Picture this … September-ish 2007 … small kitchen on the NW side of town … one overweight woman … depressed … eating and watching TV. Sad but true … that was me … my name is Susan. Nothing exciting but all to true that this scene plays out over and over again. I was hitting rock bottom fast.

I knew I needed to do something. My health was deteriorating and my life was miserable. In the back of my mind I knew I needed to move. I did eat a lot but for the most part it wasn’t that bad. I was supposed to be watching my cholesterol, wasn’t I?

Well when you are as overweight as I was it was a lot easier to think about moving than actually moving. I hated the thought of going to a gym. Because when I use to go I could remember the trainers focus their attention on the young and cute not the old and certainly overweight. (Hey I was not that old but I was certainly that overweight.)

I can clearly remember that Sunday afternoon, why, because it was the afternoon that I first came to know about Boot Camps To Go (BCTG). This program came on the local access channel that featured different fitness programs around Tallahassee. I sat there eating my sandwich and watching the program and I remember getting excited thinking I could do this. It didn’t look or feel like your typical gym. They interviewed Laurel and she didn’t give off the vibe of only looking for the already fit to train but really appeared sincere and wanted folks of all fitness levels to come and try out the program. I took down the web information with the intent of looking at the program in more detail later.

Later that evening I pulled up the web site and as I explored I got even more excited. But reality set in and I started to doubt that I could really do it. So I booked marked the web site and went on about my business.

A while later I went back to the web site. I found their email address and sent my first email. It read, “I really need help. …. I feel stuck in my own skin. I’ve tried many of the diets out there … I need to move. I don’t like gym’s. They are for the young and skinny.
My blood pressure is normal, with medication. My cholesterol is below 200, my tri’s are high. I’m taking fish oil for that. (Dr.’s advice.) My Doctor tells me to move, move, move. I just can’t find the program that I feel comfortable in.
Then I saw a television show Sunday afternoon featuring your program. I liked what I saw. All ages, all body types, doing lots of different activities. I’ve been to your web site several times and still like what I see.
After your October boot camp, when will you start the next one again? I would be very interested.”

My first cry for help was answered from Laurel. She said, “Our next one will start the week of Nov. 12th. If you are serious about getting that weight off, then you need to get moving now and build up some endurance.

Start walking for 15-20 minutes. Do that a few times a week or more. Then just work on walking faster. In boot camp, we are going to have you doing some jogging, even if it’s only a few feet at a time.
Forget the diets. Work on portion control for now. Look on boxes, packages etc and see what a serving size is supposed to be and then measure it out. Try and eat a small meal with a portion of protein and carbs evey 3 hours, or think of eating 3 balanced meals a day with 2 healthy snacks.
I’ve enclosed some information for you to help you get started.
Let me know if I can help you further.”

After several emails later, I was registered. This is the picture I’m using as my before picture. It was taken October 25, 2007. I started Boot Camp November 13, 2007.

So I started Boot Camp. My very first night I thought I was gonna die. I fell just trying to do a simple lunge. Afterwards I couldn’t catch my breath until I was home. And SORE doesn’t even cut it. I couldn’t move without some muscle screaming in pain. BUT I hung in there. Week after week, month after month, I hung in there.

I absolutely fell in love with working out. Laurel said once that your muscle has memory. My muscles began to remember what it was like to run and play and get that stitch in your side from laugh and playing too hard. It was an awesome feeling and it still is.

One of the trainers encouraged me to set goals. So my first goal was to get through the first month. Once that was accomplished (yea! I accomplished something) I set my second goal, to get through three months. I did that. My next goal was six months, I did that. Then one year. You already know I did that.

My health was improving tremendously. I was able to stop taking all of the medications I was on. My weight was slowly coming off. I was getting into better shape. When I started I couldn’t run out of the parking lot, now I can run a full mile with out stopping. It’s still slow but I can do it!

October of 2008 BCTG had their 3rd year anniversary. My goal was to just finish the work out they had scheduled for that morning. It was hard. BUT, again with encouragement for Mike, I accomplished another goal, I finished it. I did a one mile walk/run, 300 squats, 200 push-ups, 100 pull-ups (modified of course) with another one mile walk/run at the end.

My next goal it to finish my second year this coming November. I’ve learned not to focus on weight loss but size loss. My clothes are getting bigger and bigger and I’m get smaller and smaller. I still have a long way to go but I am sure I will get there.

Though out this past year I’m become more active all the way around. I go biking, up to 20 miles now in one shot on the bike trial. I’ve done some off road biking. Which was thrilling in it’s own right. I have started rock wall climbing, which has become a favorite of mine.

AND the other clients are some of the best people I’ve been privileged to get to know here in Tallahassee. All back grounds, all ages, all differences, all with one common goal, to get healthy. The encouragement I’ve received from them has been the best! And several have become great friends of mine.

There has been times I wanted to give up. I wanted to quit. BUT I didn’t. I’ve hung in there though the ups and downs, and through the pain. Now I’ve got to endure another hurdle. Now I have a health issue that is going to take a few weeks away from working out. But, I’ll get through this too.

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