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Hi, This is Kim, one of Dustin’s contributors.
If you were to come to my home on any given day, you would find at least three current fitness magazines on my table. You’d see that my basement looks more like a gym than a family room and you’d proabably hear my husband and I talking about the last article we read about nutrition and fitness. You might also hear me complain that my weight was up this week or at what speed I ran my last lap around the track.
Hi. This is Kim, one of Dustin’s contributors.
North Dakota winters never seem to end! Just when we thought we were starting to melt some snow and see the grass again, we got hit with another winter storm that dumped about 8 inches of snow on us, closed all the highways and schools and kept us home for the day. We made the best of it and made up our own family bootcamp.
This blog post is from one of my contributors Sara.
Yes, that’s how my son says “smoothies.” He begs for them! Seriously, both you and your kids can benefit from a daily green smoothie. It’s a great way to get veggies into a picky eater (adult or child!) I got on the smoothie kick as part of a cleanse after attending a detox seminar at Red Mountain Spa (awesome place) and reading the book “Clean.” As Dustin talks about on his website, it’s important to get this post-workout nourishment for your muscles. (no more than one hour afterwards).
Sara’s Green Smoothie
2 cups coconut water
1 cup lowfat milk or almond milk
1 scoop protein powder such as featured on Dustin’s site http://dustinmaherfitness.com/prograde/
½ ripe banana or 1 cup frozen berries
1 apple or pear, skin on, cored
1 avocado
Fresh ginger- one inch
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cinnamon
Large Handful of spinach or other greens
½ cucumber
1 tbs. Chia seeds (Selba)
Blend until smooth! Serves 2. It keeps in the fridge just fine for a day.
Other things that I love to add to smoothies:
Flaxseed oil
Dates (great to use to sweeten if you don’t have fruit on hand)
Agave Nectar
Parsley (you wouldn’t believe how good it is for you!)
What’s your favorite “moothie” additive?
Each year I like to make predictions about how people are going to exercise and get in shape, and what fitness trends are going to be hot. Click here to check out last years predictions.
My predictions are based off of my own personal experiences, talking with hundreds of fitness professionals from around the world, reading all the fitness professional trade journals, and looking at where we are currently. Many of my predictions last year still hold true for this year.
Here are my predictions:
Bootcamps: Bootcamps, which have exploded the past 3-4 years, will continue to be one of the hottest trends, because of the incredible fat burning workouts, affordable prices, access to a trainer, camaraderie, and fun! Unfortunately, many bootcamps popped up all over that were run by inexperienced trainers looking to make a quick buck; but, fortunately, those will be shutting down. The fitness consumer is much more savvy now, and by using the internet the great programs can be compared to the not so great programs, and the differences will become obvious. I have already seen this in Madison, with a couple of the bigger bootcamp programs shutting down. Average bootcamp classes usually cost between $8-$17.50 across America. Click here to check out my Fit Fun Bootcamps 10 indoor locations.
DVDs: Home workout DVDs will still be very popular, although I don’t know if as popular as last year with the explosion of P90X and Insanity. I have found most people who go through these programs do the 8 or 12 weeks and stop with the DVDs. The challenge is to figure out a way to keep people motivated after the initial program is done. This is why I am trying to create 1000′s of Fit Moms For Life Communities so people can meet in homes, schools, or churches, to either do the workouts or just keep each other accountable. I believe this model will be highly successful because I care more about the long-term impact I can leave on a person and a community rather than how much money/dvds I can sell up front. (Think infomercials). If you want to try out one of my DVD programs for the lowest financial investment, I recommend my Got Core DVD: eight 15-minute workouts done on the stability ball. Another program is the Fit Moms For Life DVDs, you can try the first month for just the cost of shipping. Click here to learn more.
Higher level of fitness professional: Personal training as a fitness career is still a very young and new path. Until recently, most trainers were men in their early 20′s in college looking to make a few extra dollars on the side. Now the standards are much higher and the consumer expects a higher level of service, expertise, and results. Being able to research online and find the top trainers who are getting the best results is going to become easier and easier. People will be willing to pay extra to work with the best. Continue Reading →
Kim and her family before changing their diet
Today I want to share a story of a mom named Kim and her 7 kids, yes I said 7! I met her through my Fit Moms For Life DVD program and then went to ND and did a bootcamp out there for a bunch of her friends. She just launched her own FMFL community at a recent elementary school orientation and has 36 women who have committed to working out together each week and getting together intentionally to support on another and develop authentic relationships!
