DumBell Fitness Demos: Triple Treat Variation

This DumBell Fitness Demo shows a new variation to the abdominal exercise, Triple Treats! 

Wednesday's Winners: Rebecca Schirmacher

Today's Wednesday's Winner is Rebecca Schirmacher, a veteran Ford Island Boot Camper. Great work, Rebecca!

Rebecca has been attending the Ford Island 0830 class for nearly two and a half years. During her first year of class, she lost 25 pounds. "What I love so much about Christina's class is that I can always hear her voice in my head telling me I can, even when I feel it is impossible!"

Shortly after completing her first year at Ford Island, Rebecca became pregnant. "I continued with Boot Camp until I was 32 weeks along, but then we figured I should rest a bit. Ha! My daughter is now 6 months old and I have lost all but 5 pounds of my pregnancy weight. I am so excited! So, in all, I have lost a total of 43 pounds during my time in Christina's class."

Lead DumBell Fitness Trainer Christina Landry says, "I remember when Rebecca started Boot Camp more than 2 years ago with a group of her friends. Three of them quit immediately (and have since admitted they regret quitting!). But not Rebecca. She stuck with it and started dropping weight immediately."

Rebecca maintained her "clean" eating habits while pregnant, and always found time to put in some cardio workouts. Christina says, "When Rebecca first told me she was pregnant, I was so happy for her. I thought I might not be seeing her until after she gave birth, but that was not the case with her! She continued to come to class and made the appropriate modifications. It was such a joy to watch her become the true definition of a 'Strong Mama!' When she returned post-baby, she was determined to take off the weight, and boy did she! She lost the pounds, stayed strong, and persevered to become an overall healthier wife and mother."

Rebecca flexing with Christina (aka, the Princess of Pain)! 

Rebecca says, "If I had not come into this wonderful program, I would be the same old tired mom, sitting on the sidelines of my life. Thank you, Christina! You have changed my life in more ways than you could know!" 

Quick Tips: Importance of Sunscreen

You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again: it's so important to wear sunscreen! I encourage our Boot Campers to wear it everyday to Boot Camp, and to even keep an extra tube in their bag for reapplication as necessary. As we move into the warmer summer months, I wanted to encourage you to really pay attention to protecting your skin.

First of all, you should wear some form of sunscreen every single day--whether or not you're working out! Try to always apply 30 minutes before going out into the sun. For Boot Camp or beach time, make sure to wear a sunscreen with at least a 50 SPF rating that is both waterproof and sweat proof. Wearing a hat as well will provide you with even more protection!
 
My all-time favorite sunscreen is Coppertone Nutrashield SPF 70. It glides on easily and is waterproof. It can be hard to find in stores, but I think it's totally worth it. I'm not a fan of the spray-on sunscreens: they are full of extra chemicals, and they just don't protect you as well. If you must use them, make sure your first layer of sunscreen of the day is a lotion with a high SPF. Then, reapply using the spray.

I also try to rotate my brands of sunscreen every three months. A study a few years ago indicated that after using the same brand for an extended period of time, it can actually become less effective.

Find the brand that works for you, and always be protected! Here's to a summer of healthy and protected skin!

DumBell Success Stories: Angie Howard

Today's DumBell Success Story features Angie Howard, a Ford Island recruit. The enthusiasm in her story is so contagious. Thank you for sharing this with us, Angie! 


Angie originally started Boot Camp in May 2010 when the first Ford Island 7:15am MWF class was offered. "At that time, my health was in a downward spiral. I had become complacent and had no idea the damage I was doing to my body. When I first started the course, all I cared about was losing weight. As the months went on I realized that I needed to change my lifestyle completely," says Angie. 

In January of 2011 Angie had to quit Boot Camp due to a new job opportunity. "In my time off from Boot Camp," Angie says, "I completed my first 10K, The Great Aloha Run, and a 1/2 Marathon! I owed all that to the confidence I gained from Boot Camp and Christina!" After a few months, the Ford Island Evening course opened up. "Since I had a full-time job and my husband was deploying, I needed something to keep me accountable so I wouldn't have a pity part for myself every day. Even though I lost the weight I had gained during my time off, once my husband returned home from deployment, I again took time off from classes. I fell into the trap of homecoming happiness and got complacent. I let the needs of my husband, my puppies, and my job come before my own." 

Finally, Angie decided enough was enough and returned to the Ford Island Evening class in February 2012. She had been avoiding the scale because she knew she had gained weight. At her initial weigh-in, she discovered she had gained 19 pounds since she started in May of 2010. "I was embarrassed, mad, sad, and so many other emotions," remembers Angie. "I had no idea what to do. I went home that evening and cried for a long time. I couldn't believe that only a few months of unhealthy eating and little to no working out could do that much damage to my body. I decided it was time for an overall change again. I needed to put in ALL the work in order to get the results I wanted." 

And work she did. Not only was Angie working out at Boot Camp, she also regularly put in cardio during the week, and lost 5 pounds her first month back. "I thought I was going to be the Biggest Loser that month, but feel short by 1 pound. I didn't let that ruin my spirits though! I signed up for the next month and continued to lose the weight, despite being sick twice that month and missing 3 classes." 

"In my second month, I hit a plateau; I was stuck at the same weight for 2 weeks. I asked my trainer Laurie for some guidance and she told me to track my food and calories on the app called My Fitness Pal. What I found out was that I wasn't taking in enough calories and my body was in starvation mode," explains Angie. "I adjusted my food intake and within 2 days, 2 more pounds came off! I was so stoked because weigh-ins were that week. When I stepped on the scale this time I just had a feeling I was going to finally win the Biggest Loser! And sure enough, that evening at Boot Camp, Laurie announced that I had won, losing 7.4 pounds that month and 4% of my body weight." 

