Laura Forte Fitness

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Transformation Tuesday: Valerie

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Valerie started with us back in April of this year during our 21 Day Body Transformation program.  After just a few weeks of eating clean and boot camp 3-4 days per week, we saw a huge transformation in her.  Not only physically with dropping pounds and over 13 inches in the first 3 weeks, but her energy level skyrocketed and she became so much stronger!

I remember along the way her telling me her aches and pains started to go away, and every few weeks she would tell me she felt younger and younger.

I am SO proud of Valerie and the hard work she puts in at 6 AM class.  She brings such a great energy to class and gives 110% in everything she does.

Here is Valerie’s Story as SHE tells it:  [Read more…]

Bay View Boot Camp’s Guide to Running

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New transformation project starting September 24th called The Little Black Dress Project!  

Check out the details and register here:

http://www.laurafortefitness.com/thelittleblackdressproject/

The weather is starting to cool off in St. Pete and the 5k races are getting close on the calendar.  If you have your sights set on a long distance endurance race, your first 5k, or even a light jog around your neighborhood, these tips can help you get there with less pain, increased endurance, and the motivation to keep going.

Running doesn’t have to be a chore, but it can definitely feel like one if you are using too much energy with improper running form. Use this list to get your body in perfect position from head to toe!

This is a photo taken from boot camp :)

Head:
Your head acts like a guide for the alignment and posture for the rest of your body. Allow your eyes to look ahead towards the horizon. As you get tired, you may be tempted to look at your feet and the ground, which can cause neck strain. By keep those eyes up so you will avoid neck strain.

Shoulders:
Keep your shoulders relaxed, low and loose. As you run, make it a point to pull your shoulders down and away from your ears. If you notice your shoulders and neck getting tight, shake your arms out to release tension. No hunching over because this will put extra pressure on your back.

Arms and Hands:
Your arms and hands play a bigger role in running than you think. When you run, bend elbows at a 90 degree angle and swing them forward and back, not across your body. Swinging across your body uses up energy, tires your muscles, and actually slows you down.

Your hands control the tension in your arms and upper body, so keep them relaxed. *Tip* Imagine carrying an egg in each hand to avoid clenching your hands.

Torso:
The ideal torso position is often described as “running tall.”  Do this by stretching yourself up to your full height with your back comfortably straight. If you do yoga, think mountain pose.

Do you experience lower back pain when running?  Alleviate this by engaging your abs while running.

Legs and Stride:
While ‘high knees’ are sometimes part of a bootcamp workout, they are not a part of distance running. :)  “Efficient endurance running requires just a slight knee lift, a quick leg turnover and a short stride” (Runner’s World). Your feet should land directly under your body. If your lower leg extends out in front of your body as it makes contact with the ground, your stride is too long.

Ankles and Feet:
Foot strike is a pretty controversial topic in endurance running (running heel to toe or landing mid-foot).  Safe bet: keep your footfalls as quiet as possible.

Motivation Tips:
1. Read running blogs so you can learn race strategies and stay motivated by others success stories.  The more tricks you can add to your own personal toolbox, the more successful and prepared you will be.

2. It is always great to have one (or more!) mantras to say to yourself to keep from turning around and going home. A great one is “Run your own race.” This should remind you to stick to your training, to focus on your body and your breath, and to only worry about where you are in the race, not everyone else.

3. When running a long race, dedicate one mile to a special person in your life. As you pass that mile marker, think about that person and the reasons they are in your life. This will oftentimes make you smile and forget about the ache in your calves, at least for a few minutes.

4. There are running programs on the internet to help you, especially if you are a beginner.  Try the app “Couch to 5k” on your smart phone.  You can also create your own running calendar and post it to keep you on track.

5. Proper running shoes are the most essential piece of equipment a runner should own. Head to your local running store and get fitted properly. The salespeople in these stores are experts in running, feet, shoe styles and biomechanics. You will be able to “test run” shoes in store. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions or mention previous injuries. They want you to love running, not just your shoes!

The more you run, the more you will learn the things that work best for you and your body. Find what gets you motivated and do those things consistently. For some, that means running with a group or their favorite four-legged friend. For others, running without tunes is torture. Whatever your preference, get out there and go for a run! :)

Katie O’s Transformation Tuesday Story

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Katie has been with us since Day 1 of boot camp!  I couldn’t be more happy to have Katie as part of our family.  Not only does she always ‘bring it’ in class, she is extremely encouraging to everyone in boot camp.  I’m not alone when I say I adore this girl and love the inspiration and determination she brings to the boot camp family.

Here is Katie’s story, as SHE tells it.

“Since I can remember I have struggled with my self-image. Growing up I was constantly comparing myself to my friends and wondering why I couldn’t look like them. I’ve spent countless hours looking into the mirror and nit-picking my arms, my breasts, my thighs and my stomach. I have a habit of grabbing fist-fulls of love handles and pouching out my gut, which always had the same result – a deep sigh of disappointment.

I generally would start off every week making a promise to myself that this would be the week I would commit to eating healthy and devout myself to a routine of exercise and every week started off exactly the same: One positive day, followed by a semi-decent day, followed by a day where I threw all caution to the wind and devoured whatever was in front of me. I found any excuse I could not to participate in my own creative plan to change and then would beat myself up over it after the fact.

