Posted by Roger, a contributor to this blog.
My dad, mom and me in 1984, before my big move away.
Hi all. It has been a long time since I posted anything but, believe me, it hasn’t been for lack of trying. Unfortunately, as life unfolds, one finds that events sometimes happen that knock you for a loop. Even when not totally unexpected these events can leave you in a dark place. That’s where I’ve been and now I’m pulling myself out.
At the age of 48 I’m in the best shape of my life. Let me tell you how I was able to make that happen. Growing up I was fairly thin, then when I turned 18 life got in the way. Late in my 30s I was at my highest weight ever and knew I needed to make some changes. I was overweight, unhappy and had no energy.
Donna Before
Early in my 40s I was able to lose 50 lbs by changing my eating habits. Most of the changes were the basic ones that Dustin recommends. I was eating more veggies & fruit, less processed foods and tracking what I ate. I also started working out . I did some strength training but the heaviest dumbbells I had were 10 lbs. My cardio consisted of walking occasionally, an elliptical machine and riding my bike 12-18 miles a week. With these changes I went from a size 18 to a size 6. Continue Reading →
I received a great email from a client so instead of just writing her back, I decided to make a video and ask my buddy drew to chime in and give his unique perspective on the situation.
If you haven’t checked out Drew’s amazing juicing information, click here to learn from the best when it comes to juicing fruits and vegetables.
Drew focuses on high end coaching where he will come to your house and live with you for a couple days and keep tabs on you for a 6 month body transformation. As you can tell he focuses heavily on the mindset and nutrition. The fee for this service is $25,000, if you are interest, leave a comment in the section below and I can forward that to Drew.
Sarah After MamaTone with her boyfriend Nate
Today’s transformation is a very special one for me. For many of you living in WI, you know Sarah Carlson as the news anchor for NBC. I have been fortunate enough to know her also as a good friend. Sarah is responsible for hundreds if not thousands of you reading this blog, and taking my classes. Sarah was the first person to give me a chance on TV, and I am so grateful for that. Sarah has gone through hell the past couple years, but has overcome and endured. Not only has she lost close to 25 lbs, she has lost about 6 inches off her waist! She came to me about 3 years ago frustrated that after 9 months post partum, the weight and the belly fat was just not going anywhere. I started training her and we focused more attention on the weight training and less on the cardio. I will admit though, Sarah still loves to run 5-10 miles 3-4 times per week, but she has been extremely consistent with her weight training, and at 113 lbs is one of my stronger clients. She also has a pretty impressive stomach, especially from what is was like just a couple years ago.
Here is her story in her words:
Sarah Before
I could bore people to death explaining the list of “things to do” on my desk at home today. Short term disability, health insurance, doctor’s appointments, school registration… it never ends! One thing I refuse to take off my list, though, is exercise. It’s true I would get more done if I didn’t take an hour or so out of every day to work out. But it’s one of the reasons I’m surviving the stress of a soap opera life and health problems. Continue Reading →
Ahhh the topic of kids. As a 27 year-old with no kids, I’m certainly not an expert in this area. Besides teaching some gym classes and giving high fives to kids who come with their moms to Mamatone, I don’t have much interaction.
So this post is more of an open discussion than expert advice.
I have learned some from hundreds of conversations I have had with moms regarding their kids and the challenges they face to get their kids to eat healthy and get moving. Kids are obviously highly impressionable and watch what you and those around you are doing. So if you want to raise healthy fit kids, you must lead by example. How can you expect them to want to be active, if they see you on the couch watching 2 hours of TV every night? How can they expect to not crave fast food, when you are taking them to McDonalds every time you are out and about? How are your kids suppose to eat fruits and vegetables, if you don’t have them readily available and if you don’t eat them in front of your kids?
A couple days ago I put on a bootcamp for about 100 first-graders. The kids were awesome and so excited and I couldn’t keep them from wanting to run around and exercise. There was about 98% participation and all the kids left very sweaty. We talked about the importance of exercise and all the kids were very passionate about it. I asked the kids what were some bad foods and the kids listed off lots of sugary and fatty processed foods. I then asked what are some healthy foods and they mostly listed fruits and vegetables. My favorite answer came from a little boy, he said, “wild caught fish.” Somebody is teaching that boy right! 
