How To Use Fitness Bootcamps

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Before I begin discussing fitness bootcamps, you need to know my belief statement about health and fitness: “Make a lifetime commitment to health and fitness. This commitment trumps all other fitness commitments. Without it, you will always fall prey to the inevitable obstacles and pitfalls along the way.”

If your bootcamp experience isn't part of a permanent commitment to a fit and healthy lifestyle, then you are not going to get the permanent fitness results you want (a lean and toned body)! Permanent fat loss and weight loss results take longer than any 1 or 2 week bootcamp. The bootcamp will just be a quick fix for you. That sounds harsh but I see the quick fix scenario too much out there.

Bootcamps work because of your hard work and the social support you get from them. Research has proven that you are more likely to succeed with your weight loss and fat loss goals if you have a weight loss buddy (social support or accountability partner). Some have workout partners like a friend or spouse and others use a personal trainer.

Unless you plan to participate in a bootcamp for years and years, you need some other forms of social support and other forms of working out!

So, many people use bootcamps to:

1. jumpstart a long-term fitness program,
2. lose weight quickly for an upcoming event, like a wedding,
3. get out of an exercise rut,
4. workout with friends, or
5. start some type of exercise because they don’t know what else to do and its popular.

It is always a good thing to start exercising! But, you need to set short-term and long-term goals! In other words, have a plan to get fit and stay fit! You are more likely to succeed with a plan in place!

Part of your overall fitness plan needs to include the following (bootcamp or no bootcamp):

1. You need to be willing to change your eating habits! Sixty to 70% of your fitness goal success or failure will depend on your compliance to a good meal plan. Since you must eat to survive, get ready to change!

2. You MUST change your body composition! You must increase muscle mass to become a “fat-burning machine,” speed up your metabolism and keep the weight off for good! You need to replace the fat (to an acceptable body fat percentage) on your body with muscle mass.

When you sign up for your bootcamp, have an overall fitness plan beyond the bootcamp experience! For instance, your bootcamp could just be the start of making fitness a way of life. Your fitness and health should be your primary focus.

If you have started a bootcamp, turn that bootcamp experience into exercising for 1 year, 2 years and so on! In other words, don't stop exercising and eating right!

Mark Dilworth, Certified Personal Trainer
Her Fitness Hut http://herfitnesshut.com

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