I recent wrote a post on “How much money are you wasting?” This story you are about to read goes pretty well with it.
Here it is in Kim’s words:
“I always thought we were doing pretty good with what we were eating. The kids ate school lunch and I was taking a freezer meal to work for every day. Kevin ate a lot of bologna sandwiches with Miracle Whip and Cheez Whiz, and we had a lot of macaroni and cheese for dinner. Kevin didn’t really have a severe weight problem and I was maintaining a 30 lb loss that I achieved with Weight Watchers, with freezer meals and a lot of fat free foods. Aside from your typical kids’ sicknesses, we didn’t have anything major wrong with us, and I was proud to be feeding nine people on a strict grocery budget. I sometimes made it a game to see how cheap I could get our food. It did seem like I took a lot of days off of work because of colds and flu, and we were always in the clinic with somebody. That seemed to be part of having seven kids.
Kevin’s job required a lot of lifting and twisting and he was at the chiropractor a few times a week. His chiropractor finally referred him to a medical doctor who started a series of X-rays and MRIs. The diagnosis was bulging discs and the treatment plan was physical therapy and probable surgery down the road. Kevin wanted to avoid surgery at all costs, so he started seeing a wellness chiropractor in another town. She did a lot more than adjust his back and send him on his way. She started picking apart his diet. What could his diet have to do with his back? We thought she was crazy, but continued to make the changes she suggested.
The first thing to go was the 6-10 cans of Coke a day. Along with the pop, the candy was stopped as well. She also suggested we throw out all processed foods, white flour and white sugar. Click here to learn about all the dangerous effects of sugar. She introduced us to the world of organic fruits and vegetables and we started eating different kinds. We sometimes make a game out of how many different colors we can get on our plate. She also started a fire in Kevin for knowledge about nutrition.
With her guidance, we threw out all of our vegetable oils and purchased coconut oil for cooking. I was already buying butter instead of margarine. Not because I knew that margarine was such an unhealthy fat, just because I liked the flavor of butter, better. We started the whole family on cod liver oil supplements. Kevin continued to research and I started modifying recipes and learning how to cook and bake with different flours and sugars. I was still of the mentality that good moms bake cookies for their kids, and that kids need treats.
Kim's family after
We learned the importance of eating grass-fed meats and free range eggs. We started making changes to the dairy we were consuming as well and went from skim to whole milk for the whole family. Our pediatrician was not excited about this change. He disagreed about the fat content in whole milk. We merely smiled and continued on, believing in what we were doing.
It wasn’t long in to our changes that one of our triplets started having problems in school and we took him in for hearing tests. He ended up being diagnosed with ADD. The first (and only) suggestion we received from the child psychiatrist was medication. Not wanting to go down that route, we researched ADD and discovered that some people have problems with focus and hyperactivity because of gluten intolerances. We decided to take the whole family off of gluten for a while and see what happened. This was a difficult change as gluten free food is not the best tasting. Little by little, we eliminated grains. This made meals a lot more difficult, because I relied a lot on pasta or grilled cheese sandwiches for quick and easy meals. We had to modify some more, but we got used to it pretty quickly. We still eat gluten-free pastas from time to time and occasionally I will purchase a loaf of Ezekial Bread, but we really eat very little grains.
Sometimes, I second guess the latest changes Kevin wants to make, but they are validated to me every single time I receive my Fit Mom’s For Life dvd in the mail and listen to Tracy Hittman’s nutrition segment. This makes me feel better that we are making the right decisions, but the biggest indicator that things are going really well are all the radical changes we are seeing in our health. So, while our grocery budget has easily doubled, the changes we have seen in our health have been priceless.”
