Thursday, July 31, 2008
Thank you Midtown
I am a veteran boot camper at the West Midtown location. I am writing to you to share some feedback with you regarding the boot camp program at West Midtown. I know that within my company feedback is usually comes in the form of a complaint but not this letter. I am writing to share positive feedback on Collette and her team.
In the past I did the Operation Boot Camp program at Piedmont Park. I did not feel 100% comfortable in that program due to the size of the camp, and basically feeling like a number. I was hesitant to sign up for boot camp again due to that experience. I took a chance and signed up with your company due to other friends that had participated in your programs also due to the West Midtown location which is very close to my home. I was so pleasantly surprised with my experience with Collette and her team! They made me feel like a team member and seemed to take a personal interest in me as a friend and as a customer.
I have just signed up for my forth month of boot camp with your company. The primary reason for my continued participation is due to your staff at West Midtown. While the workout is intense and motivating, the people are what drive me! They are what give me the motivation to keep going and to continue to sign up! I have not attended any other of your locations but based on feedback from friends it sounds like each location is the same – everyone loves your staff, which is awesome!
I just wanted to give you some feedback on my experience with your company and with Collette and her team! Every one of the West Midtown staff is great and I am so happy that I have the opportunity to workout with them!
Sincerely K. Buehlman
Friday, June 27, 2008
The Price of Boot Camp
Food I threw away after 1st day of boot camp....$100
Food to replace empty fridge for 1 month...$600
New smaller size clothes as existing clothes do not fit.....$300
Buying said clothes while sales person is checking out my ass ........ priceless
Monday, June 16, 2008
The instructors really make boot camp special at Mason Mill
The park is adjacent to my neighborhood, where I can walk to ‘Boot Camp’ in the morning (so keeping the air clean by no car on the road…a double win!). I never knew the Boot Camp existed before I saw one of their signs, but once I enrolled, I found the instructors to be so wonderful and motivating it makes it hard to miss a work out. I am also impressed how respectful they are to others who are visiting the park understanding this is a place for everyone to enjoy. I think some of the on-lookers are very intrigued with what we are doing in the morning. Maybe the next ‘Boot Camp will be for seniors! They seem to want to get involved too. I hope they do!!
Thank you for bringing this great concept to Mason Mill Park. I wanted to make sure the good things you all do for our county don’t go unnoticed.
Kind regards,
Amy L.
Friday, June 6, 2008
The American Boot Camp Company Changed My Life!
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
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
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
I am not a runner
Tiffany B
Thursday, May 1, 2008
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