Boot Camp Testimonials

lack of time to eat properly or go the gym...basically looking for all manner of excuses, but not really addressing the true heart of the problem. I'd tried many diets and had gone from hardly eating at all to almost binge eating at times. Year after year I'd say to myself that I was going to change my "bad habits" even hiring a personal trainer, but nothing really seemed to work, or if it did, it was extremely short lived. By January 2009, I'd got to the point where I was starting to get very down about my weight and knew that I had to change and by this point I think I was ready to but just didn't quite know how. After reading the article on the plane that night, it was the catalyst I needed to make the change.

For over a year I had been toying with doing a boot camp, but needed that extra push to make the call. I'd read about a number of celebrities enrolling on boot camps and losing a lot of weight in a short period of time, but knew that I had to ensure that it was going to be the right thing for me. As soon as I got home, I had a look on the internet at the camp profiled in the magazine and in a number of ways it seemed to deliver what I was looking for. I decided that I would check the dates of the camps the next day and see if I could get the time off work. I then logged on the following evening ready to book. However, as well as the initial one I'd considered, "Back to Basics Boot Camp" (B2B) also came up - and in hindsight, I can't describe to you how pleased I am that it did. It covered absolutely everything that I was looking for: high levels of exercise designed to push you beyond your comfort zone and ultimately to burn fat - my ultimate goal, but also covered something equally important to me, techniques to help me deal with the issues in my mind around food. This element was missing from all the other camps I'd looked at and for me it was one of the most beneficial areas of the camp. Also after a lengthy discussion with the Course Director over the phone, I had no hesitation in signing up.

Initially I signed up for one camp which was April 17th 2009, where I weighed in at 12 stone 5lbs. At 5'10, a lot of people had said to me that I "looked fine" and that "being tall I carried my weight well", I however, was desperately unhappy as I'd always been just under 10 stone. To me carrying over an extra 2 stone in weight felt abnormal. B2B was the step which meant that the unhappy person I had been for longer than I could remember was about to change.

Camp was certainly a challenge and pushed me harder than I had been in a long time. However, after the first couple of days and in conjunction with the NLP mind therapy, my focus began to change and I became more motivated. Whilst it was still extremely tough, my determination to change and to stop being the miserable person I'd become, motivated me to keep going and work as hard as I could. The support of Coach and Staff T was also fantastic - their different methods of working and coaching ensured that I achieved the best results I could while I was at camp, but also gave me the skills to maintain them when I was back in the real world. I lost a total of 7 1/2lbs at the first camp and I was over the moon. I also couldn't believe the change in my body shape after such a short period of time - this was the "kick up the bum" I needed. I knew to get me back on track I needed to see a change a quickly and this was what B2B had done.

When I got home I was on top of the world, but knew for me I would really benefit from doing one further camp as I wanted to reach my goal of 10 stone 7lbs as quickly as possible. I booked it within hours of getting home but deliberately ensured that it was 7 weeks later. I had to prove to myself that I could "go it alone" without all of the support you receive at camp. Coach and Staff T did ensure I was never truly alone though as they continued to support me through the forum and I found this extremely helpful. By the time of the second camp June 12th 2009, I was a completely different person, not only in appearance, but in confidence and general outlook on life. I had taken the skills and tools I'd learned at B2B and implemented them into my daily routines. Coach commented as soon as he saw me that he was so pleased I hadn't "fallen asleep" and that the effort I'd put in spoke for itself.

I started the second camp at 10 stone 10lbs and benefited from refreshing everything I had learnt at the first camp, but also picking up new hints and tips I'd missed the first time. Sadly the only thing that prevented me from really going for it was an old injury which had reoccurred from many years before in my training before the second camp. This meant that I couldn't participate as fully in everything and I left camp with just under a 3lbs loss. Undeterred though, I still went on to lose more weight and by July 10th 2009, I weighed 10 stone 2lbs. I could not believe what I'd achieved. My body fat had also dropped from 35% (an unhealthy %) in April 09 to 22% in July 09 - putting me back into the 'fitness range'. Words could not describe how I felt or how good I continue to feel. Everything I had learned and put into practice during and after both camps meant I achieved my goal and beyond, in a time frame I would have never thought was possible.

Overall, I have absolutely no hesitation is saying that B2B changed my life. Or to put it another way, I feel like I've got my old life back. I can now wear all the clothes that were still hanging with labels on in my wardrobe and I no longer make excuses to avoid going out. I have the confidence I used to have and so many people have commented that it's like having the "old Sarah back". I would recommend Back to Basics to anyone who is ready to make a change and begin to enjoy the rest of their life as a fitter, healthier person. I cannot thank or speak highly enough of what Coach and Staff T have done for me other than to say, they are truly excellent at what they do!! If you are even a little bit tempted to book a Back to Basics Boot Camp - do it, it will be one of the best if not the best decision you'll ever make!!

Started April 09 Camp @ 12 stone 5lbs - end of June 09 Camp 10 st 8lbs.
By Jul 09 weighed 10 st 2lbs and have stabilised now (Oct 09) @ 10 st 4lbs.

Sarah C