Testimonials
Kevin
Matt Jennings Boot Camp Changed my life!
When I came to boot camp 8 months ago, I was desperate. I was 32 years old and weighing in at 245lbs. I was on my way to buy a new pair of size 40/30 pants, because 38’s were getting a little tight, and thought, this is ridiculous! I knew I needed to makes some BIG changes.
I decided to commit myself to the boot camp. I set small goals for myself in the beginning, like showing up for all my scheduled classes. By just showing up for my classes I began to get stronger, and began to set small performance goals, my first one was not doing push ups on my knees. It wasn’t long before they were a thing of the past. I am amazed at how much my strength, fitness, and body has changed in such a short time.
From the ever changing work outs, to Matt’s nutritional tips, and the support of all my fellow boot campers, MJBC has improved my life with out measure. My energy level has never been higher, and my general disposition never more positive. I attribute both of these things to the work done at boot camp, and the changes that have been made at home because of boot camp!
I’m happy to say on my most recent trip to buy pants, I was there because the 34’s I’ve been wearing are now a little too big, and I need to start buying 32’s. I haven’t worn that size waist in 15 years. Last I checked I was 185 lbs, down 60 lbs, and no longer obsess about that number anyway.
Thank you Matt, Kathy, and all my fellow boot campers for your support, and helping motivate me towards my fitness/nutrition goals!
~ Kevin Smith
When I came to boot camp 8 months ago, I was desperate. I was 32 years old and weighing in at 245lbs. I was on my way to buy a new pair of size 40/30 pants, because 38’s were getting a little tight, and thought, this is ridiculous! I knew I needed to makes some BIG changes.
I decided to commit myself to the boot camp. I set small goals for myself in the beginning, like showing up for all my scheduled classes. By just showing up for my classes I began to get stronger, and began to set small performance goals, my first one was not doing push ups on my knees. It wasn’t long before they were a thing of the past. I am amazed at how much my strength, fitness, and body has changed in such a short time.
From the ever changing work outs, to Matt’s nutritional tips, and the support of all my fellow boot campers, MJBC has improved my life with out measure. My energy level has never been higher, and my general disposition never more positive. I attribute both of these things to the work done at boot camp, and the changes that have been made at home because of boot camp!
I’m happy to say on my most recent trip to buy pants, I was there because the 34’s I’ve been wearing are now a little too big, and I need to start buying 32’s. I haven’t worn that size waist in 15 years. Last I checked I was 185 lbs, down 60 lbs, and no longer obsess about that number anyway.
Thank you Matt, Kathy, and all my fellow boot campers for your support, and helping motivate me towards my fitness/nutrition goals!
~ Kevin Smith
Bill
As you may know Matt, most of my life from childhood through these later adult years, achieving and maintaining physical fitness has been one of my most important personal goals. I have always believed that it has to be a work in progress, having no real end point. As i look back, my own path has been paved mostly through a predominance in the cardio theater. I had become a fairly decent distance runner in high school, and was awarded a full scholarship to Seton Hall University many decades ago. Since that time and up until I first experienced your boot camp culture last November, running was the first and foremost activity that I felt most comfortable in achieving fitness. I tried to impart that love and experience of running to the many athletes I coached in my 24 years at Brick Township High School.
I mentioned “first and foremost” above because I also knew that my journey was not the only path that could have, or maybe even should have, been taken. I believed that strength, and cross training had a place, but I didn’t make enough room for those inclusions in my fitness life, Oh, I would attempt some general lifting in the various gyms, occasional elliptical and cycling as well, but always with one eye on the running shoes. As years passed, I suppose I was always in decent cardio shape, but intellectually knew that I was lacking in certain areas to ever be considered a truly fit person.
One area of my life that always held me back was in the world of nutrition. My appetite and food portions are legendary, according to my family and closest friends. Moreover, my food choices for most of my life were just this side of poor. Pasta, meats, sauces, and breads were staples in my kitchen. I honestly believed I could never change, even after two scares in which I had two stents inserted, the last of which occurred in 2006. Now, as a result of the information and guidance that you have provided, with great feedback and results from our fellow members, I have transformed my dietary habits in a 180 degree turnabout. Of course, I am not nearly where I want to be just yet in this area, but I never thought I would be able to lose the weight that i have, nor develop the discipline to steer my meals in a more healthful direction. (A good example is that I rarely buy breads or starches, and I never thought that would be possible.)
But then, this past October, I decided to write down the number I saw on a jeep, yours, at a traffic light in Brick. Matt Jennings Boot Camps. I had known you ever since I had been a member of your gym almost 10 years ago. But circumstances took me away from that gym and we lost contact. However, I always remembered your passion for not only your fitness, and of course Kathy’s, but for all those who you had inspired. And i thought, maybe I should find out just what this boot camp experience was about. You encouraged me to stop by and see what it entailed.
