We’re not all cut from the same gym-loving cloth, but that’s totally fine. It’s certainly true for Charmaine, who despises activities like running. Yet she managed to find a workout plan that worked with her schedule and motivated her to make significant lifestyle changes. It’s comforting to know that fitness doesn’t start, or end, at the gym, right?
Here, Charmaine shares the fitness and weight-loss transformation she achieved through Adventure Boot Camp (ABC). Hers is a nine-year-long weight-loss journey filled with ups and downs. But Charmaine finally found her fit, and went from weighing 79kg to dropping almost 10kg in nine weeks.
- Name: Charmaine Roux
- Occupation: Accountant
- Age: 45
- City: Johannesburg
- Weight before: 79kg
- Weight after: 71kg
- Height: 1.71
- The time required to reach current weight: Nine weeks
- Secret weapon to your weight loss: Balance is key!
The gain
Why did Charmaine choose Adventure Boot Camp? Because she was struggling to fit into her clothes. “I looked terrible in photos,” she says. She’d also faced a number of challenges recently, including her mother’s passing after suffering a stroke… “Somewhere along the road I lost myself and stopped caring,” says Charmaine. This deep personal loss, no doubt, threw her off her fitness game and the kilos started piling on. But she didn’t give up. And eventually, it was her weight-loss goal that helped Charmaine find healing through the tough times.
READ MORE: “This Was My Secret Weapon For Losing Over 115 Kilos”
The change
Now she has new reasons to keep the weight off — like a summer trip to Bali. “This time I lost weight to fit into my holiday clothes,” says Charmaine. She’s committed to her weight-loss goals, training consistently at Bootcamp. In fact, she celebrated her 100th four-week Bootcamp this month! We took a peek inside her exercise routine and learnt exactly how she shed all those kilos.
Lifestyle
To reach her desired weight, Charmaine needed to make specific lifestyle changes. Her biggest obstacle to reaching her goal? A love for vino. “I attended an average of three classes per week, watched my calories and seriously reduced my alcohol consumption,” she says.
READ MORE: “Being Overweight Was All I’d Ever Known, Until I Committed To This Challenge”
As for her diet, Charmaine limits herself to 1200 calories per day. She admits to having no real issue with food, and eats small portions. She also says that by implementing changes that fit well into your life makes them much easier to commit to. The decision to cut down on wine did wonders for Charmaine and her weight loss.
Adventure Boot Camp schedule
- Monday: Full body
- Tuesday: Upper body and core
- Wednesday: Cardio and legs (“I usually skipped these days because I hate running,” says Charmaine)
- Thursday: Full body
- Friday: Upper body and core
Adventure Boot Camp offers one-hour classes with the option of a morning or evening session. These take place between Monday and Friday spanning a four-week period. With over 60 locations nationwide, Adventure Boot Camp gives its campers ample flexibility.
Challenges
Aside from life’s usual ups and downs, a change in lifestyle can also mean a change in your social life. Sometimes this change is welcome (hard as it can be!) and actually gets you closer to your goal. Charmaine says she found it difficult, at first, getting her friends and family to understand her desire to limit her alcohol intake. “I’ll spend time with them, but I’m not joining them for a drink,”, she says. “In the end [though], they said they’re proud of me.” According to Charmaine, nothing that is of real value and worth is ever easily achieved. And we totally agree with her work ethic!
Getting in gear
Charmaine first heard about Adventure Boot Camp for Women through a colleague. “I hate running,” she says. “[For] most of my life exercise (and the scale) has been a challenge.” Before ABC, she occasionally tried spinning, did water aerobics for a time, and even got a gym membership — but hardly attended. “I tried running, but quickly realised it’s definitely not for me,” she reiterates.
Key fitness lesson
“The lessons learned obviously span nine years!” says Charmaine. Her advice to anyone thinking of taking up Adventure Boot Camp is the need to understand that weight-loss training is a lifestyle. What she means by this is that it requires a constant effort, there are challenges one has to overcome, and there are no quick fixes. But it is totally doable. And it looks kinda fun!
Keen to give it a try?
Sign up for the next Adventure Boot Camp, which runs from Monday 13 January to Friday 7 February 2020. (Be sure to tell them you heard it from Women’s Health!)
Plus, ABC offers you discounted rates on one year (11 print/digital issues) subscriptions (whoop!), ensuring you are always abreast of all things health and lifestyle. This deal is exclusive to ABC fitsters, so be sure to select this option when you register.
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