Katie at boot camp

It wasn’t until I was getting frozen yogurt at a local shop last August that I came across a flyer for Bay View Boot Camp. In mauling over the flyer for a few days, I sat down at my computer and emailed Laura to find out more details. I attended my first class on August 15th and thought I was going to die. I still remember leaving the group in the middle of the workout and going into the bathroom where I was greeted by my lunch from earlier that day. While I was able to return to the group and finish the workout, I woke up the next morning feeling sore and defeated, making up my mind that boot camp just wasn’t for me. There was no way I could get used to feeling the way I did at that very moment and I was embarrassed that I couldn’t handle the hour long routine. I emailed Laura that evening and told her I didn’t think I would be making it to Wednesday’s class and she immediately responded by explaining the changes that were taking place in my body. My achy limbs were the result of years of toxin build up and I was encouraged to come to class to work through my soreness. There was a light at the end of the tunnel, but it was going to take some time to see it.

Katie finished her first Spartan 1,000!

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. I started attending classes 4-5 times a week, sometimes twice a day. I remember how wonderful it felt to cut down my run time by more than 2 minutes and the first time I ran a full mile since I was in grade school. My body started to take new shape and I came to appreciate what was happening to me on the outside, but more so was excited about the change that was happening within me.

Bay View Boot Camp gave me the motivation and determination I had been struggling to find all those of those years I was breaking promises to myself. Not only did I find an instructor who pushed me to new limits, but I found a group of friends who supported and believed in me.

I recently celebrated my year-long commitment to Bay View Boot Camp. For the first time in my life I followed through with something and could not be more proud of myself for my accomplishments. When I go shopping for clothes now I am able to purchase the things that I want. I no longer feel the need to wear cardigans with my tank tops to hide my lunch lady arms, or cover up my belly when going to the beach for fear of being harpooned. I have grown to be confident in my skin than and while I take great pride in knowing that the majority of that feeling comes from the devotion I made to my well-being, I owe Laura Forte and my fabulous boot camp peers a huge hand in my success.

While going to the gym proves to be helpful, nothing is as encouraging as having the accountability that Bay View Boot Camp offers its members. If I miss a class I instantly feel guilty, regardless of the circumstance. Knowing that others are relying on me to be there is a huge motivating factor and one that has helped me to stay committed throughout the past year.

Aside from that, Bay View Boot Camp is FUN and the people I have met through this experience are both amazing and inspiring. I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to see my peers continuously reach and exceed their goals. It is a feeling that makes me proud to be a part of something so moving and I encourage anyone to try Bay View Boot Camp and not fall in love with the challenge it offers you. I am so grateful for the experience that Laura has given me and am super excited to continue working towards reaching new heights in my future.”

We are so proud of you Katie!  Congratulations on your amazing achievements this past year.  Please leave Katie some encouragement and inspiration in the comments section below! :)

Transformation Tuesday: John’s Story

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Hi Everyone!  It is our next installment of Transformation Tuesday.  I am SO excited to share with you John’s story, as HE tells it.  John is such an inspiration to everyone (including myself) and is an awesome addition to our boot camp family.  He always gives 110% in class and is extremely supportive of everyone.  He joined us back in January, completely changed his lifestyle, and has been kicking butt ever since.  Here is John’s story.  Please make sure to congratulate and encourage him below. :)

“In December of 2011, a neighbor of mine (Teyka Steh) was telling me about her boot camp experience and was encouraging me to join. I had a gym membership but hadn’t used it in almost 2 years. After SEVERAL conversations and some convincing, I decided to join the Bay View Boot Camp Partner 6-week Challenge. She had told me all about the different exercises, how welcoming everyone was, and how inspirational and motivating Laura was.

On January 9 at 6 am (yep, 6 AM) my bootcamp experience began. I don’t remember exactly what we did that day, but I couldn’t walk on Tuesday. Instead of sleeping in on Wednesday, I crawled out of bed with parts of my body that I didn’t know existed aching and made my way back to Bay View Boot Camp for more ‘fun’ and I did it again on Friday! After class the following Monday, I texted Laura and told her I didn’t think I was going to be able to do this. I’m not sure why I thought I could lay around and eat whatever I wanted for 2 years and not exercise and be back in shape in 4 days, but I did!! Thankfully, she texted me back and encouraged me to stick with it and I’m so glad I did. Each day I got stronger and could run farther. As the days wore on, my clothes began to fall off of me, I felt better and people around me noticed and encouraged me to keep going.

In addition to exercising, Laura provided us with a meal plan. I think I ate more vegetables in those 6 weeks than I had in the previous 2 years combined. I drank green smoothies, ate protein bars, and drank tons of water. The meal plan did not allow for fast food, soda or french fries–this was huge for me because I ate fast food previously 3-4 times a week. The meal plan taught me more about portion control, introduced more fish into my diet, and taught me different ways to prepare vegetables–did you know that brussel sprouts can be delicious?! While I don’t follow every piece of the meal plan now, I have not had french fries or soda since January!

