DumBell Success Stories: Alicia Heil

Please join us in congratulating Alicia Heil, this week's DumBell Success Story! 


You have probably seen Ford Island 0830 Boot Camper Alicia Heil pushing her jogging stroller over the Ford Island bridge in the morning! Alicia first started taking the course because she was seeking more than just cardio, and she was also eager to meet new people who had similar interests.

"I would like to think I am a dedicated jogger," says Alicia. "I jog 5-7 days a week, usually pushing my 'mini trainer' in the stroller." When she is unable to get in 6 days of jogging, or if she is off from Boot Camp, she does Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. "My family and I also have an active lifestyle that includes hiking, biking, swimming, and other sports. We try very hard to spend either Saturday or Sunday each week doing one of those activities."

Alicia pushing her running stroller, a familiar sight on Ford Island! 

Alicia doesn't follow a specific diet, but instead focuses on a well-balanced diet. "I have never been successful at dieting. Anytime I tried in the past, I would do good for 2-3 days but then end up binge-eating on pretty much everything in site! Now, I try to include as many fresh foods as possible, focusing on unprocessed foods and home-cooked meals. I'll very rarely have a soda or an espresso as a special treat!"

"Being fit and healthy is a lifetime commitment," says Alicia. "Boot Camp motivates me to always try harder to become a better me: to be the best and healthiest person, mother, and wife to my family and friends. I come from a heavier family (my twin sister is 4 inches shorter than me and 50+ pounds heavier) so my fitness is something that I have to work on daily."

Alicia's favorite part of Boot Camp is Christina's passion for helping military spouses. "She helps spouses become not only better and healthier people, but she helps them believe in themselves. She shows them that anything is possible with enough hard work and dedication."

"I used to be a lunch time jogger, but when I moved to Hawaii I realized I needed something to help with the daily stresses of life as well as being able to keep fit. Living in Hawaii, with the daily sunshine, there really is no excuse to not get outside!

"Like everything else in life, running takes practice," Alicia says. "Over the past 2 1/2 years I went from just running the landing strip on Ford Island to finishing first in my age group in the North Shore marathon! When I decided to start running long-distance, I had to become faster in order to achieve the distance I wanted within the amount of time I wanted to complete it in. Boot Camp has given me the strength, endurance and knowledge to be healthy and fit person I am today!"

"Alicia is a wonderful example of practice makes perfect," says trainer Christina Landry. "She has always been a strong runner, but as most avid runners know, muscle mass can be severely diminished to feed the long-distance cardio runs. Alicia initially came to class with little coordination, and she used smaller weights because of her tiny frame. However, after just two months, she learned how to use her body in the most optimal way and began using the heaviest resistance in ALL strength conditioning elements. Alicia is always encouraging others to join her on runs, and is a great role model for her class. We love having her in the DumBell Fitness family as a true testament of good health regardless of military-life obstacles."

Congratulations, Alicia! We love watching your accomplishments!