The kids seemed very well informed and understand good from the bad. Continue Reading →
While traveling in AZ, I wanted to get a quick workout in to counter act the 4 days of sitting through a conference. My friend Maria Andros shows you the workout that we had just done.
Do each exercise for 10-12 reps and 2 sets of each, alternating between an upperbody and lowerbody exercise.
The exercises we did were:
-Push up rows
-Squat to shoulder press
-Lunge to bicep curl
-Bent Row
-Single leg deadlift
I hope you enjoyed this short but intense fat burning workout!
Don’t ask me how I found this video that was from the 1980′s, but it is one of the neatest videos I have ever come across. It really shows the power of community and the power of supporting one another for a common cause. After watching the video I have some thoughts on how it pertains to you, and then please add your comment in the section below.
The past year has really shown me the power of numbers and the power of people coming together for a common cause. Thinking back to 9/11 and how America, and in particular NYC, pulled together and took care and supported one another, is a true testament of what can be done and accomplished when we are all reaching for a common goal. The opposite can be true, and we don’t have to look any further than the political mess we have going on right now. The politicians don’t have similar goals and agendas and therefore are doing very little in the way of positive change.
So what does this have to do with you, and your fitness? I have talked plenty of times before about the importance, dare I say necessity, of a strong support group. Not building a support group around you is like what it talks about in the Bible regarding building a house on the sand. The house will stay standing as long as the conditions are perfect, but the moment that the wind starts to blow and the waves start crashing over, the home will be destroyed. Same goes with your health. If you were in a perfect environment all day that promoted healthy behavior, life would be pretty easy. Just look at how successful those who are at the Biggest Loser ranch. But what happens when you get a divorce, or get diagnosed with cancer, or your kid breaks his arm, or your husband loses his job? In times of struggle, is when the community you have created around you becomes so important.
In the past year I have really shifted my day to day life. If you saw me about a year ago, I would have been in the gym training clients close to 40 hours per week. Now I train about 16, 45 minute sessions per week and spend about 5 hours per day on the phone, on skype, or on the computer doing interviews and connecting with people. I realized awhile ago that I am only one person who can do so much, but if I share a common goal or message with others, they can get behind it and create excitement that they share with their friends. The ripple effect can spread quickly and before we know it, we have built strong communities of people seeking a common goal.
That is why my upcoming book ends with a couple chapters on building your own support group, and why I feel so passionately about creating as many Fit Moms For Life community groups around the world as possible.
I am tired of seeing America turned into the place where unhealthy communities dominate the landscape. I hope this is a rally call for all of you to take responsibility and get involved in your communities to help those around you live the healthiest, and happiest life possible.
I was in Napa Valley with many New York Times bestselling authors and one person that I got to know a little bit was an amazing young guy named Kyle Maynard. I had heard of him before and seen some of his youtube videos and was so inspired by the way he lived his life. If we lived our lives like Kyle does, what couldn’t we do?
I had a couple interesting interactions with Kyle. The first one was in a big castle and we were walking and talking and he was wheeling himself around in the wheel chair and we get to a huge set of rock stairs. I immediately began to look for someone to help me carry him and his wheelchair down. As I was looking around for help, Kyle just jumps out of his chair and asks me to carry the chair down. Kyle starts hopping down the stairs and a very fast rate and beats me down to the bottom. Amazing!
Next interaction was at breakfast. I hadn’t seen the video you are about to watch and didn’t know how well he could use his upperbody. So I though I might have to help him eat. Heck no… He grabs his fork and begins to gracefully eat his eggs, balancing huge fork full of food and bringing it to his mouth with precision. I was a little concerned about him trying to drink his juice that the waiter had filled to the brim, but once again his control and stability was better than most people with arms and hands.
Besides his amazing adaptations, Kyle is one of the humblest and kindest men I have met, a guy you would just love to spend time with and hang out with. I hope to get to spend more time with Kyle in the future.
