Denise: A Bootcampers Story

The following is the story of bootcamper Denise Ailes of St. Johnsbury Vermont.  Truly inspiring

During the past few weeks, I’ve thought a lot about how far I’ve come with my weight loss and overall health goals.  When I started Ben’s Bootcamp in April 2009, I was what most people would describe as being at “rock bottom”.  I was at my highest weight EVER, I felt ugly, had no confidence or self-esteem, and I was just very unhealthy.   My whole life was being affected by this……..my marriage, my relationship with my kids, my job, my friendships, etc.  I was so unhappy; I just wanted to hide away and not associate with anyone. 

I’ve always had a little bit of a weight problem, but never obese.  It wasn’t until I had my thyroid removed in 1997, due to thyroid cancer, that the weight piled on, and piled on quickly.  The weight gain not only was the result of the lack of metabolism and thyroid hormone in my body, but it also had a lot to do with my emotional state at the time.  This is when I truly became an emotional eater!! 

I spent many years after this, battling my weight gain and trying to get it under control.  I did manage to lose a significant amount of weight at one point, but then became pregnant with my first child and quickly regained everything I had lost and then some!!  This was then repeated with my second child.  It’s not that I hadn’t tried everything under the sun to lose weight!  I tried EVERYTHING!!!  Nothing worked, and I had no one to blame but myself.  I was missing the number one thing that is needed to be successful………self love and determination.  Two very important things, I’ve finally figured out in just the last couple months thanks to Ben’s Bootcamp.

I, like many others, joined a friend at Bootcamp during bring a friend week.  As I look back now, I’m not really sure what actually made me sign up after.  I didn’t have an athletic bone in my body and the workout scared me to death, to put it mildly.  I guess I just figured I needed serious help and if this class couldn’t help me, nothing could.  Well, it’s been just over a year since I joined bootcamp and to say that I’ve come a long way would be an understatement because I’ve come way more than a long way!  I’ve been kind of slow figuring things out, but I’m getting there! 

Where am I today?  Well, I’ve lost 48 lbs, over 16 inches, 10% body fat and have come down 3 cloth sizes.  However, I don’t see my weight loss as my biggest success…………I feel my biggest success is how I feel inside.  For the first time in many years, I’m actually able to say that I’m happy with myself, I’m more confident, I can walk with my head held high, I’m stronger, healthier, and I know those closest to me have seen a huge transformation from where I was a year ago.  For this, I will be eternally grateful to Ben Warstler and Ben’s Bootcamps.

What have I learned from my transformation to date?  Well, I’ve learned that success does not happen overnight.  It’s okay to go at your own pace in order to get to that place, mentally and physically, to get where you want to go.  I may not be the strongest, skinniest, most fit person in the group, but I continue to show up, challenge myself and improve every day.   That alone is a success!!!