Former Triathlete Gets Back into Shape

I met Jim this past January.  His wife was a boot camp regular last fall when I joined, but she was now staying at home with the kids each morning while he gave it a try.  The question in my mind every time I meet a new camper is, "Why now?"  For Jim, Groupon was not the answer.


Before Jim and his family moved to Atlanta, they lived in San Francisco where he was an avid triathlete finishing 10+ triathlons, including Alcatraz, along with various century bike rides.   He also finished 2 marathons - NYC in 2006 and Atlanta in 2007.  In 2008, he started working out less and working at his job more; however, this January, it was time for a change.


"I just became complacent and needed to change up my routine.  I was very skeptical of these sorts of things [boot camps] as I have always had the opportunity to train at a high level being a former Division 1 college athlete. I know all the workouts and what needs to be done.  I laughed it off thinking, 'I don't need a trainer to tell me what to do'. "  

Soon though, Jim realized that maybe he did need a little push. 

"As with everything, I owe this to my amazing wife, Joanie.  She kicked my butt to get back out there and I have really enjoyed it."

Jim and Joanie make eating well a part of every day life.  She makes "amazing" organic meals to support her husband's healthy habits.  

He tries to stick with the changes he has made including:

• Eating smaller portions
• Experimenting with the macrobiotic diet
• Limiting food after 7pm 
• Limiting alcohol
• Drinking a post-workout smoothie packed with kale, spinach, berries and coconut water. 

Watching their loved ones fight cancer and a having competitive sprit only motivates him more to choose to eat healthy and role out of bed for boot camp each day.

"At my office I keep a mantra that reads, "Every time you eat poorly, every time you sleep in, you make it that much easier for someone to beat you." 

Now, after three months of boot camp and eating well, Jim is seeing results.

"We ran a 10k in February and I noticed much easier breathing and stamina.   I have lost body fat and 28 pounds [in 3 months].  I am 6'5" and could carry the weight , but this makes me much leaner and happier.  I still play baseball in a men's league and feel much better with my core strength and speed." 

Aside from his competitive spirit, what motivates Jim to live a healthy lifestyle?

3 things:
1.  Staying healthy to support his wife.
2.  Being a role model for his children, Reed, Leah and CC. 
3.  His dad, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last June, and is beating the odds in his fight. 

"I keep a saying on my mirror that says, "One day I will wake up and not be able to do this. Today is not that day."   

A Vet in Training...

As we kick off a new month of boot camp, I thought it would be fitting to highlight some recent Step It Up success stories as an inspiration to our new campers!  First up is new "Vet" Tracie McMichen...

I first got to know Tracie when she, along with a group of our mutual friends, decided to finish the Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville one year ago this month.  I traveled with them as part of their cheering section and the group finished despite impending storms on the horizon.  Tracie joined Step It Up on March 14th of this year and will complete her 2nd Country Music Half Marathon on April 30!

What amazes me about this dedicated girl is that she commutes from Kennesaw to Smyrna for boot camp, allowing extra time to not only pick up her Starbucks Quad Expresso, but to pick up her Smyrna friends (myself included).   She says picking us up keeps her accountable, and I hope she realizes her car outside my house at 5:20am each day does the same.  I can't role over and hit the snooze button.  The caffeinated bus awaits me.



Tracie (center) with friends Chandra & Denise



I asked what motivates her to drive all the way from Kennesaw for boot camp (I was intrigued by this, as you couldn't pay me to commute to Kennesaw from Smyrna to workout!)  Luckily, she works nearby off Circle 75, and has the luxury of friends in Smyrna who let her shower for work at their place.  The real motivation, however, lies elsewhere: 

"I love the way I feel afterwards and the fitness I've gained in four short weeks."

Tracie's eating habits have changed over the past year thanks to Weight Watcher's, leading to a successful loss of ~30 lbs while she has focused on portion control and including more veggies in her diet. 

Her advice to new campers:  "Boot camp is not just about becoing physically stronger...but mentally stronger as well...it will amaze you how much you can do...with the right mental attitude!"

Thanks Tracie for sharing your experience with us!  Stay tuned for camper #2 this week... Jim Collins.

Boot Camp Hydration 101

If you are new to boot camp this session and are still in it, congrats!  You have survived the first three weeks!  Fortunately, the mornings and evenings have been cool enough so far that no one is concerned much about dehydration.  As summer approaches in Atlanta, that's all about to change...

As temperatures climb, your body dissipates heat through sweat.  Like it or not, it's an essential process that cools your skin, which cools your blood, which cools your core.

So how can you start to prep for warmer temps?

• Drink half your body weight in ounces of water or other calorie-free beverages each day.  For example, if you weight 200 lbs, aim for 100 oz of fluids daily. 
• In general, most people will lose between 1-4 lbs of water weight during one hour of exercise.  Body size, intensity, clothing, and environment (hot vs. cold temps) will all impact how much you lose.  To determine your sweat rate, weigh yourself before boot camp, then again afterwards.  If you aren't losing much weight, you are probably hydrating well.  If you do lose 1 lb or more, try the following:
• For every pound of weight lost, drink 80-100% of this during exercise to continually replace losses. So, if you lose 2 pounds of weight during boot camp (32 oz), you should drink 24-32 oz throughout camp to avoid the fluid losses from sweat.   (One pound = 16 oz.)
• If you need a larger volume that you are used to drinking, increase fluids slowly.  If you body isn't used to you drinking a large volume during exercise, it may reject it in a not-so-pleasant way.
• After exercise, most people can rehydrate through usual meals, snacks and fluids.  If you are a boot camp overachiever doing "two a days", or training for an endurance event, you may need a more aggressive plan!