Wow, what an amazing effort for our Contestants for the 6 week Couple's Transformation where teamed up with Dress for Success Tampa Bay as a clothing drive. It was a HUGE Success!
Not Only did we Filled Suzanne's Neff (Board of Directors member for Dress for Sucsess)
I learn so much myself from my clients stories. They are all amazing people! I am blessed to have them a part of the Get A Grip Family,
Nanette is no exception! She will talk below about her first day and you'll see why I might question her coming back. BUT, she did and she has done amazing! She has a great figure, so as the lbs, and inches have been melting off, she really has shaped up and looks fabulous! Her endurance and strength have improved tremendously as well. I am SO proud of her and her accomplishments. I am excited to see what is in store for her next as there WILL be more! She gives a capital letter to the word "Determination!"
Here is her story…
I have tried many things to try to stay in shape. I have had gym memberships, in-home equipment, and countless exercise DVDs. I always said I had exercise ADD(attention deficit disorder). When I got bored I would buy something else to try. Apparently, none of that really worked.
Aside from that, I am a belly-dancer, teach beginner students and I am a member of the performance troupe & professional troupe at a local studio. I have lost some weight over the last few years but nothing really got me to where I wanted to be. I found Carrie on the Meet-up site. I signed up because I was really interested in learning more about the kettlebell. I had heard that it was very effective.
So, April 5th of this year I went to my first boot camp class. It took about 15 minutes for me to realize just how out of shape I was! Much to my surprise, the more I pushed through the better I felt. After my first class, I thought well … I did it… it wasn't pretty but I survived! I felt a huge sense of accomplishment just finishing the class. I think I took a 3 hour nap that day after that first class. But, I felt great and wanted more.
So, I met with Carrie and decided to sign up for the 3 week belly blast. I was very excited to see that she provides nutritional support, shopping lists, recipes and a meal plan in connection with the boot camp classes. I followed the plan very diligently and came to 3 boot camp classes a week, along with my three belly dance classes per week.
In no time I was getting comments from people at work wondering what I was doing. I thought wow, this must be working. After my 3 weeks was up, Carrie advised me just how much my hard work paid off. I had lost 12 inches off my body, 3% body fat and gained 7 lbs of lean muscle. Amazing!!! I had not accomplished that in 3 years with any of my other attempts at fitness. Lets just say I was pretty satisfied with my results. I signed up for more.
One of the biggest goals I had for myself when I signed up was to really get fit. I wanted to be stronger and to have better stamina . I wanted to get in the best shape of my life.
I thought it was going to be a lot harder for me, since I have had a few injuries in the past. Knee issues, surgery, bulged discs in my lower back. I just modified (and still do at times) until I got strong enough to do the exercises the regular way.
In the "Dress for Success" contest, I had to run a mile. I had always struggled with running. Even when I was in high school- I was always the last one to finish and I walked most of it. So, I thought here I go again…bringing up the rear. But, realizing that I am not the same person as I was back then- I pushed myself and made it through the run only stopping to walk a couple times. I finished with what I thought was a decent time since I hadn't run in 25 years. When the contest final came I was excited to run the mile. As I started the run, I kept thinking just keep going, don't stop. Before I knew it I had run the entire mile without stopping. The first time EVER in my entire life! Turns out I cut 1 minute and 50 seconds off my first time!!! If you had told me 6 months ago I would be running a mile, I wouldn't have believed you.
Looking back, makes me realize that I am my only competition. I am the only one that can put limits on my future. My success at boot camp has blossomed into inspiration of others in my life. I didn't set out to help anyone but myself. However, I am very pleased to see that my success is influencing my family, friends,& co-workers to make wiser choices, and take time to take care of themselves.
Being fit has many positive side-effects….. Thanks Carrie!!!!!!
The 4th of July is a great time to celebrate the GREAT Country we live in with your family and friends.
Most people will be celebrating at picnics and parties where you'll likely be surrounded by high fat foods, drinks, and desserts.
Let's face it – Foods laced in a ton of FAT and SUGAR! Not exactly the best environment for those trying to lose weight and stick to a healthy diet. As we know, moderation is key.Here are a few EXTRA TIPS that will help you cut calories, yet give you the satisfaction of not having to deprive yourself!
1. Skip the hot dog and have a grass-fed hamburger instead.
2. Grill chicken breast with a NEW seasoning or marinade.
3. Skip the bread with your burger (or at least make a better choice by having a whole grain bun.)
4. Skip potato chips and choose veggies and hummus or guacamole dip.
5. If you have to have chips, choose organic blue tortilla chips instead (with salsa of course!).
6. Skip high sugar desserts and make a dish of Greek yogurt with fresh strawberries and blueberries, hence the red, white, and blue theme.
7. Skip the deep-fried fries or mashed potatoes and make a sweet potato dish.
8. Make your potato salad with mustard instead of mayo.
9. Make a fresh salad with a ton of veggies and put the dressing in there lightly – oil and vinegar or balsamic vinaigrette. NO cream dressings.
10. Use smaller plates! Have big portions of healthy items and smaller of not-so-healthy.
11. Don't hang out near the food table!
12. Drink light beer, red wine, and skip anything with soda! Make a pact with yourself to have a glass of water in between each drink.
13. Bring a healthy dish YOU like and don't go hungry.
14. If you're having the party, eat a little prior (healthy foods) so you don't splurge once everything is out.
15. Send leftovers home with everyone else!
Use these tips to help you stay on track!
Wishing you and your family a Happy & Safe 4th of July!