Kyle has more books in the works, but his next big project is to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. At 19,000 plus feet this is an incredibly challenging task for anyone. But someone with no arms and no legs, most would say impossible. But I wouldn’t bet against Kyle reaching the top. In fact, I expect him to reach the top, because Kyle won’t quit.
How are you at giving 100% and not quitting? My challenge to myself and to you is to have a no quit attitude for your life and just see what you can achieve.
Hi, This is Kim, one of Dustin’s contributors. This fall starts my third year doing Dustin’s programs. I’ve been doing the Fit Moms for Life dvd series for two years. I supplement that with the Buns, Guns, Shoulders and Back dvd. I also like to run a few times a week. I just completed one year of being a Fit Moms For Life group leader in ND and my husband is a nutrition guru. Basically, I have access to alot of information on fitness and nutrition. Sometimes, the biggest obstacle is using it.
I get countless emails each day asking for advice on many different topics. I try to answer as many as I can or have one of my assistants answer. I received this from a frustrated mom. After reading it, I decided I am not the most qualified to answer it, since I don’t have kids. This is a very sensitive and challenging topic. So please read the email below from the mom and then comment using the facebook comment box or the blog comment box below the facebook comments to help this mom out.
Our community here, has had so many experiences that can help others out, please share your advice.
Here was her email…
This past spring, the public health nurse visited my daughter and son’s elementary school to do basic health assessments of the students. The typical sorts of things like vision and hearing testing as well as weight and BMI. Reports were sent home for each child. I was not surprised to find that my wonderful daughter was classed as “overweight.” My husband and I felt that it would be harmful to her to have her see the report, so we threw it away and worked together on how best to help her. We sat together that night and talked about what we noticed about her eating habits and activity level as well as assessing our own habits. We concluded that although she’s an active girl—she played volleyball and ran on the middle school track team, she also spends too much time in front of the TV in her down times and has an incredible sweet tooth. While she’s watching, she’s also eating. If there’s any sweets or easy food in the house, like cereal and milk, it goes down the hatch. She’ll consume an entire box of cereal in 2 or 3 days. We know we tend to snack in front of the TV as well and were drinking WAAAYYYY too much soda. That was not setting a great example so we made a plan to alter our food consumption for the entire family so our daughter would not feel singled out.
She noticed right away that we were being pickier about portion sizes—please read the portion size on the cereal box and don’t pour an enormous bowlful—and offering veggies and fruit for snacks and saying that a run to the bakery for doughnuts was not a wise food choice. While we stressed that this was for everyone’s good, our girl, who tends to take everything personally, said that we were denying her her sweets because we thought she was fat. This came out on the occasion that we found the sugar shaker in her room and were wondering what it was doing there, and feeling persecuted she blurted out the very word we were trying so hard to avoid. In trying to explain our concern, I made things worse and now here we are. Every time a food decision is made or we offer this great kid an alternative, she gets upset and says we’re only concerned because we think she’s fat.
Is there anyone out there who has had to help a child lose weight? What troubles did you run into? How did you overcome them? How, with a young woman of 11, do you convince her that you don’t care how much she looks so much as how she needs to make healthy choices? What can I do better as a mom to help her? My husband and I make most of our meals, buy whole wheat bread, limit fat, encourage eating healthy snacks, get our veggies and fruit out there for ourselves and the kids, have kept soda and sweets out of the house, have made a point of being active together—we go to the tennis courts and practice with all three of the kids, swim in the pond with them, etc. etc.—and still our middle daughter complains and is not losing weight and continues to spend more time than she should sitting around, and I am concerned about her self-image. I could really use some advice.
"It took lots of time, but I have been able to lose 115lbs and 8 dress sizes and keep it off by making changes that are no longer ‘changes’ but part of my normal life. ”
Every time I run into someone I haven’t seen in a long time, they exclaim, “You look great!” I chuckle and graciously accept the complement because I know what’s coming next. They lower their voice, almost to a whisper, and say, so “what did you do? What’s your secret?” I respond, in a similarly lowered voice, “You know everything they tell you regarding eating right and exercising?” Eagerly, they say, “yeah…” “I did it.” “Oh.”—obviously disappointed.
