Growing up, I played a variety of sports. I was one of those hyperactive, rambunctious kids who was always exploring and getting into trouble. I started out playing baseball, soccer and tennis until about age 10, when I took on skateboarding and surfing.
Because of my love of sports and high activity level, having an athletic fit body came natural to me and that continued . . . up until recently. At 35, I found myself returning to school for another degree, teaching at 3 colleges, starting up a new business, owning a dog, engaged and moving into a new house.
Life began cutting into what used to be my physical fun time. Add to my busy schedule the fact that I was eating out more, sleeping less and the stress levels were higher than ever. Before, I saw exercise as something I did for pleasure; now, I barely had time to get in a full workout. My athletic physique and all of the benefits that go along with it were beginning to slip away.
In the spring of 2009, I noticed I was putting on a few pounds. I could not complete my normal swimming routine and my board shorts were way too snug. I kept willing myself to make time to run, skateboard, or play tennis, but it just didn’t happen.
The turning point was last Thanksgiving. My dad commented that I had “put on a few pounds.” At first, I just thought he was giving me a hard time, but when my Mom sent pictures, I was shocked to see my face was round and my mid section . . . lets just say it was very disappointing! I did a serious reality check and noticed all of the shirts in my closet were now large instead of medium and my pants crept up from a 30 to a 34. I decided to do something drastic and find a way to be held accountable for my actions.
I called Kelli Calabrese of Argyle Adventure Boot Camp and told her I was willing, as the coach of the men’s Argyle Boot Camp program, to put myself on the line and publically commit to making a change. My goal is to lose 30 lbs in 6 months, fit into my size 30 board shorts and run a full marathon in May. I wanted to show everyone that even athletes can get distracted and let the physiques slip, but they can get back on track too!
The hardest thing for me is eating healthy food. If I wait until I am hungry I won’t make the best choice or have it available to me. I now take 5 – 10 minutes to plan my meals each night before I go to bed. That might mean putting a 4 oz. bag of Turkey jerky in a small cooler with G2 or a protein drink to have in between meals throughout the day.
I used to say things like, “I don’t have the time to cook, shop or prepare food”. Now I find myself having positive self-talk and making my personal daily goals a must. When I make things a must, it creates internal motivation to accomplish the task and things seem naturally easier rather than a struggle.
The great news is that in the last 7 weeks I am down 10 pounds and 8.25 inches off of my chest, waist, hips, thighs and arms. When your efforts pay off it makes it even easier to make healthier choices. Kelli Calabrese once said being healthy becomes effortless when you don’t view it as discipline, but devotion.
Getting back into peak condition can seem difficult given the demanding schedule I keep, but with Argyle Boot Camp being at 5:30 AM, there are no excuses. For many of the workouts, I will jump in with the guys and participate as I coach them. It motivates them and me. It raises everyone’s expectations to achieve results and it feels great when you do.
I have been a Certified Boot Camp Instructor in Argyle for the past two years and have enjoyed every bit of it. One of the many great things about Argyle Boot Camp is the camaraderie. The success of the guys in camp has a lot do to with the friendship, friendly competitions, and the accountability. Each of us truly enjoys the company of the others and you can always count on laugher each morning.
I have truly been blessed to have met and been associated with such a great program that I strongly encourage everyone to come check it out. Regardless of your current physical shape, there are guys (and women) of all fitness levels and we would love to have you join us to help you feel good about yourself. I have a varied athletic background and am always changing up the exercises to ensure the workouts are never boring. I believe in my heart that the Argyle Boot Camp is a phenomenal program for men and women and I personally look forward to helping others meet their goals this year.
Accountability is paramount to staying motivated and consistent in your workouts. You are guaranteed to increase endurance and physical stamina. I get the pleasure of watching the pounds come off and the waist sizes getting smaller. We are always pushing each other to be a little faster, stronger, and tougher each morning. I use interval training and Tabata Intervals which forces the guys to push themselves beyond their comfort zone and in the long-run, get the results we all want … lean, strong fit bodies.
For the men and women interested in Argyle Adventure Boot Camp, go to www.ArgyleBootCamp.com or contact coach Kelli Calabrese to find out why it’s voted ‘Best Place to Workout in Denton County’ 3 years in a row. [email protected] 817-490-1296
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