At the end of the 6 week challenge I had lost 20 pounds and went from a 38 waist to a 34. I’ve had more energy, have enjoyed life a lot more and have clothes that fit again!!

John's Before & After from the 6 Week Challenge

I’ve talked to several people about my experience and some questioned the cost, and said it was cheaper to belong to a gym. That is only true if you actually use it. You see, I did belong and stopped going. Nothing there motivated me. I knew I needed something different. I look at this as an investment in myself and my health. The long term effects of the way I was treating my body would have been far more costly than what I invest in at bootcamp and it’s a lot more fun.

If you’ve thought about doing this, give it a try. Laura provides a free week for you to see for yourself. The best things about bootcamp are how wonderfully respectful and supportive the other class members are, the fact that you are able to work at YOUR own pace, and honestly how terrific Laura is. She truly cares about each person and she does all she can to make sure that the program is tailored to work for you. Give it a try.”

Laura here – John – thank you SO much for sharing your story and inspiring others to make the lifestyle change like you did back in January.  If you are reading this story and it has inspired you to make a change, give me a call today so our next story can be about you.  Call me at 727.754.0111 or email me at laura@laurafortefitness.com.

Transformation Tuesday: Kim Gregory on her Boot Camp and Paleo Success

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We are starting a brand new series called Transformation Tuesday.  We have SO many amazing members in our Bay View Boot Camp family, and I wanted to share their stories with you to inspire, encourage, and motivate you to keep working towards your fitness and nutrition goals.

Our very first story comes from Kim Gregory, who started boot camp with us during a 21 Day Transformation Challenge.  She got hooked and has been coming consistently ever since!

Kim has a great story to tell and shows how she completely changed her lifestyle beginning with adopting a Paleo way of eating.  Now, she feels as strong as she did in high school and feels GREAT!

Please check out her story below and congratulate her on her success in the comments section below.

Here is Kim’s Story, as SHE tells it:

Jan. 1st was my ‘awakening’ of sorts. My blood pressure was spiking around 140/100. My Crohn’s was flaring out of control. My weight was the highest it had ever been and would stubbornly sit there no matter what I tried. My dad had just had another bout of heart attacks (on top of his high blood pressure, diabetes, etc…) which is something I wanted to steer clear of. After months, no YEARS, of waking up feeling bloated, headachy and with my stomach on fire and cramping, day in and day out, I knew enough was enough and I needed to make a change…. so that’s what I did!!

One of Kim's Paleo Creations: Cubano slow roasted pork with spicy slaw

My first action was to start eating whole foods as much as possible. I was raised on the theory, as we all were, that grains are good and low fat is better. I was eating almost ALL processed foods as that was (at least what I thought) what my stomach handled better. While I was looking for gluten/soy free recipes in the first month, I stumbled across the whole Paleo lifestyle and figured, why not?! I instantly began cutting ALL processed foods out of my diet, and never looked back. It took a while for my gut to settle down and start healing, but it did start to happen. I truly believe that the food we eat can be a magical drug to heal, or the poison that slowly kills us.

I was feeding my body as a whole and I started seeing the weight come off, along with a drastic drop in blood pressure, but I still felt I was missing something….fast forward to boot camp!! I remember seeing on a friend’s Facebook wall the link to the 21 Day Transformation Challenge and though now might be a great tine to start exercising. My weight had dropped some and I actually had energy for the first time in a long time, so the timing couldn’t have been any better!! I was very nervous as I had been a couch potato for so long, that I wasn’t sure if I could do it, much less like it….I really hate to exercise!! I took it one day at a time. It wasn’t easy (and still isn’t, lol), but it has become easier to embrace the burn as I have noticed great improvement in my strength, endurance and posture.

I embrace the motivation and guidance of my wonderful instructor, and look forward to the days I get to challenge myself to new levels. Every workout is different so you can never say it is boring. You work different muscles so even though you might get sore from a workout, you are not overly exerted. What I really love is if you are suffering from an injury, Laura always has an alternative to challenge you, but not cause any more discomfort. That is awesome!! So after the end of the challenge, I couldn’t wait to sign up for more! In the weeks I have been attending Bay View Boot Camp, I saw such a transformation in my body, I was shocked and giddy as hell!! Whats not to love about that?!? :)

In all, 2012 has been a process of turning over a new leaf. On Jan 1st I weighed 147 lbs, no muscle….I now weigh 127 lbs and feel as strong as I did in high school! My blood pressure is a normal 120/80, and my gut feels great! I am happy to say, that not only do I LOVE working out now, but I actually anticipate the time I get to push myself. This has not been a ‘fast’ change, nor has it been easy…. it is not a gimmicky fad/diet, it is a changed way of seeing food, the world and yourself! It is amazing to truly feel and know the good you are doing for your body. My transformation is nowhere near over, but at least I know I have set up a great foundation!

Thank you Laura and all my bootcamp buddies for encouragement, positive vibe and helping to make this one of the greatest things I have done for myself. Yes, MYself, no one else, because if you’re doing it for someone else, you probably won’t be doing it long!!!! Peace.

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