You ready to be inspired?  I introduce to you a woman about to turn 50, but her body and spirit can do more than most 25 years olds that I know.  She has a can-do attitude about life and as she says “in training for living her life”.  It is a pleasure to train her every week and celebrate her ever-ongoing victories out on the surfboard or fishing on the boat.  

I introduce you to: Sheila… in her own words.

“I grew up in a household where food was really appreciated – foodies before that was a term.  However my parents were always dieting and never losing.  They tried every fad as it arrived.   At the same time women and girls were spending a lot of time and emphasis in their lives on clothing, fashion, looking a certain way…. Behaving a certain way.  I really just wanted to play… pretty much any sport outdoors.  When I was young, I would watch Jack Lalane and Lilias Yoga and marvel at what their bodies could do (and try to copy them) while waiting for cartoons (there was no cartoon network).   I started running in high school.  In college I fell in love with scuba diving and fishing and sailing fast high-performance sailboats.

Then came middle age!  Now it wasn’t enough to run.  I could tell when I was on vacation that I was fatiguing way to early when sailing or rowing or hiking.  Exercising was always coming after a long to do list.  So, I decided a year ago to up the muscle toning part of my life.  Yoga was just not quite enough and running was just not enough. I wanted something more total body and muscle oriented but I could not envision being in a gym.  Also lap swimming fills my ears with water and gets tedious.   My friend had just joined Bay View Boot Camp so I gave it a try.

I love how I feel after a workout.  There are sore muscles and that is what I want.  I don’t want to go into the after-middle-age life wondering where those muscles went.  I want to hear from them and know I can do whatever I attempt to do.  I recently went surfing and popped up on the long board NO PROBLEM!  That is huge because in the past I have not had the arm strength to really get paddling fast enough to catch the waves.  I sail regularly and we stop sailing because of time now not because of fatigue.  I trim the spinnaker without asking for help!   I was recently fishing and a man came across the parking lot to help me put my kayak in the back of the truck.  By the time he got to me I had already done it.  He said, “OH I was coming over to help you” I just laughed and said “I go to boot camp.” 

As for eating better, I have always had a good eating lifestyle.  And while I still struggle with replacing white things with whole grains I do have a pretty good diet.  More veggies on my plate than anything else.  I do not own a scale but I think I feel slimmer in the way my clothes fit.  In fact I have dropped a size.

What do I love most about this new lifestyle?  Basically I am in training for living my life.   I know that I can physically do whatever I want.  I will not say I am not strong enough. 

What do I say to people like me?  Use it or lose it.  Seriously, I turn 50 in January and I don’t want to go down that path of old age injuries and weaknesses.  I want to be able to do anything that comes my way.  If I can’t do it now I won’t be able to do it in the future.

How awesome – thank you for sharing Sheila!!  Just by reading this I think her ‘can-do attitude’ is contagious.  

If this impacted you in some way, please leave a note below and let us know how.  

Take action!  Follow our weekly Food Friday email so you’ll be the first to know about our upcoming October Body Transformation Challenge.

Our next Transformation Tuesday is spotlighting Mark King – who one was of our biggest transformations from our recent Sculpted by Summer Challenge.  Mark dove in head first with both the eating clean AND consistently coming to boot camp 4-5 times per week.. and it shows in his results!!  Please read Mark’s story (in his own words) and let him inspire YOU to change or continue to change your life in a more healthy way.  

Take it away Mark! (scroll down to see his before & after)

Life before Bay View Boot Camp:

I’ve wanted to lose weight for most of the last 10 years. And pretty much my routine was try to cut down on food portions, or try to run a little more, but very little changed in my life. I knew ultimately it would require some type of major change.

What made me decide to sign up?

Seeing Laura’s invitation for the 30 Day Sculpted by Summer Challenge was a call to action. Maybe it was the thought that I could do anything for 30 days, or maybe it was the peer pressure/motivation of doing it within a group, but it was enough to get me there on Day One.

What do you love the most about my new lifestyle?

For one thing, it took me back more than 10 years in my level of fitness. I’m running better and faster than I have in years. Also, I’m wearing clothes that fit me well, and buying smaller size clothes and that feels great too. But the best thing has been the type of meal plan that I’m following now. I’m eating healthier than I ever have in my life and have no plans to change. It feels great; I’m not hungry and gone are the cravings for foods that are simply bad for me.

What have been my results from Bay View Boot Camp and eating clean?

The specific results are: lost 31 pounds over an 8 week period, as well as 2 or more inches all over. My body fat has gone from 35% to under 25% in a matter of only two months!

What is my advice for others?

Why wait getting started? I wish I had done it years before, because eating better and working out gives you more energy and can add years to your life.  I am so grateful to Laura and her team for developing the program. It has literally changed my life.

Please leave Mark a note of congratulations on his awesome transformation!  Let us know if this inspires YOU to continue to work hard towards your health & fitness goals.

I’m very excited to introduce to you our next Transformation Tuesday: Amy T!  Amy always makes our 8 AM boot camp sessions more fun because no matter how hard the workout, she will always be dancing to the music and brings positive energy with her each and every day.  If you are new, she is one of the first people to come and introduce herself to you and make sure you feel 100% comfortable. :)

Here is her story.  I hope she inspires you!

My life prior to boot camp:

I have always been an exerciser, but in the last year I have not been exercising consistently. I love Bay View Boot Camp because it has been easy to make exercise, fitness, and improved nutrition part of my daily life.

Why I decided to sign up:

I decided to sign up because it’s fun AND challenging.  Laura always mixes it up with the workouts so it is different every time.  Great music, it’s outside with a great view, and it’s a great group of people!

What I love most about my new lifestyle:

What I love most is that I can see my abs again, yeah! I look forward to boot camp!  And now that I’ve added Green Smoothies to my daily routine… no greens go to waste in my home!

The best part about Bay View Boot Camp is making new and awesome friends! Here is a photo of me and Sheila having green smoothies after a boot camp session.

Results:

Overall the results have been an improvement in my nutrition and fitness… I feel like I’m doing really good things for myself. I am making better choices that make me feel good about myself.

I don’t think I realized what a great effect these small changes have made, but regularly people have complemented changes they have noticed in me. Also, regular exercise has helped with my mood and improved prior neck and shoulder issues.

So, I think I have inspired other people in my life to make some healthy changes!

My Motto:

“Just keep swimming.” ~ Dorie, Finding Nemo

Thank you Laura for all you do to make Bay View Boot Camp more than just a great workout, but a community of awesome people!

 

Thank YOU Amy for all of your hard work and for being an awesome member of our Bay View Boot Camp family! :)  

I hope Amy’s story has inspired you.  Please leave her a note of congrats and encouragement below. :)