Today we are spotlighting one of my favorites…Deb Zecchini. I knew she would have a great story, where many people can relate. She has done some MAJOR improvements in Brandon's Boot Camp and she inspires others as well. She just turned 40 and it's taken her close to 10 years to get on the track (she so desired) and WORKED VERY HARD for it! Well, today when you look at her, her determination and dedication SHOWS, no question! She should be very proud of herself as I know I am.
Here is her personal story…
When I was 29 years old my grandma was dying of heart disease (my only living grandparent) and watching this process made me take a look at my life. Here I was a single parent of a 9 year girl, a pack a day smoker and I weighed 205 pounds (close to what I weighed at 9 months pregnant). I wasn’t exercising at all and I was eating everything and anything I wanted. I started to wonder who would take care of Nicole if I were to die at a young age……MY WAKE UP CALL!
I decided I needed to be a role model for my very impressionable daughter. I quit smoking after 15 years of having the bad habit; I started to look at what I was eating and what I was feeding my child. Things didn’t change overnight but they did change. I started to exercise and got outside to play with Nicole more; I had a ton more energy. When I hit my 1 year anniversary of not smoking; I celebrated by starting to run. This was amazing….the pounds started falling off me! Over the next 6 months I dropped 45 pounds and felt so great.
Over the last 10 years I have been able to keep the 45 pounds off by running 3-4 times a week and watching what I eat. Last year when I turned 39 years old I set a goal of wanting to run a ½ marathon before I turned 40. I knew I needed some help to build my core so I joined a gym and started working with a personal trainer. This was very expensive so I could only go twice a week. I went for a few months and saw very little improvement in my running & fitness levels so I stopped going and decided to try things on my own again. I’ve purchased exercise balls, DVD’s & every fitness magazine there is….but I was lacking the drive to do this on my own. Right before the holidays I saw a Groupon for a month of Boot Camp in Brandon for an amazing price. I decided this was a great Christmas present for Nicole and something we could do together. I was so excited but now I had to wait until Christmas to give this to her.
The week before we went to our first Boot Camp class I was diagnosed with tendonitis/bursitis in my right shoulder. The doctor told me it was part of getting old and that I needed to build-up the surrounding muscles to feel any relief of pain. He said it was possible that it may never get better and I’ll have to have surgery. I was also told not to do any pushing exercising with my shoulders….I could do all the pulling exercises I wanted but NO PUSHING! I wasn’t sure what to expect in the class but decided I was going no matter what the doctor said. On January 17, 2011 Nicole & I attended our 1st Get a Grip Total Fitness Boot Camp class with Carrie. It was a tough class and Nicole and I both left there tired & sore but very pumped up……. I was hooked. I knew that day I would join once my month was up. My shoulder continued to hurt for the first few weeks and then slowly it got stronger and now the pain is completely gone. I also used to experience waking with lower back pain each morning and now that my back is stronger I no longer have any pain there either.
I turned 40 in May and did not complete my goal of running a ½ marathon but I did run the Gasparilla 15k this year and I’m signed up to run the Women’s ½ Marathon in St. Pete in November…so wish me luck! Thank you Carrie for all your motivation and support; I love your classes. Thank you to all the other members who get up for boot camp at the crack of dawn to exercise with me….you are all such an inspiration and you encourage me by your determination and drive.
Here is her before and after:
Deb Now:
Kim came to me, with much determination! She gave over 100% the first day she attend, hence the comment she makes in her story. She was like a sponge soaking everything up and she listened so well; “The perfect student.” I was and still am truly amazed at her form of the exercises and her abilities. Results came fast for her, since she made the commitment, showed up for classes, and gave it her all every time. With no real prior experience she sure does make it look like she has done it for a LONG time! I am very proud of her and her accomplishments. I can’t wait to see what she does next. She is definitely a favorite of mine.
Here is her story…
I love to eat delicious food! After I turned 40 though, I noticed that I was growing….
at 5'1" growing taller would have been delightful, but unfortunately it was in another direction,
I was growing in places that I had no desire to grow.
A friend of mine had signed on with Carrie for a bootcamp, and I thought it was something that I should try as well. It was a workout like nothing I had ever experienced before. I had gained weight in my past, 50lbs with both pregnancies and it took a year both times to lose the weight. If I had known Carrie then, that would not have been the case.
I only knew stair-steppers and treadmills, brisk walks, and the like. She taught me different.
I was so sore after my first workout with Carrie, I could hardly move. She told me, "Now no matter how sore you are, you come back, trust me". I did. And she was right! Exercising relieved my soreness.
Carrie taught me how to work out.
For the first time in my life, I was learning how to exercise the correct way. With her support and encouraging words, I stuck with it and started noticing fast results. Not just weight, but inches came off and in all the right places. I was stronger and leaner. She made me want to eat more healthfully. I was hooked!
I love it now! When I'm unable to attend, I miss it! I have more energy to enjoy life!
I used to be the typical mom on the sidelines watching my children, and now at 42, I'm in the best shape I've probably ever been.
I practiced running with my son when he had track. I play tennis now with my kids and husband.
I even just ran in my first 5K with my daughter and we crossed the finish line together holding hands.
My husband likes the results as well – heehee;)
Carrie is so inspiring to me and has helped me to have more confidence in myself! I admit I'm a little addicted to her workouts now, and I see no stopping point in sight, because she not only has helped me reach my 'get in better shape' goal, I know she'll motivate me in my next goal to stay that way.
Carrie has motivated & helped me to think of the future as not what I won't be able to do as I age,
but what will be next thing in my future that I can accomplish!
Thank you Carrie for everything you've taught me, and thanks for continuing to inspire me!