I have to tell you, it honestly was the best decision I have ever made in terms of my personal health and well being. It is difficult to do justice to the boot camp experience with the written word. It has been a life changer. And it is so much more than a 45 minute segment of our lives in which we pump our hearts and wipe beads of sweat from our brows. Rather, it is a part of our lives in which we are sharing a common goal, but adapting that commonality to what makes us unique as human beings. The camaraderie and synergy that develops in every class is something that is awesome to experience. And I thought I knew a little something about team building. Matt, you make it an art form. And, oh yes, our hearts threaten to leap out of our chests, and the sweat is evident on the floor!! What is also a bonus for me, and I think it could be for most of us (depending on the varied interests and time allotments), is that I have continued to run on my non-boot camp days, and the quality of my runs has improved dramatically.
So I guess what I attempted to say here, and I hope I wasn’t too wordy, is that the boot camp life style, as I like to call it, is something I wish all would be exposed to. I know in my life it has provided me an avenue to continue that journey toward better fitness, with an improved engine, a renewed spirit, and the freedom, time and energy to make my life more enjoyable.
~ Bill McGuire
I mentioned “first and foremost” above because I also knew that my journey was not the only path that could have, or maybe even should have, been taken. I believed that strength, and cross training had a place, but I didn’t make enough room for those inclusions in my fitness life, Oh, I would attempt some general lifting in the various gyms, occasional elliptical and cycling as well, but always with one eye on the running shoes. As years passed, I suppose I was always in decent cardio shape, but intellectually knew that I was lacking in certain areas to ever be considered a truly fit person.
One area of my life that always held me back was in the world of nutrition. My appetite and food portions are legendary, according to my family and closest friends. Moreover, my food choices for most of my life were just this side of poor. Pasta, meats, sauces, and breads were staples in my kitchen. I honestly believed I could never change, even after two scares in which I had two stents inserted, the last of which occurred in 2006. Now, as a result of the information and guidance that you have provided, with great feedback and results from our fellow members, I have transformed my dietary habits in a 180 degree turnabout. Of course, I am not nearly where I want to be just yet in this area, but I never thought I would be able to lose the weight that i have, nor develop the discipline to steer my meals in a more healthful direction. (A good example is that I rarely buy breads or starches, and I never thought that would be possible.)
But then, this past October, I decided to write down the number I saw on a jeep, yours, at a traffic light in Brick. Matt Jennings Boot Camps. I had known you ever since I had been a member of your gym almost 10 years ago. But circumstances took me away from that gym and we lost contact. However, I always remembered your passion for not only your fitness, and of course Kathy’s, but for all those who you had inspired. And i thought, maybe I should find out just what this boot camp experience was about. You encouraged me to stop by and see what it entailed.
I have to tell you, it honestly was the best decision I have ever made in terms of my personal health and well being. It is difficult to do justice to the boot camp experience with the written word. It has been a life changer. And it is so much more than a 45 minute segment of our lives in which we pump our hearts and wipe beads of sweat from our brows. Rather, it is a part of our lives in which we are sharing a common goal, but adapting that commonality to what makes us unique as human beings. The camaraderie and synergy that develops in every class is something that is awesome to experience. And I thought I knew a little something about team building. Matt, you make it an art form. And, oh yes, our hearts threaten to leap out of our chests, and the sweat is evident on the floor!! What is also a bonus for me, and I think it could be for most of us (depending on the varied interests and time allotments), is that I have continued to run on my non-boot camp days, and the quality of my runs has improved dramatically.
So I guess what I attempted to say here, and I hope I wasn’t too wordy, is that the boot camp life style, as I like to call it, is something I wish all would be exposed to. I know in my life it has provided me an avenue to continue that journey toward better fitness, with an improved engine, a renewed spirit, and the freedom, time and energy to make my life more enjoyable.
~ Bill McGuire
Terry
Hi everyone! My name is Terry Attardi and I am 54 years old. I started Matt’s very first boot camp on
Windward Beach 3 years ago. I signed up because I had a lot of stress and I thought it might help. I was on heart medication called Lanoxin. It makes your heart beat stronger with regular rhythm. After 8 months of boot camp I as taken off the medication. I no longer needed it after taking it for 34 years! I also lost 13 pounds the first month. I went from tight size 14 to a 10. After hearing the other ladies talking about running, I decided to try that too. I started out slowly until I could run and breathe right. I started doing boot camp 3 days a week and running 3 days a week. Matt had a biggest loser contest. I lost 17 more pounds and was taken off my high blood pressure medication! I ran a 5K race in March 2011 and got a metal for third place in the women’s 50 to 59 age group! This all seems like a dream! Talk about changing someone’s life. I feel the best I ever have. Matt I can’t thank you enough if not for you I would have been on that heart medicine forever! I’ve learned so much about diet and exercise from you. You worked my heart muscle! Thank you Terry.