Day One
Breakfast
Choice of:
Nitrate Free Bacon and Free Range Eggs
Greek Yogurt Smoothie
(Greek Yogurt, Frozen Fruit, Milk, Protein Powder)
Lunch
Grass-Fed, Nitrate Free Hotdogs
Assortment of Fresh Fruit – (melon, grapes, berries)
Cottage Cheese
Dinner
BBQ Chicken Legs
Dilled Baby Red Potatoes
Assortment of Fresh Vegetables – (carrots, celery, broccoli, cucumber)
Day Two
Breakfast
Choice of:
Nitrate Free Bacon and Free Range Eggs
Greek Yogurt Smoothie
(Greek Yogurt, Frozen Fruit, Milk, Protein Powder)
Lunch
Romaine-Spinach Salad
Baked chicken breast, cheese, broccoli, carrots, ranch dressing
Assortment of fresh fruit
Dinner
Meatballs (made with grass-fed beef)
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Asparagus or Green Beans
Day Three
Breakfast
Choice of:
Nitrate Free Bacon and Free Range Eggs
Greek Yogurt Smoothie
(Greek Yogurt, Frozen Fruit, Milk, Protein Powder)
Lunch
Chili topped with greek yogurt and cheese
Assortment of Fresh Fruit
Dinner
Beef Roast
Baked Potato
Assortment of Fresh Vegetables
Snacks include: String Cheese, Yogurt, Organic Granola Bars, Apples and Peanut Butter
Most fruit and vegetables are purchased organic. We try to follow the Dirty Dozen List.
Stay tuned for part two were Kim talks about what changing their families eating habits have done for the family. It is pretty shocking!
As a parent, it is vital that you are living the healthy lifestyle that you want for your child. Saying one thing and doing another won’t work very well in the long run. I encourage parents to get their own workouts in (away from the kids) but also get some workouts in while their kids are around, and at times climbing all over you. Sure it won’t be quite as good of a workout, but it will get the kids excited. I can’t tell you the number of adults I have worked with who have extremely poor nutrition and exercise habits. I would estimate at least 80% of those came from a home that relied on fast food, pre-packaged box dinners, and lived a sedentary lifestyle. Just think about what it is like today… far less activity and more and more junk is getting fed to our children than 30 years ago. That is why experts believe that obesity is going to skyrocket even more in the next 30 years.
I had mentioned a week ago that I plan on making some workout DVDs that kids and parents can do together! I am very excited for this challenge and opportunity.
I would like to share with you a story about a client of mine named Jen, who does MamaTone and Fit Moms For Life. She does an awesome job getting her kids involved with her workouts. She also has some of the best arms you will see on a woman… Sorry Mrs. Obama.
As I ponder and look back on 2009, I am very grateful for all the opportunities as well as challenges that I experienced. One year ago I never would have thought that the blog I had just started is now getting 1,000-2,000 visitors each day, and that I would have close to 2000 current clients through Fit Moms For Life, Got Core, Fit Fun Bootcamps, and Mamatone.
I would sum up this year as uncomfortable. I have never spent more time being uncomfortable than this year. What I mean by “being uncomfortable” is that I did things that I knew I should do, but made me scared, nervous, and anxious. One of the most challenging things was becoming comfortable with making my own DVDs. I now have made 14 DVDs this year! At first it was very challenging; it wasn’t easy watching myself on camera or hearing my voice. Even though I have a long way to go with my on-camera skills, I am improving every day (after watching all my DVDs, I use certain phrases WAY too much, sorry for those who have to put up with that!). But here is the take away message I want you to remember; anything you do doesn’t have to be perfect. So often in life we wait until everything is perfect to start that new job, get into a new relationship, get in shape, or focus on your relationship with your spouse. I have realized that we are wasting so much time waiting for the perfect time to do anything! If I hadn’t gotten past my fears, I wouldn’t have filmed the DVDs and been able to help 100′s of amazing people who I didn’t have access to prior. I don’t possess anything special that you don’t have, so make 2010 the year of being uncomfortable!
I get asked frequently if I am planning on leaving Madison and moving to Hollywood, the answer is that I have no plans on doing so. I want to give you a little insight into my plans for 2010 and then want to hear about what you would like me to do. Who knows what will actually happen, but this is some of the things I want to accomplish.
1. Fit Fun Bootcamps: With 10 locations I am very happy and pleased with where they are at. I would like to grow them a little more and really focus on creating the most incredible experience to each bootcamper. I want to create more and more value for each bootcamper. I don’t plan on expanding to many more locations because it takes so much energy and time to do so and spreads me very thin.
2. MamaTone: Very similar to bootcamps, I don’t plan on adding more times and locations, but finding ways to add more value and service to each MamaToner.
