boot camp with race against yourself you encouraging me and commenting on running with group and what a difference it makes! And the "I am not a runner" email spoke directly to me! Not to sound to corny I just wanted to thank you for pushing me and encouraging me to where I am now....mentally and physically!!
Tiffany B

How I view myself

"The American Boot Camp Company boot camp program has changed my perspective on myself. I was always an athlete in high school, but pretty much gave up fitness in college. I always figured that, as you grow up, you lose that part of yourself...the ability to push yourself that hard and accomplish so much physically. I have always belonged to a gym and have regularly exercised. I was introduced to The American Boot Camp Company Studio in the Fall of last year. I took a core class and came home feeling weak, out of shape and a bit discouraged.

I went back and joined the Studio the next day and soon inquired about Boot Camp. I figured it would be hard, but the only thing I really worried about was getting up at 5:30am. It is now 5 months of Boot Camp later and I feel like a different person! I haven't been that strict with my diet, but I have stuck with the work outs and I am so much stronger. My mile time has dropped almost 2 full minutes and I can feel the strength in my legs as I run!

Today, I feel like a strong woman and I am officially addicted to Boot Camp! The one workout that I always talk to my friends about is the long run. I had never run that far in my life the first time we did it I was so proud! Now I enter into the local 5K races (I did one last year and walked the entire thing because I thought there was no way I could run that far!) and I am even doing a 10K this year! I still never run that far unless I am at Boot Camp.

Almost all of the instructors have made an impact on my experience. However, during my first month (when I was exhausted and intimidated) I was running behind Debbie during the long run. I told myself to just keep up with her and try not to think about how difficult it was for me. Afterwards, I told her that she was my goal during the entire run. I could tell what I had said made her feel really good about herself. At that moment, I realized that the instructors weren't just crazy people that enjoyed being up at 6:00am running backwards up hills. After that, I lightened up and really started to enjoy Boot Camp and the instructors. I have loved getting to know Debbie better and all of the instructors at camp!"

- Angie, Blackburn Park Boot Camp

What I couldn't see

"I wanted to say thank you to both of you this morning. Thanks for seeing something in me that I didn't even see in myself. But this morning I finally saw "it" and got a clear view of what "it" is.

To go from not running in more than ten years to leading one of the harder workouts we do in Boot Camp is a tremendous step forward for me. It is also a tremendous source of pride for me. Thanks for making me a part of the team. I love this stuff."
-Regina

Dr. Steve and his magic

"I wanted to tell you my story about Dr Steve LaScala's Soft Tissue & Chiropractic Clinic and my recent successes with Pulse Activiation Therapy.

As an active participant of Boot Camp in 2007, I developed plantar fasciitis in late 2007. I ignored it until I couldn't any more. I had continual sore feet and painful heels. I quit running. I finally went to see a great sports podiatrist, but even his recommendations of arch supports and exercises weren't enough. Thanks to your recommendation, Mari, I had seen Dr LaScala in the Spring 2007 for a fussy right ankle. I figured that I better see him again; to see if ART would help me again.
This turned out to be one of my better ideas! Not only was the ART very helpful, Dr LaScala had acquired a new therapy since I'd seen him last. Called Pulse Activation Therapy, this new therapy has greatly improved my plantar fasciitis. The internet, friends and even the podiatrist said that this is a long lasting injury - 6 to 9 months - and I'm already back at Boot Camp - after only two sessions with Pulse Activation! I'm still playing catch up, but I will be running the Soldier Field 10 miler in Chicago Memorial Day weekend! I couldn't have done it without Dr Steve and this wondrous therapy.

I would highly recommend Dr Steve, the Soft Tissue & Chiropractic Clinic and Pulse Activation Therapy for anyone with similar issues as mine. Dr Steve will also tell you it has other applications and resulting successes. Thanks so much for letting me know about this!

I wanted to get back in shape and needed to be motivated

"I wanted something that I knew was going to get me back in shape. I just needed something that would make me motivated and knew that if I paid 350.00, that I would do it. The first day that I got there and ran the mile, my time was 12:45 and I thought that I was going to die. This made me realize what TERRIBLE shape that I was in because I used to run a lot, but just hadn't in a long time. The second time that I ran it, my time was 10:45, the third was 10:02 and the fourth was 9:20. When I crossed that finish line at 9:20, I screamed woo-hoo!!!! I could not believe what an improvement I had made.

This has been a life changing experience for me. I thought that I would do Boot Camp for that one month and be done with it, but now I continue to do it because it is so wonderful. I was thinking the other day, that not only do I love this, but I feel like we are somewhat of a little family....we are all there same time everyday with the same instructors, pulling for one another to push ourselves harder and harder! It has been an amazing experience and one that I will never forget. Now, my next goal is a 9:00 minute mile!!! Hoooay!!!"

I would say one of the workouts that stood out the most in my mind was the one where we were on the lower field (baseball) and we ran circles. Mari would blow the whistle once and we would jog, then when she blew it twice we would sprint, then when she blew it again we would do either push ups, sit ups, or an ab bridge. I thought that I was going to die at the end, but loved it after-wards!"
- Kim, Blackburn Park Boot Camp