Spotlighted for the month of July is a super special treat, Yapi! We are so lucky to have such an upbeat and enthusiastic spirit in our boot camp family. Here’s Yapi’s Transformation story.. in her own words!

What was your life like pre-boot camp?

I have always taken care of my eating habits… I moved from NJ in 2012 where I was going to a gym, but when I came down here I wasn’t doing too much.  I started to feel the need to tone my muscles (that’s always been my concern).  I felt disappointed with myself because I was not able to find that place or group that motivates me to do something.

What made you decide to sign up?

Two things were very important:
1. I’m from Colombia, a country where women push themselves for nice bodies, we like to look fit and beautiful all the time…. we do that to feel great, especially with ourselves. I didn’t want to be just a skinny woman but a good looking one.

2. I used to ride my bike at the park and I saw Laura and the group having so much fun …. and I though this could be perfect for me…. I can do this!!

What do you love most about this lifestyle?
I love the fact that we can do everything at our own pace. I love outdoor life and the bootcamp setting is fantastic not only for delighting my eyes but for my mental health…. I feel very relaxed while trying to tone by body. It’s absolutely fantastic… I feel released from the rest of the world and I love the world but sometimes I want to be just me…

What has been your results/experiences from boot camp/eating better?

I’m going to say these not from my own thinking, but for what others around me have said to me:

“Nice and toned arms, abs and legs…. I don’t look my age…. I look happier than ever before…”

The routines we do help us to build muscle, lose that fat we don’t need and transform our bodies into something we can admire when looking ourselves in the mirror. Since then I feel stronger, healthier and younger… :)

What is your motto/advice for others who were in a similar situation to yourself?

I would say that don’t be content with just being a skinny person … have the courage to let your muscles come out and let them make you a stronger person and that can only be done by working out by conviction and doing it with dedication…. And loving yourself is the key to take that decision.

Thank you Yapi for sharing your beautiful story!  You are beautiful inside and out and we are so lucky to have you a part of our Bay View family.  I love that your inspiration to your training first comes from loving yourself.  Thank you for sharing this with us!

Transformation Tuesday today – and I am super excited to share this story because I absolutely ADORE this girl!  The best way I could describe Tara is that she is a positive, shining person and has a heart of gold.  We are so thankful she is a part of the Bay View family, and honored to share her ‘Transformation Tuesday’ story with you today.

Here’s Tara, in her own words:

“I’ve always considered myself an active person but I’ve always struggled to feel confident in my body. I enjoyed being active and eating healthy but still never felt like it was enough. Approximately 8 years ago, I started adding some running intervals in my daily walks, then quickly caught the running bug. I signed up for several races and kept increasing my distances, so running has been my main workout ever since. I’ve been fortunate enough to finish 2 marathons, a few triathlons and many running races, yet I still felt like I wanted to do more.

In 2012, while living in Minnesota, I joined a gym and started going to several group fitness classes, which I grew to love. While I loved these classes, I tried to blend in (i.e. hide) in the back corner of the classroom, but I developed some great friendships with people that I met through these classes.

Last summer, I moved to Florida and one of my biggest fears was how I’d be able to develop the same types of friendships that I experienced at my gym in Minnesota. As part of my training for a triathlon, I found the North Shore Pool where I’d go for a swim workout, then transition to a run along the waterfront.

Several times while running, I saw the Bay View Boot Camp group working out and thought it looked like a great group and an amazing place to work out – outside and right by the water! I was too shy to just show up, so I found Bay View Boot Camp on Facebook and started following the posts there. When I saw a post about the Little Black Dress Challenge, I thought it looked like a perfect opportunity to take the plunge. After speaking with Laura on the phone, I couldn’t wait to get started!

I wasn’t so sure about all the goal setting but I wanted to get the most out of the experience, so I wrote my goals and anxiously awaited the opportunity to get started, although Hurricane Irma forced me to wait one more week. I knew after the first day that I wanted to join the group as a long-term member. In those first 30 days, I further realized how important clean eating was, along with the challenging workouts.

Throughout this challenge, I gained personal confidence that I’ve never had before. The daily coaching and inspiration from Laura also motivated me to seek more satisfaction in my work life, and made me want to find something related to health and nutrition, to go along with my increased passion for health and wellness.

Of course I also had weight loss goals and I’m happy to say I’ve lost 12 pounds and at the same time found some muscles I didn’t know I had.

In addition, my family and friends have commented that I’m looking healthy, happy and confident which gives me even more confidence. Also, as an added bonus, I’m finding that boot camp is helping me with my running. I recently did a half marathon and set a new personal record, beating my previous best time by 5 minutes.

I still look forward to every boot camp session and now I’m not afraid to be in the front row. My advice for others is to stretch beyond your comfort zone, you’ll probably be surprised at the results. Remind yourself that it’s safe to try – what’s the worst that can happen? One saying that I saw on social media years ago and still motivates me is: “I regret that workout … said no one EVER.”

Thank you SO much Tara for sharing your story!!  I think every single one of us can relate to the fear of trying something new, and also moving to a new place with new faces.  We absolutely LOVE having you in the Bay View Boot Camp family and couldn’t imagine it without you!  Congratulations on your great success!