~ Terry Attardi
Windward Beach 3 years ago. I signed up because I had a lot of stress and I thought it might help. I was on heart medication called Lanoxin. It makes your heart beat stronger with regular rhythm. After 8 months of boot camp I as taken off the medication. I no longer needed it after taking it for 34 years! I also lost 13 pounds the first month. I went from tight size 14 to a 10. After hearing the other ladies talking about running, I decided to try that too. I started out slowly until I could run and breathe right. I started doing boot camp 3 days a week and running 3 days a week. Matt had a biggest loser contest. I lost 17 more pounds and was taken off my high blood pressure medication! I ran a 5K race in March 2011 and got a metal for third place in the women’s 50 to 59 age group! This all seems like a dream! Talk about changing someone’s life. I feel the best I ever have. Matt I can’t thank you enough if not for you I would have been on that heart medicine forever! I’ve learned so much about diet and exercise from you. You worked my heart muscle! Thank you Terry.
~ Terry Attardi
MaryEllen
I have always been active, playing soccer at a young age and all through college. I have also struggled with my weight for a good part of my adult life. Especially after having two children and limited time for myself.
At the end of the summer in 2010 I was at a Weight Watchers meeting and a woman came in raving about how great the Windward Beach boot camp classes were. A few months later I had read an article in the newspaper about Matt Jennings having a world wide work out for charity. I realized that this was the same Matt Jennings who ran the boot camp at Windward Beach. It was then that I thought this was my sign…I do believe in fate.
You see at around the same time I was diagnosed with Melanoma. I went for a routine skin cancer screening like I did every year but this time I had noticed a new freckle on the outside of my foot. I really did not think anything of it but my doctor insisted that it had to be removed right away. To my surprise it was Melanoma. I was 41 years old and what really scared me was that my father was diagnosed with Prostate cancer at the age of 42 and he passed away at the age of 46. I realized very quickly that I needed to take care of myself so that I would be around to enjoy life with my husband and take care of my two daughters. I needed to start taking better care of myself, I needed to start getting physically fit and change my poor eating habits as well as stay out of the sun.
Seeing the article on Matt for me was a sign—this was my answer—so I called Matt and signed up for the free two week trial and I have been hooked on Matt’s boot camp ever since! As difficult as boot camp was I still enjoyed it and I felt so energized when I left the studio. I felt better and I knew I was on my way to better health. In the six months that I had been enrolled in boot camp I had tried Matt’s 28 day diet twice but I just could not seem to commit to it. Then last June I realized that I could feel the muscles in my arms but I could not see them because I was too fat! I also realized that soon I would need to put my bathing suit on and in that moment I realized that my diet needed to change if I wanted to see the results of all my hard work at boot camp. If I truly wanted to be healthy and fit I needed to give up all of the junk food I was eating. I had listened to Matt’s advice regarding nutrition and I believed it but it took me six months to really make the nutritional changes I needed to make in order to see a change in my body.
I started to cut out all the carbohydrates in my diet. I only ate fresh food nothing processed. I ate salads, grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, eggs, some vegetables and some low sugar fruits. I gave up diet soda and started drinking unsweetened ice tea and water. In six weeks I lost 20 pounds!!
I am happy to say it is almost a year since I lost the 20 pounds and I have kept it off! Before I started the diet my body fat was 28.8% and my BMI was 26.4 now my body fat is 23% and my BMI is 23.8!
I will admit that staying on track with my nutrition has been the most difficult part of changing my life. I try to limit my carbohydrates, I avoid eating dairy, I eat nuts and I eat a lot of salad. I also drink smoothies with the Prograde protein powder. I stay away from bread, pasta, and rice. To be honest I still struggle with my nutrition. I struggle with the choice of eating what I want (cake, cookies, ice cream) and what I know I should have. It has taken me a long time but I am finally realizing that I cannot eat sweets because one cookie will turn into five cookies and five cookies will turn into a day of eating junk. I try to remember what Matt said to me one day he said. “Before you eat that cookie think about how it is going to make you feel after you have eaten it.” He is right because after I eat poorly I feel awful. I feel tired and sluggish, not to mention, I get angry at myself for the poor choice I made.