I changed what I ate drastically and I started exercising vigorously. It took lots of time, but I have been able to lose 61lbs and 5 dress sizes and keep it off by making changes that are no longer ‘changes’ but part of my normal life. I know that I have to exercise most days of the week for the rest of my life. Good thing I like to exercise!
I joined a fitness program, ran by Dustin Maher, called Fit Fun Boot Camp AND I enlisted a friend to go with me. I initially signed up for a trial period but enjoyed the extremely difficult workouts and friendly atmosphere so much that I continued my membership for 6 months. THIS CHANGED MY LIFE.
- Crystal
"I always deleted photos of myself thinking “oh, that’s a bad angle!”
After I had my second son and he stopped nursing the weight just kept piling on until I got on the scale one day and weighed 203. I knew once I went over 200 I was in trouble and needed to be a better role model for my kids. Plus how was I going to keep up with two boys under the age of 3 if I didn’t get my act together?!
A few days later a neighbor asked if I would like to go for a walk, that was the beginning of the new me, a me that is healthier and happier than I have ever been. We slowly started out walking , then added some 1 minute runs into our walks until we got to a point where we could run for 20 minutes straight. Next thing I knew I was a runner again, but one with a desire to do the best that I could.After a friend told me about Dustin’s MamaTone class I knew it was just what I needed to keep me going! The friends and support that have come from being a BEFORE part of MamaTone has really kept me on track. There have been countless runs and races where the thoughts of “would Dustin be proud of me?” have come across my brain. Those thoughts always make me move a little faster and work a little harder.
I’ve lost lots of weight and inches over the past year working with Dustin and the strength I have have gained is incredible!
- Liz
"Full Time Nurse and Mom Drops 51 lbs Through Fit Fun Bootcamps"
Finding time to exercise has been a problem of mine for a long time. I work a full time job as a nurse and caring for my young kids doesn't leave me much time for myself. I knew though that it was important for both me and my family. I decided to join Fit Fun Bootcamps after seeing some of my friends make amazing transformations. I sacrificed and got up each morning at 4:30 to drive 40 minutes to Fit Fun Bootcamp. The rewards and benefits have been staggering. I have dropped over 50 lbs. I went from a size 18 down to a size six and have lost over 30 inches off my body! My energy levels are so much higher than before and I feel great getting up at 4:30 AM and have energy to make it all day long.
I would encourage anybody thinking of Fit Fun Bootcamps to definitely give it a try.
-Tiffany Borrow
"Weight has been an issue my whole life...Luckily, a friend of mine suggested Dustin’s classes. ”
“Weight has been an issue my whole life. I stayed fairly fit during my high school years by running cross country, but from college on my weight was constantly fluctuating depending on what was going on in my life. When I went through a divorce in 2005 I lost a lot of weight. A year later when I met my current husband (and was happy), I packed on the pounds. I would try every fad diet out there, but I would lack will power and eventually give up. I would also try to exercise. I thought running on a treadmill was the best way to burn calories, but when I didn’t lose any weight I would get frustrated and stop.
After giving birth to my 3rd child the end of November 2009, I was the heaviest I had ever been at 184. I knew this was my last child, so I couldn’t use the “I’m just going to have another baby and get fat again” excuse that I had hidden behind for the previous 6 years. I had to do something about my weight, and this time I was determined to succeed! Both my mom & sister had great success with Weight Watchers, so I started that program, but I needed to exercise, too. Luckily, a friend of mine suggested Dustin’s classes.
- Katy Smith, Madison
Abby Lost 23 lbs and 6 Inches Off Her Waist By Quitting Her Cardio Addiction and Beginning Her Fit Fun Bootcamp Addiction!
Despite my numerous hours at the gym, engaged in my Cardio Queen activities, I couldn’t lose any weight…and more specifically, couldn’t lose any fat! After years of frustration and low self-esteem, I signed up for Dustin’s Bootcamps.
I enjoyed it so much and saw such great results, that I’ve been going ever since! Bootcamp is great because every day is different. I never get tired of it because each workout is unique and continues to challenge my body. Dustin pushes me in a way that I would never push myself (but it’s always in a positive manner…none of that yelling that you might think of when you hear about “bootcamps”).
