My story isn’t so different than that of so many other women. I was always pretty fit. I worked out some and didn’t have to try too hard. Then I had babies and all that changed. I focused so much on taking care of everyone around me that I forgot about myself. My needs came last on a long list. I didn’t pay attention to what I was eating, I ate what my kids ate and I never made the time to exercise. I would try fad diets and appetite suppressants which would work only a little and only temporarily. They were just setting me up for failure, frustration and ultimately doing much more harm than good. Every Time I failed, a little piece of me gave up hope and I would follow up with deciding it didn’t matter what I did, nothing was going to work. So, I decided that I was never going to be in shape again and that I was happy with that. Ignorance was bliss. However, there were some things that I could only ignore for so long. Like the fact that I felt tired all the time, I was developing allergies, taking allergy medication everyday and had allergy induced asthma.
But it wasn’t until I was looking at family pictures from Thanksgiving of 2008 that I thought, “How the heck did that happen and why didn’t anyone tell me?!” I realized then that I wanted to make some big changes and I knew that as much as I didn’t like it, as much as I wanted that “magic” solution, diet and exercise were the only things that were going to get me there. I partnered up with my best friend, who wanted the same thing. We started with walking/ jogging, then we worked our way up to running. We progressed more and more, and eventually, we hit a stand still as far as weight loss goes. That’s when I heard about Ben’s Bootcamp. I decided to try a class during bring a friend week. I remember driving there, debating if I should turn around the entire ride. I was terrified. Words cannot express how glad I am that I didn’t let my fears get the best of me. That 45 minutes changed everything for me. I signed up right after class and that plateau not only disappeared, but it got kicked out the window!
I started to see changes in my body fast, but what I loved more than anything was seeing my strength increase. I would set small goals in the beginning. My very first one was to do push ups off of my knees. I still remember the exact day that happened and how proud I was! My small goals were always changing and I was meeting them faster and faster. The current goal I have set is to dead lift 300 lbs. I recently lifted 275 and I know 300 is just around the corner. For an instant gratification person such as myself, I needed those small goals to motivate me. Because if I looked at the big picture it seemed overwhelming. I also continue to be amazed every time I go to class at how such a large group of people and the instructors can be so supportive of each other. After I got a handle on the whole bootcamp thing, I realized it was time to tackle the nutrition end of it. I was a notorious meal skipper and often would go all day with just coffee and a yogurt. I thought that was a good thing, until I learned how very wrong I was in the metabolism makeover class. Ben didn’t just tell me what I was doing wrong, but he taught me why. That made it really sink in and helped me to speed up the process of reaching more goals.
So, I have lost countless pounds. I’m not sure of my exact number as I’m not a scale person, but its a good one. I have dropped 5 pants sizes, lots of inches and most importantly I went from being in the unhealthy body fat percentage to being in the healthy range. I haven’t taken an allergy pill in well over a year, not only am I not tired, but I’m full of energy all the time and I feel like there isn’t anything I can’t do if I put my mind to it! I feel strong and I love that feeling. I had a moment this Fall when I was playing in a parents VS. kids soccer game with my daughter and as I ran up and down that field with ease, I stopped and thought ” There is no way I could have done this before”. The smile on my kid’s faces as they told me how fast I was, meant more to me than anything in the world!
Now, anyone that knows me well, knows that telling my story is not easy for me. I am an open, talkative person, except when it comes to anything personal. I am very private. And being unhealthy, overweight and unhappy with myself is a time in my life that I would rather just pretend never happened, but if this helps just one other person take control of their life, gain all the wonderful things that I have from getting healthy and makes them feel like they can do anything they set their mind to, then it is all so worth it! People ask me all the time how I did it and for advice on getting started. I love being able to help and inspire others. I had a close friend tell me that once I started this journey, that there were no excuses ever, no matter what and I have lived by that rule. I have never missed a workout. Exercise has become a way of life for me. Joining Ben’s Bootcamp brought out the very best in me, in more ways than I can say, and I learned that the magic solution I was always in search of, well, it really does exist. It gave me more than I could ever have imagined and I found it…..at the gym.
Comments on Bootcamp Success Story: Radha finds the ‘Magic Solution’ to Change her Life
4:34 pm
You’re a true inspiration to others. I saw you before you started and to see you now is a totally new woman! You Glow with happiness! Thanks for sharing your story!
11:09 am
You should be so proud of yourself! You look amazing and I enjoy working out with you. Keep up all the great work.
1:04 pm
Looking Great Radha!!! Thanks for sharing your story.. and you do definitely make me work harder.. when I do work out with you.. I try to keep up or go faster!!!