For the most part my exercise is two days a week of boot camp. In the months that the weather is warm I walk four miles a day. I enjoying riding bikes with my family and in the summer we are always at the beach swimming (slathered in SPF 50 sunscreen).
Matt Jennings was the catalyst that helped me change my life. Without Matt’s encouragement and support I would not be where I am today. Boot camp changed my life. The work out is always different, always challenging. Everyone in the class is so supportive and we have a lot of fun. I will never give up boot camp—- it has completely changed my life.
I feel great and I have so much more confidence knowing I look better and that I am healthier. My daughters see their mom take care of herself with diet and exercise and hopefully as they grow they will understand how important it is to take care of your body and mind.
~ MaryEllen Biedzynski
At the end of the summer in 2010 I was at a Weight Watchers meeting and a woman came in raving about how great the Windward Beach boot camp classes were. A few months later I had read an article in the newspaper about Matt Jennings having a world wide work out for charity. I realized that this was the same Matt Jennings who ran the boot camp at Windward Beach. It was then that I thought this was my sign…I do believe in fate.
You see at around the same time I was diagnosed with Melanoma. I went for a routine skin cancer screening like I did every year but this time I had noticed a new freckle on the outside of my foot. I really did not think anything of it but my doctor insisted that it had to be removed right away. To my surprise it was Melanoma. I was 41 years old and what really scared me was that my father was diagnosed with Prostate cancer at the age of 42 and he passed away at the age of 46. I realized very quickly that I needed to take care of myself so that I would be around to enjoy life with my husband and take care of my two daughters. I needed to start taking better care of myself, I needed to start getting physically fit and change my poor eating habits as well as stay out of the sun.
Seeing the article on Matt for me was a sign—this was my answer—so I called Matt and signed up for the free two week trial and I have been hooked on Matt’s boot camp ever since! As difficult as boot camp was I still enjoyed it and I felt so energized when I left the studio. I felt better and I knew I was on my way to better health. In the six months that I had been enrolled in boot camp I had tried Matt’s 28 day diet twice but I just could not seem to commit to it. Then last June I realized that I could feel the muscles in my arms but I could not see them because I was too fat! I also realized that soon I would need to put my bathing suit on and in that moment I realized that my diet needed to change if I wanted to see the results of all my hard work at boot camp. If I truly wanted to be healthy and fit I needed to give up all of the junk food I was eating. I had listened to Matt’s advice regarding nutrition and I believed it but it took me six months to really make the nutritional changes I needed to make in order to see a change in my body.
I started to cut out all the carbohydrates in my diet. I only ate fresh food nothing processed. I ate salads, grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, eggs, some vegetables and some low sugar fruits. I gave up diet soda and started drinking unsweetened ice tea and water. In six weeks I lost 20 pounds!!
I am happy to say it is almost a year since I lost the 20 pounds and I have kept it off! Before I started the diet my body fat was 28.8% and my BMI was 26.4 now my body fat is 23% and my BMI is 23.8!
I will admit that staying on track with my nutrition has been the most difficult part of changing my life. I try to limit my carbohydrates, I avoid eating dairy, I eat nuts and I eat a lot of salad. I also drink smoothies with the Prograde protein powder. I stay away from bread, pasta, and rice. To be honest I still struggle with my nutrition. I struggle with the choice of eating what I want (cake, cookies, ice cream) and what I know I should have. It has taken me a long time but I am finally realizing that I cannot eat sweets because one cookie will turn into five cookies and five cookies will turn into a day of eating junk. I try to remember what Matt said to me one day he said. “Before you eat that cookie think about how it is going to make you feel after you have eaten it.” He is right because after I eat poorly I feel awful. I feel tired and sluggish, not to mention, I get angry at myself for the poor choice I made.
For the most part my exercise is two days a week of boot camp. In the months that the weather is warm I walk four miles a day. I enjoying riding bikes with my family and in the summer we are always at the beach swimming (slathered in SPF 50 sunscreen).
Matt Jennings was the catalyst that helped me change my life. Without Matt’s encouragement and support I would not be where I am today. Boot camp changed my life. The work out is always different, always challenging. Everyone in the class is so supportive and we have a lot of fun. I will never give up boot camp—- it has completely changed my life.
I feel great and I have so much more confidence knowing I look better and that I am healthier. My daughters see their mom take care of herself with diet and exercise and hopefully as they grow they will understand how important it is to take care of your body and mind.