3. Fit Moms For Life DVDs: I will continue to focus on expanding the number of moms who join my monthly Fit Moms For Life DVD program. I am looking to add additional resources such as CDs and maybe even a newsletter at some point. I want to find ways to create a more cohesive and tight community for the hundreds of moms who are part of the program. I want to create much more accountability in order to guarantee results. I also want to be more accessible for more Q&A times.
4. Blog: I have been very pleased about how the blog has grown and am so excited to continue to provide valuable content and help increase your commitment and motivation towards being the healthiest you can. I also want this blog to be a platform where we can make a positive difference in the world, not just from a fitness standpoint. I am looking forward to more and more feedback from you on specific blog posts. I think the best blog posts are the ones that I share my information and opinion and then you comment and add value to the conversation by either agreeing and explaining why, or disagreeing and saying why, or adding an additional viewpoint!
1. Create some new DVDs that couples or friends can do together… All my DVDs can be done with two people doing the same thing, but I want to make some workouts that require the teamwork of two people to accomplish.
2. Kids workouts: I want to create a bunch of 10 minute workouts that kids can do with their parents that are both fun and challenging. I want the workouts to set a strong anchor in their lives that working out is not only healthy to do, but also fun!
3. Start doing my own live TV show on the internet. I have been researching this a lot and buying all the technology that I need, so I will be getting this going soon!
4. I want to do more and more teleseminars which will allow me to go into much more depth and detail on specific topics than I can on my blog, and also allow me to help those who don’t live near me. Click here to join my first teleseminar program!
5. Finish my book, Fit Moms For Life: I will be looking for many of you who are women to be in the book. I am structuring it similar to the Body For Life book and having personal stories of women getting amazing results through my program. This will add a very powerful personal touch that will really help women out there who are doubting that they can achieve what they want in life.
6. Transformation contests that are another way to get people to exercise and eat healthy. Contests are such a good way to set a goal and have an end date that you strive towards getting to.
7. ???? Who knows. This is where you can help me out!
Today’s topic might hit a nerve with many people. I want to first say, that I am not an eating disorder specialist in anyway, and I am not giving specific guidance. I am just sharing my experience with you.
I received an article from one of my readers and Fit Fun Bootcampers, that really hit me hard.
Hollywoods portrayal of attractiveness!
Eating disorders can be devastating, and cause the person to battle it their whole life. I have dealt with many clients who have had, or are still struggling with an eating disorder and just feel very overwhelmed and frustrated. From a physiological side, metabolisms seem to get so messed up when people go from a healthy weight to a very unhealthy weight and back up again. It seems like their bodies try to store as much fat as possible once they begin getting help and eating a healthier diet.
I am writing this not really because of the topic of eating disorders, but rather the example you are setting for your kids and friends. I too have been guilty of this, especially with past female college friends. I have made little comments here and there that have made them question their body image (even though I never realized it at the time).
The mom who sent me this article has two young girls and is concerned if she is sending the right messages to her daughters.
If you have been following this blog, and my views for any amount of time, you know how important family is to me, and the role it plays in the developmental process of a person. So I want to ask you a question? If you have kids, are your words and actions supporting a healthy behavior or hurting it? In your circle of friends, are you building your friends self image up or shooting it down? Are you encouraging healthy behaviors of those around you?
So what does this all mean? How can you lessen the chances your kids or friends will develop eating disorders or body image problems, or low self esteem related to their health/appearance. Here are some of my suggestions. Continue Reading →
There are very few times in a mom’s day that allows for her to exercise (or do anything else for herself for that matter) This is especially the case when the kids are very young. Sometimes it is just best to multitask (I know you as a mom are already good at that!) and exercise WITH the baby. I am not talking gentle yoga though, I am talking exercises that will burn fat and tone muscle. Here is a clip of three exercises that you can do with your baby to tone up those muscles!
[youtube JVmCi_5buqo]
Since I work with moms a lot, one of the questions I get asked it how young is too young to lift weights. I have attended national workshops in youth fitness and the growing consensus is that kids can weight train at any age (as long as they have the attention span) But weights should be kept light (lots of bodyweight exercises) and good form emphasized.
Here is a little boy who has incredible form and has been taught well. This boy is 2 years old. I generally wouldn’t recommend kids this young starting out in intense weights, but it works for him!
[youtube UyTKYYt1GIA]
"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
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