Because of the continual challenge, I am down to 127lbs and 13.5% body fat, from a bodyfat of over 29%! More importantly, my self-esteem has risen and I feel better than ever! I love going to Fit Fun Bootcamps. Not only has it helped me lose weight and tone up, but also the friendships I have gained are the best.
-Abby Brockman, 25
""Mom of Two Little Daughters Drops 3 Dress Sizes, 6 Inches off her Waist, and Is In The Best Shape of Her Life."
In my late twenties, I gave birth to two daughters, who are 20 months apart. Life was very busy and stressful, and my eating habits and exercise commitment further dwindled. So did my self-esteem. Seeing that I was unhappy with how I looked, my husband would occasionally suggest (albeit very respectfully) that I try to exercise. Although I know he had the best of intentions, it made me feel even worse.
A little over a year ago, I decided that I needed to change. I saw that Dustin was offering bootcamp classes 5 minutes from where I live, Six weeks later, I had lost about 8 pounds and several inches around my waist and hips. I have been going to bootcamp for 15 months now, and have lost 20 pounds, 6 inches in my waist and 4.5 inches in my hips. I love working out with my fellow bootcampers and watching others achieve their fitness goals. At 33, I am in the best shape of my life!
-Kelly
"Mary at Age 40, Dropped 2 Dress Sizes and is in the Best Shape of Her Life!"
I saw a brochure on Dustin’s Fit Fun Bootcamp that highlighted several success stories which got me excited so I signed-up.
I was apprehensive at first because I thought bootcamp might be too advanced for me because the only form of exercise I did on my own was speed walking on a trend mill (occasionally!). But I found the instructors to be very supportive and great working with people at all fitness levels. Plus the people in my class were very encouraging. I immediately fell in love with the program. I love the variety of exercises and the camaraderie of group exercise.
Within six months of joining Fit Fun Bootcamp, I lost 14 lbs, dropped 2 pant sizes, and lost my muffin-top that hung over my jeans! At 40 years old, I am now in the best shape of my life! Thank you Dustin and all your fantastic instructors!
-Mary
"Mother of 3 and Long Time Runner and Running Coach Drops 15 lbs and 5 Minutes Of Her 5K!"
Stronger, faster, thinner and healthier are the best words to describe the results I have experienced participating in Fit Moms For Life DVDs. I have been an avid runner for most of my life running 5K, 10K, half-marathon and marathon races. Running kept me “in shape” through college and three pregnancies yet the dreaded muffin top remained.
The results, more than I could have expected. After six weeks, I started to see changes in my body. Approximately eight weeks into my training, I ran a 5K race and was the 10th woman to finish. I took an amazing five minutes off of my 5K time from last year. More important than that, I am running injury free. I have also lost 15 pounds and me arms, back, waist and legs are so much more toned and I feel great about it.
-Karen
Busy mom takes back control in her life and drops 53 lbs, 3 dress sizes, and 7 inches in her waist!
“Where do I start? Ever since high school I was on the slow train to weight gain, when suddenly the slow train stopped off at “How on earth did I let myself get this far?” Each time I went up a pant size I would tell myself, “This is it - I refuse to go up another size.”
After the first bootcamp session I had lost about 11 pounds - not bad for six weeks. I signed up again and continued to sign up for every session offered through December. As a result of eating better and going to boot camp, I have now lost 53 pounds and have more energy and can do more things. I am still about 45 pounds away from my goal, but am motivated to keep on going.
I have learned that the number of pounds lost is not the only measure of weight loss success so I will list the rest of my stats. Due to the weight loss and toning effects of bootcamp, since March I have gone down 3 pants sizes and have lost 2 inches in my upper arm, 7 inches in my waist, 6 ½ inches in my hips and 4 ½ inches in my thigh.
I encourage everyone to try Dustin’s Fit Fun Bootcamps - it is for people at all stages of fitness as you can see by my story. It is a fun and rewarding experience and I am thankful everyday that I had the courage to try.
Lynn Krebs
At 44, I am in better shape than I have been since playing collegiate volleyball, I can’t wait for my next Fit Fun Bootcamp workout!”