~ MaryEllen Biedzynski
Christine
I am 43 years old and a mother of three children, Christopher 21, Jordan 17 and Steven, 11. My interest and passion for fitness developed when I was very young watching my father box in our gym, which he converted out of our garage in our modest home. I was inspired by my father because he had seven children, yet always found time to stay fit and eat right. My father always told me that strength training is an essential and a vital part of building muscle and staying fit. So, I utilized the tools my father gave me as a young adult, and decided that fitness would be my way of life…a lifelong commitment….a perfect gift to myself, a gift that is not tangible, but very rewarding…a gift of health.
I have a passion for running which developed in my 20’s after having children to lose the pregnancy weight. I love strength training as well but finding time was a factor in trying to balance it with my running schedule, work, children and taking care of a home. So, running became my primary source of exercise. It always was and continues to be therapeutic for me, as it provides me with mental clarity and physical energy. A run makes me feel in control, free and committed.
I love to stay active and will try anything that will enhance my life on a fitness level. In my 30’s I trained for two years in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, earning a blue belt. Along with running, I have enjoyed many forms of exercise, like biking, and fitness classes at local gyms, etc. However, despite these positive and fun sources of exercise, and as I got older, I became desirous of gaining strength, especially upper body, since I felt it was something I lacked.
Two and a half years ago, I joined Matt Jennings Boot Camp. My goal walking into Matt Jennings was clear; to gain strength, plain and simple. I wanted to drop and do twenty five pushups without having to stop or drop to my knees. Despite being over 40 years old, I wanted size and muscle definition while maintaining a lean and defined body. While the average gym is great for others, it is not for me. I was unwilling to spend two hours in a gym for what I could accomplish in 30 to 40 minutes at MJBC. The absolute moment I completed my first workout with Matt Jennings, I knew that it was the perfect program for me.
Currently, my training consists of two days of Matt Jennings boot camp training and four to five days of running, approximately 5-6 miles per run. I also enjoy yoga, kickboxing, biking, gardening, swimming, or any other physical activity.
I will say without hesitation that the most important component of my fitness lifestyle is boot camp training with Matt Jennings. I have been training for over two years with Matt and I will say, without hesitation, that he has inspired me and has changed my life in a positive way. For me, Matt Jennings Boot Camp training compliments my personality as it is a no-nonsense motivational workout that physically challenges me each and every session. The variety of functional circuit workouts addresses every bit of my physical needs. I am physically stronger than I have ever been in my life and I have finally achieved my fitness goal. On an emotional level, as a member of MJBC, I feel part of a “team” or a “family” and love to watch my fellow teammates “get fit.” It is both inspirational and rewarding.
Not only have I reached my goal of gaining the physical strength I have desired for so long by training at MJBC, but I have also gained more knowledge of nutrition through this program, which is an essential part of being fit. My diet consists of mostly lean meats, fish, vegetables and fruits. When I plan a meal, I think of protein first, then vegetables and avoid starchy carbohydrates like pasta and rice. Breakfast meals usually consist of egg omelets, plain oatmeal mixed with egg whites, fresh fruit, or a protein shake with filtered water and fresh fruit. I eat a piece of fruit every morning after a run. I pack my own lunch for work every day, which consists of a salad loaded with veggies, protein and my own dressing made with olive oil and lemon or balsamic, or chicken or fish with vegetables . I also pack snack meals like nuts, seeds, fruits, raw veggies and natural peanut butter. I will indulge in a moderate amount of foods containing grains and beans. I eat frequent small meals throughout the day so that I never feel hungry.
I try to avoid dairy foods and foods containing sugar. In fact, I never look at the caloric content in food, I first check for the sugar content. Instead of milk, cheeses and yogurt, I opt for kale, spinach, broccoli rabe and collard greens for calcium. I eat these vegetables regularly, along with others like broccoli, asparagus and brussel sprouts and will often make egg omelets with the leftover veggies the following day. I seldom consume pasta and rice. Instead, I occasionally prepare quinoa for my family, which is a good source of protein and magnesium. I will eat sweet potatoes in moderation. I consider my diet to be 90 percent clean and have a day which I call a “cheat” day. I enjoy eating at parties, Sunday dinners, restaurants and an occasional ice cream cone with my children like most people do. However, I am confident that I will be nutritionally and physically disciplined the next day, which lifelong habits have provided me with the sense of balance I need to stay fit for life.
If I had to sum up my lifestyle, I would say that a balance between work, family, friends, an active lifestyle and good nutrition makes me feel complete and content.
~ Christine Giannios
I have a passion for running which developed in my 20’s after having children to lose the pregnancy weight. I love strength training as well but finding time was a factor in trying to balance it with my running schedule, work, children and taking care of a home. So, running became my primary source of exercise. It always was and continues to be therapeutic for me, as it provides me with mental clarity and physical energy. A run makes me feel in control, free and committed.
