Transformation Essay
Before joining Bootcamp, I ate a low-fat diet, and exercised five days a week. But my exercise regimen meant going to the gym, getting on a bike, and reading. I had been sidelined by a series of surgeries, and believed I wasn’t capable of much more than sitting on a bike to nowhere in a dank gym, inhaling high-powered antiseptic cleaner fumes.
Over the summer, a friend recommended I try Bootcamp. I said I didn’t have the time-I already exercised, after all. But I gave it a try one day a week. When I started, I couldn’t do two full push ups, and skipped the knees-to-chin exercises all together because I had no core strength.
When the transformation contest started, I reasoned if someone was going to win, why couldn’t it be me? However, I was doubtful I would be able to meet the minimum attendance requirements. Yet not only did I consistently attend four times a week, I weathered many obstacles, including sick babysitters, dental surgery and lock jaw, and navigated severe snow and ice in a car with only rear wheel drive. I also have a two-hour commute to work each way, yet got up at 5:00 AM to get to Bootcamp and then start my journey into the city.
Am I the strongest or fittest person at Bootcamp? No. But I believe I embody the spirit of the transformation contest-I have transformed how I see myself. My physical limitations from the surgeries have become an afterthought, and no longer define who I am or what I am capable of. I truly have Bootcamp to thank for that. And for pushing me to now be able to do 25 full pushups (on a good day) and 1-minute knees to chin exercises.
-Mary A Cavaleri
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