It has been 17 weeks since I started the bootcamps. I have lost another 20+ pounds, lost 2 1/2 inches from my waist, have significantly increased my upper body strength, have tons of energy, no backaches and actually like myself again. Bootcamps have allowed me to make new friends and build a great support group while at the same time giving me individual attention , support and motivation . They work you hard, but it is well worth it.
-Marsue 44, McFarland
"She had sculpted hollowed out cheekbones. She looked awesome. She said she had been going to Mamatone...I envied C.’s physique."
I’d like to blame the baby. But, to be honest, I only gained 18 pounds during my pregnancy because I was sick all 10 months. (That is right, boys, pregnancy is 40 weeks, 10 months, not the 9 that they would like us to believe.) After my 47 hours of labor followed by my emergency C-section I could finally eat. And eat I did. I lost those 18 pounds within the first post partum month. But I felt that I needed to make up for all of those months of eating that I had missed out on…reclaiming what I (mistakenly) believed was my right as a woman – to eat everything and anything in whatever quantities I desired. (Think fried cheese sticks and apple fritters, and who wants to food journal that). Also I was breastfeeding and thought (also, mistakenly) that I could eat those extra 500 calories a day and perhaps even lose a little weight.
So after I had to cross off all of my initial ideas off the list I began considering the exercise route. I tried Pilate-ing my way back to no avail. Then about 9 months ago I ran into my friend C. who I hadn’t seen in a couple months. She had sculpted hollowed out cheekbones. She looked awesome. She said she had been going to Mamatone. I was intrigued by the premise and going to a class that was all women. But mostly I envied C.’s physique.
I tried out a class a few weeks later.
I am now down 57 pounds and feel like I am well on my way to looking great. I am stronger and have more energy to chase around my two year old. And now there are days where I am pleading with Dustin to add more weight – yes – me asking Dustin to please make it harder.
- Aimee
"I go to Bootcamp three days a week and I run three days a week. The group element is inspiring and keeps me accountable. ”
Picture me, 33 years old, in the jeans section of a department store, 3 months after the birth of my second son. I have already lost the 30 or so pounds I gained during pregnancy or so I thought and I start trying on pants. The smallest ones I can fit into are a 22. A 22! I’m depressed. I leave with one pair of 22’s. I have to wear something. I am not the first or last mommy to have been in this position.
Picture me, later that month checking facebook. My friend posts a picture of me pushing my older son on a swing at the park. I don’t even recognize myself. I’m really depressed now.
I attend MamaTone one day a week in addition to running 2 or 3 times a week and the pounds aren’t melting off like I want them to. I realize that I’m going to have to take another look at my eating. It’s obvious that I had been letting my good habits slip. At the same time, my husband mentions that his 20 year high school reunion is coming up and he’d like to lose some weight. He starts counting calories and he starts dropping weight like crazy!
I sign up for Fit Fun Boot Camp so I can get in more workouts a week (the toddler wasn’t fond of childcare). I hear Dustin call out as I’m running up the Elver Park hill, “every step is a step closer to your goals”. This couldn’t be a truer statement. I am so glad to hear it. I need to hear it. I am now addicted to how exercise makes me feel.
Picture me now, 36, at my goal weight, 130 pounds. I couldn’t have done it without my partners along the way. And my journey was just that, a journey. It wasn’t a straight line and it isn’t finished. My new goal is to keep this weight off for the rest of my life. I know there will be challenges in the future, but I plan to persist and I plan to use helpers. I am thankful to all the people who continue to inspire me and help me on this journey called life. I need and appreciate you all. Thank you!
- Lynn
Becky went from a size 18 to a size 4 in less than 1 year!
Dustin had talked to the Mom’s Club that I’m in and I contacted him about personal training at home in October 2008. I was shocked at our first session because I couldn’t even do a single sit-up, yet he was having me do crunches on the ball while holding a dumbbell!
His workouts were so intense!! But they WORKED!! I was amazed how fast I progressed. I was also very impressed with how great he was at avoiding exercises that could cause additional injury or stress to my knee.