I love to stay active and will try anything that will enhance my life on a fitness level. In my 30’s I trained for two years in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, earning a blue belt. Along with running, I have enjoyed many forms of exercise, like biking, and fitness classes at local gyms, etc. However, despite these positive and fun sources of exercise, and as I got older, I became desirous of gaining strength, especially upper body, since I felt it was something I lacked.
Two and a half years ago, I joined Matt Jennings Boot Camp. My goal walking into Matt Jennings was clear; to gain strength, plain and simple. I wanted to drop and do twenty five pushups without having to stop or drop to my knees. Despite being over 40 years old, I wanted size and muscle definition while maintaining a lean and defined body. While the average gym is great for others, it is not for me. I was unwilling to spend two hours in a gym for what I could accomplish in 30 to 40 minutes at MJBC. The absolute moment I completed my first workout with Matt Jennings, I knew that it was the perfect program for me.
Currently, my training consists of two days of Matt Jennings boot camp training and four to five days of running, approximately 5-6 miles per run. I also enjoy yoga, kickboxing, biking, gardening, swimming, or any other physical activity.
I will say without hesitation that the most important component of my fitness lifestyle is boot camp training with Matt Jennings. I have been training for over two years with Matt and I will say, without hesitation, that he has inspired me and has changed my life in a positive way. For me, Matt Jennings Boot Camp training compliments my personality as it is a no-nonsense motivational workout that physically challenges me each and every session. The variety of functional circuit workouts addresses every bit of my physical needs. I am physically stronger than I have ever been in my life and I have finally achieved my fitness goal. On an emotional level, as a member of MJBC, I feel part of a “team” or a “family” and love to watch my fellow teammates “get fit.” It is both inspirational and rewarding.
Not only have I reached my goal of gaining the physical strength I have desired for so long by training at MJBC, but I have also gained more knowledge of nutrition through this program, which is an essential part of being fit. My diet consists of mostly lean meats, fish, vegetables and fruits. When I plan a meal, I think of protein first, then vegetables and avoid starchy carbohydrates like pasta and rice. Breakfast meals usually consist of egg omelets, plain oatmeal mixed with egg whites, fresh fruit, or a protein shake with filtered water and fresh fruit. I eat a piece of fruit every morning after a run. I pack my own lunch for work every day, which consists of a salad loaded with veggies, protein and my own dressing made with olive oil and lemon or balsamic, or chicken or fish with vegetables . I also pack snack meals like nuts, seeds, fruits, raw veggies and natural peanut butter. I will indulge in a moderate amount of foods containing grains and beans. I eat frequent small meals throughout the day so that I never feel hungry.
I try to avoid dairy foods and foods containing sugar. In fact, I never look at the caloric content in food, I first check for the sugar content. Instead of milk, cheeses and yogurt, I opt for kale, spinach, broccoli rabe and collard greens for calcium. I eat these vegetables regularly, along with others like broccoli, asparagus and brussel sprouts and will often make egg omelets with the leftover veggies the following day. I seldom consume pasta and rice. Instead, I occasionally prepare quinoa for my family, which is a good source of protein and magnesium. I will eat sweet potatoes in moderation. I consider my diet to be 90 percent clean and have a day which I call a “cheat” day. I enjoy eating at parties, Sunday dinners, restaurants and an occasional ice cream cone with my children like most people do. However, I am confident that I will be nutritionally and physically disciplined the next day, which lifelong habits have provided me with the sense of balance I need to stay fit for life.
If I had to sum up my lifestyle, I would say that a balance between work, family, friends, an active lifestyle and good nutrition makes me feel complete and content.
~ Christine Giannios
John
I was going through my closet this morning weeding through some not so old clothes to see if there was something I was able to wear to a family party in a couple of weeks. I tried this suit on and could not help but to have my wife take a couple pictures of me in this suit that was purchased just over a year ago! Both the jacket and pants were tailored to fit me at that time. This is a direct result my two magic “pills”; Boot Camp and a good diet. I was not able to purchase either of them from a late night infomercial. Here’s how it all began:
In April of 2008, my wife’s cousin, Terry Attardi, told me about this new workout program she joined down at Windward Beach. She went on to tell me what she knew about the program and I wished her the best of luck. A couple weeks later, I saw Terry at a family gathering and she told me what type of exercises they were doing and how good she felt after each of these work outs and again invited me to check it out. Once again, I wished her luck. Terry didn’t mention much more about Boot Camp until April of this year. Terry gave me a call and she gave it one more shot. She called to tell me what was going on in the class, how much FUN she was having, the progress she made and how awesome she felt and that her doctor had taken her off medication she had been taking for years! That call, was, without a doubt, the life preserver I needed. So I marched my 6’4”, 325 pound ass down to the Recreation Department and signed up for Matt Jennings Boot Camp. To be quite honest, I was scared. The last bout I had with exercise was at a local gym in October 2007. I had paid $700 for 10 one on one training sessions with a personal trainer. Personally, I thought he was trying to kill me. After my 10 sessions, I never went back to that gym!