Angie credits Laurie for keeping her on track. "Laurie is an amazing trainer! She always knows what positive things to say to our class to keep us motivated. She is always available after class to answer our questions and helps us in whatever way possible to reach our goals." 

"Angie's commitment reminds me of Babe Ruth standing at the plate and pointing to where the ball should go," says trainer Laurie Weber. "She decided she was ready to change, she committed herself to the goal, POINTED herself in that direction and made it happen. She had NO excuses, even with a birthday celebration in the middle of the month and also after being sick and missing a few classes. She wrote it all down, kept it clean, and owned her results!' 

"Her determination was evident," Laurie continues. "She pushed herself hard during workouts and was always in the front of the running pack. She goes three times through the agility course and never stands still, even during water breaks. As I say in class, 'you either get good at accomplishments or you get good at making excuses.' Angie got good at her accomplishments! I am so proud of her!" 

Angie and Ford Island Evening instructor Laurie Weber!

"Since I started back at Boot Camp this year, I have lost 13 pounds and over 13 inches total," says Angie. "People notice at work and I am back to being my happy, confident self! I am only halfway to my goal, but I know that it is possible if I do the work and eat healthy and clean! The biggest thing I have learned from class is that no matter what is going on in your life, you have to set some time out to take care of yourself! Boot Camp is like a good friend; it is always there when you need it to build your confidence back up and get you back to the person you know you are!" 

Healthy Habits: 3 Day Fruit Flush

Nowadays it seems that everyone is trying some sort of health cleanse. Many are very harsh and restrictive, and frankly, just plain unhealthy. But, I have to admit, over the years I've tried most of them. I was often lethargic and unable to continue my everyday activities effecitvely--being a good employee, a good mom, and a good wife. One day I ran across this 3 Day Fruit Flush by Jay Robb, and I've been using it monthly ever since. It's a cleanse that focuses on resetting your body rather than just rapidly cleaning out your intestines. I start this program every month on the first day of my cycle. I usually feel bloated after my period and I love the clean feeling I get after the Fruit Flush. I particularly love it because it's not too intense, and allows you enough calories to get through your day. And, since it is only three days, it doesn't seem as daunting as other options. I encourage you to give it a try! 

Here's the details: 

Day 1: Pre-Flush

On the first day of the detox, combine 1 1/4 cup of whey protein powder mixed with 1 quart of water. Drink 6 oz. of the protein mixture every 2 hours between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Then drink 8 to 12 oz. of water an hour after consuming the protein mixture. At 6 p.m. eat 3 to 6 oz. of lean meat with 3 to 6 cups of raw vegetable salad and 2 oz. of olive oil, flax seed oil or half of an avocado with lemon juice.

Day 2 & 3: Flushing Day

On the second and third day of the detox, have one serving of fruit every 2 hours beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at 4 p.m. Also drink 8 to 12 oz. of water 1 hour after each serving of fruit. At 6 p.m., combine 5 tbsp. of protein powder with 12 oz. of water, and drink it while eating a raw vegetable salad plus 1 to 2 tbsp. of olive oil or flaxseed oil or half of an avocado plus lemon juice. Drink 8 to 12 oz. of water 1 hour after eating the salad.

Fruit Serving Sizes

On the Fruit Cleanse Diet, the following are one serving of fruit: two medium applies, six apricots, one banana, 1 1/2 cups of berries, 2 cups cantaloupe or other melon, 1 cup grapes, one mango, two oranges, two nectarines, three peaches, one pear, 1 cup pineapple, three plums or four tomatoes.

Wednesday's Winners: Sarah Lewis

This week's Wednesday's Winner is Sarah Lewis, a new recruit from the Ford Island 7:15 class. Way to go, Sarah! 


Since beginning Boot Camp in March, Sarah Lewis has lost a whopping 10 pounds. "I started eating healthfully back in January, and since then have lost a total of 25 pounds. I knew I needed to add exercise to my diet routine, and so my addiction to Boot Camp was born!"

 Lead trainer Christina Landry says of Sarah, "Sometimes it takes months to really reach a participant and convince them this program can change their lives. But not Sarah! From the very first day, I could tell she wanted to make that change. She put every ounce of energy she had into every single workout. I have never seen her slacking off. "

"I honestly thought I would hate Boot Camp, but being a former athlete I love the competition that the class offers," says Sarah. "I always try to keep up with the person in front of me, and I love the Biggest Loser competition! It really motivates me to keep pushing myself. I was really nervous to start Boot Camp, especially being in a class where I didn't know anyone, but all the ladies at Ford Island made me feel welcome right away. There is always constant encouragement, and always someone telling me to never give up. "

Sarah and Christina posing after class! 

Landry says, "Sarah gave herself a better life last month by putting herself first for at least one hour. I saw her confidence building inside. This was especially evident on measurement day when she knew she had put in the work and was going to see success on the scale. Sometimes, it's not always about the numbers. It's also about a feeling that radiates inside and beams out for others to see. I look forward to watching Sarah continue to excel in this course!" 

Introducing DumBell "Fish"!

Boot Camp just has a way of bringing people together, and we always love it when we see our recruits getting together outside class in the name of fitness! One particular group, who have nicknamed themselves DumBell "Fish", have started a swimming group that meets weekly to practice their strokes and to train for competitions. Their group spans across multiple Boot Camp classes, and they even work out a pool schedule that allows them to watch each other's children while they swim laps. No excuses in this group!

Last weekend several of the "Fish" participated in the 26th Annual Dash and Splash biathlon in Kailua. The participants were decked out in DumBell shirts, hats, and new swim caps, and many more were there to cheer them on. Here's a few photos from the day. Way to go, DumBell "Fish''! 

Ready to run! 

Modeling the new DumBell swim caps! 

Looking good, "Fish"!