The before picture was taken AFTER I had already lost about 20 pounds shortly before I started working with Dustin. In the first 3 months working with Dustin, my weight went down to 124 and my bodyfat percentage went down from 27% to 18.4%. Plus my cholesterol was borderline high and I was going to have to go on medication for it. It is now completely normal from the weight-loss and exercise.
Now for one of the biggest changes — I just went shopping for new jeans. What a difference it was to go shopping for clothes. Last year I would have been in a size 16. I’m now a size 4!
Becky, mother of 2 kids
"Taking Dustin's Program While Pregnant Helped Me Bounce Back in Record Time!”
I was 4 months pregnant with my second, when I started Dustin's MamaTone program. I was in pretty good shape and had been doing a lot of cardio before, but I could feel the difference right away when I started lifting heavy weights in his program. I think before I was skinny fat; now I'm skinny fit!
- Alecia
"Continuing at Mamatone was and is a huge part of my survival.”
I was always a runner, assuming some kind of cardio would keep me fit. And it did, until kids. After my daughter was born (now 5) I lost most of my pregnancy weight. But I got pregnant with my son (now 3), unplanned, when she was only 12 months old. After he was born in June of 2007, I was looking at about 20 pounds of extra weight. The scale read 138 and I’m 5 foot 3. I was also terribly overwhelmed by two kids under two years old, a demanding career and shift, and other personal problems.
I started Mamatone in January of 2008, when my son was 6 months old, and I haven’t stopped since. The weight came off quickly when I started going twice a week. By January of 2009 I was down to 120 and a few months later 115. This was also around the time I started dealing with a very traumatic separation and divorce. Continuing at Mamatone was and is a huge part of my survival.
- Sarah
Busy mom with 5 kids stops making excuses and drops 47 lbs, and does 50 perfect toe pushups!
By the time my baby was about 11 months old, and I weighed close to 170, I was frustrated and tired of not fitting back into my prebaby clothes (or any clothes in my closet for that matter).
I accidentally ran across Dustin on Craigslist and his MamaTone class (similar to bootcamps) sounded intriguing. I met with him before signing up, took the complimentary class, and I was hooked!
After 4 months of MamaTone classes, I lost 30 pounds and met my goal weight for October. Since then, I’ve lost another 10+ pounds while taking his Fit Fun Bootcamp classes. I have muscle definition throughout my entire body, energy to keep up with my family, and strength that astonishes me everyday! My prebaby clothes…are too big! MamaTone, Bootcamp and Dustin has changed my life for the absolute best!”
Jody 35, McFarland
"Patty is in her mid 20's and is in Better Shape than at the Peak of Her Swim Career!"
I tried running and lifting weights after work, but once winter came I lost my motivation. All I wanted to do after work was sit at home and watch TV in the warmth of my apartment. I joined Dustin's Fit Fun Bootcamps and after the first 6 weeks I had lost 6 lbs and started to eat healthier.
I have lost almost 40 lbs since May of 2008. I am in better shape than I remember being in even while I was at the peak of my swim career. While I feel great having lost all the weight I gained after college and the fact that I am able to wear clothes that I haven’t been able to wear in over 5 years, I am most excited about the increase in energy that I have each day and how good I feel after a workout.
-Patty
Megan hardly recognizes the person in her before pictures, since dropping 20 lbs and 3 dress sizes!
When I had to buy larger shorts last summer I decided to sign-up for FitFun Bootcamps as a birthday present to myself. What a great gift!
Friends and family commented often about how good I looked but I really didn’t understand until I saw a picture of myself from 6 months before Bootcamp, I barely recognized myself! I pulled out the boxes in my closet I was going to donate and went back through them. It was like going to the mall in my own house, things I though I’d never wear again fit and looked good!
There were mornings I did not want to get out of bed, I was sore and tired. Now, 3 sizes and 20 pounds later I am glad I did! I am pregnant with my second child and am in better shape then I was with my first.
My food journal is still active and my chart of progress from bootcamp with my burpee count and run time are still on the fridge, an everyday reminder of how far I have come.
Megan Blankenheim-Villarreal
© 2012 Dustin Maher Fitness. All Rights Reserved.
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