I got tired of popping Advil for my neck, back, knee and ankle pains a couple times per day. I did not sleep right. I snored. I would wake up tired and with crippling back aches. It was work to tie my sneakers! My diet was absurd. It was all my fault. I probably ate 5-7 times per week at fast food restaurants in addition to eating home cooked meals prepared by my wife. Thank God I was not in charge of feeding my two young daughters. Luckily, my wife and daughters have always maintained a pretty well balanced diet. I ate just to eat. There was no portion control. I would eat what my wife and two daughters left on their plates. I ate until the food was gone. There were no leftovers. I would pull up to a Wendy’s, Checkers or Burger King and get myself 3 or 4 burgers/sandwiches, fries and a diet soda before going home for dinner. I would take a trip to Costco and on the way out the door get two hot dogs and a chicken bake for the road. I was a size 3X in T-shirts with a 46 waist and a 20 inch neck. I was out of control. The last suit I bought was a 56 Long. No one could believe that I weighed 325 pounds. People said “you carry it well”. I thought “Thank God I am 6’4” tall”. Bullshit. I was a mess. I felt like hell. It was time.
On April 27, 2009 I changed my life. I started Boot Camp and changed the way I eat. I exercise three days a week at Boot Camp and eat a lot differently than ever before. My diet now consists of salads, chicken, lean meats, eggs, lots of vegetables, fruit, low fat cottage cheese and plenty of water. I use a lot of the Walden Farms dressings which are calorie free, sugar free and fat free. My wife and daughters cannot believe my culinary skills in the kitchen and my creative meals and healthy salads that I prepare. I asked my wife if we could go to Bed Bath and Beyond and if she had one of their 20% off coupons. She asked why. When I told her I wanted to buy a salad spinner, she cracked up! My eating habits, in many respects have become contagious. Now when we go to Costco, we will all get chicken salads. There is salad on every plate at dinner time and it is about the only thing I will go back for seconds on.
From time to time I fall off the wagon and have some things I should pass on or have less of, but I hop right back on. I know this OK and completely normal. I remind myself how I used to feel and look and know that I do not ever want to go back there. I have lost 65 pounds since April 27. I find that I sleep better, have stopped snoring, and have all kinds of energy every day. I am so thankful Terry thought to call me in April to nudge me along and to you Matt for your Boot Camp program, the ability that you have to make exercising fun for me and many others. It has not been easy but it certainly has been worth every minute and drop of sweat. It has been a complete blast!
P.S. I also have to let Franks Big and Tall Shop know that I will never be in their stores again!
Thanks for everything!
~ John Meyerle
In April of 2008, my wife’s cousin, Terry Attardi, told me about this new workout program she joined down at Windward Beach. She went on to tell me what she knew about the program and I wished her the best of luck. A couple weeks later, I saw Terry at a family gathering and she told me what type of exercises they were doing and how good she felt after each of these work outs and again invited me to check it out. Once again, I wished her luck. Terry didn’t mention much more about Boot Camp until April of this year. Terry gave me a call and she gave it one more shot. She called to tell me what was going on in the class, how much FUN she was having, the progress she made and how awesome she felt and that her doctor had taken her off medication she had been taking for years! That call, was, without a doubt, the life preserver I needed. So I marched my 6’4”, 325 pound ass down to the Recreation Department and signed up for Matt Jennings Boot Camp. To be quite honest, I was scared. The last bout I had with exercise was at a local gym in October 2007. I had paid $700 for 10 one on one training sessions with a personal trainer. Personally, I thought he was trying to kill me. After my 10 sessions, I never went back to that gym!
I got tired of popping Advil for my neck, back, knee and ankle pains a couple times per day. I did not sleep right. I snored. I would wake up tired and with crippling back aches. It was work to tie my sneakers! My diet was absurd. It was all my fault. I probably ate 5-7 times per week at fast food restaurants in addition to eating home cooked meals prepared by my wife. Thank God I was not in charge of feeding my two young daughters. Luckily, my wife and daughters have always maintained a pretty well balanced diet. I ate just to eat. There was no portion control. I would eat what my wife and two daughters left on their plates. I ate until the food was gone. There were no leftovers. I would pull up to a Wendy’s, Checkers or Burger King and get myself 3 or 4 burgers/sandwiches, fries and a diet soda before going home for dinner. I would take a trip to Costco and on the way out the door get two hot dogs and a chicken bake for the road. I was a size 3X in T-shirts with a 46 waist and a 20 inch neck. I was out of control. The last suit I bought was a 56 Long. No one could believe that I weighed 325 pounds. People said “you carry it well”. I thought “Thank God I am 6’4” tall”. Bullshit. I was a mess. I felt like hell. It was time.
On April 27, 2009 I changed my life. I started Boot Camp and changed the way I eat. I exercise three days a week at Boot Camp and eat a lot differently than ever before. My diet now consists of salads, chicken, lean meats, eggs, lots of vegetables, fruit, low fat cottage cheese and plenty of water. I use a lot of the Walden Farms dressings which are calorie free, sugar free and fat free. My wife and daughters cannot believe my culinary skills in the kitchen and my creative meals and healthy salads that I prepare. I asked my wife if we could go to Bed Bath and Beyond and if she had one of their 20% off coupons. She asked why. When I told her I wanted to buy a salad spinner, she cracked up! My eating habits, in many respects have become contagious. Now when we go to Costco, we will all get chicken salads. There is salad on every plate at dinner time and it is about the only thing I will go back for seconds on.
From time to time I fall off the wagon and have some things I should pass on or have less of, but I hop right back on. I know this OK and completely normal. I remind myself how I used to feel and look and know that I do not ever want to go back there. I have lost 65 pounds since April 27. I find that I sleep better, have stopped snoring, and have all kinds of energy every day. I am so thankful Terry thought to call me in April to nudge me along and to you Matt for your Boot Camp program, the ability that you have to make exercising fun for me and many others. It has not been easy but it certainly has been worth every minute and drop of sweat. It has been a complete blast!
P.S. I also have to let Franks Big and Tall Shop know that I will never be in their stores again!
Thanks for everything!
~ John Meyerle
Coleen
Having a love for food I have been cooking since I was 13 years old, as I got older I was always struggling with my weight. Two years ago this August I bought a restaurant in town. The next summer on my way to work every morning I would see football coach Dave Johnson walking, later in the day he would come into the restaurant and order two omelets with no home fries or toast.
One day I questioned him about where he was walking to in the morning and about his special diet. He told me about this place down the road where he was doing a boot camp workout with Matt Jennings. He said it was tough but in a short amount of time he was seeing results. A few days later Matt himself came in and ordered an omelet with no toast, no home fries with a side of bacon (which has now become his usual). We started talking about his boot camp and Matt left some brochures on the counter.
Working 7 days a week I was going home everyday exhausted. I didn’t have the energy to do anything let alone work out. So that September I decided to attend the two week free trial. It was very tough; I had never done anything like it before. I had always belonged to a gym but I never went, if I did I would walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes while watching TV. In November Matt announced there would be a weight loss contest. Two weeks later I started seeing a nutritionist who suggested I stop eating carbohydrates (of course being at the restaurant chicken fingers and French fries were the problem).
To date I have lost 52 pounds, I am off my blood pressure medicine that I have been on for about 7 years. I am able to work all day and still go home and get things done. My husband says to me constantly “old Coleen never could have done this” or “old Coleen never would have been able to stay up past 8:30”. I have lost weight in the past using weight watchers but its different this time. Matt is very motivating. No workout is ever the same, always new and challenging.
~ Coleen Klotz
One day I questioned him about where he was walking to in the morning and about his special diet. He told me about this place down the road where he was doing a boot camp workout with Matt Jennings. He said it was tough but in a short amount of time he was seeing results. A few days later Matt himself came in and ordered an omelet with no toast, no home fries with a side of bacon (which has now become his usual). We started talking about his boot camp and Matt left some brochures on the counter.
Working 7 days a week I was going home everyday exhausted. I didn’t have the energy to do anything let alone work out. So that September I decided to attend the two week free trial. It was very tough; I had never done anything like it before. I had always belonged to a gym but I never went, if I did I would walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes while watching TV. In November Matt announced there would be a weight loss contest. Two weeks later I started seeing a nutritionist who suggested I stop eating carbohydrates (of course being at the restaurant chicken fingers and French fries were the problem).
To date I have lost 52 pounds, I am off my blood pressure medicine that I have been on for about 7 years. I am able to work all day and still go home and get things done. My husband says to me constantly “old Coleen never could have done this” or “old Coleen never would have been able to stay up past 8:30”. I have lost weight in the past using weight watchers but its different this time. Matt is very motivating. No workout is ever the same, always new and challenging.
~ Coleen Klotz