Welcome to the Bootcamp Diary!
It doesn’t matter if you just finished your first two weeks of bootcamp or you’re a seasoned veteran, we all have a story to share.
So with that, we are kicking off our very first Bootcamp Diary featuring Natascha. This is her first bootcamp so we asked her a few questions and she was kind enough to answer us!
1. What motivated you to start bootcamp?
Over the last 2 years, I had slowly gained over 50 pounds. More than it being a vanity thing, I was having trouble doing basic tasks that came easy to me just a few years before, like putting my socks on, walking up the hill to Bloomingfoods on 2nd street, and keeping up on bike rides with my friends. My strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health had declined in a major way from bad habits. I was eating horribly and drinking way more than necessary. I wanted so badly to re-establish good habits to ensure a healthy future for myself and whatever family I may one day have. I had tried many times to make a change on my own to no avail. A Facebook friend had been posting about his success and major weight loss with NGPT. I was intrigued and impressed, so I decided to look into it.
2. Describe your bootcamp experience so far.
I’m kind of weirded out by how EASY the program is! People look at me funny when I say that, but it’s true in a way. Don’t get me wrong, getting fit, dropping excess fat, and eating well is HARD WORK. What I mean is that the NGPT staff has already done the work of figuring out how to get to the goal, and so I’m basically paying them to tell me what to do. I think the idea of having someone else determine my meals every day for me has taken a lot of stress off of me. I’m also the type of person who really enjoys keeping track of my scores and competing with myself, so I enjoy that there is a “points” system and an efficiency tracking spreadsheet. My brain enjoys that type of challenge.
As far as the people, everyone has been so incredibly welcoming, positive, and understanding. The lack of pretension is refreshing, and I never feel judged. My fellow bootcampers and I are members of a Facebook group where we share our daily struggles, big or small, as well as our achievements with each other, and even though I don’t know any of them well, I feel fully supported by all of them and I hope they feel the same from me!
3. What’s been your favorite part so far?
I wake up feeling great every day! I’m not hung over, I’m not bloated from eating crummy food, and in just two weeks I already feel stronger and like my aerobic capacity is greater and I can do more exercise for longer. My other favorite part? FOAM ROLLING. I’m addicted.
4. What has been the most surprising part of bootcamp?
IT IS POSSIBLE to hang out with people who are drinking and not participate! And still have fun! IT IS POSSIBLE to be around bad food and not eat any! Who would’ve thought?
5. What has been the most challenging part of bootcamp?
I just got back from a week in the twin cities for a co-op conference. I drove there alone. I prepped all of my food at home before I left, packed a cooler, and basically lived out of it for a week. No refrigerator, no stove, no microwave. On top of that, I had to figure out a way to fit my scheduled meals AND required exercise in between panel discussions, trade shows, meetings, and doing my actual day-to-day work. Saying it was challenging is an understatement, but I didn’t cave, and I feel very proud of myself today. If I can accomplish that without caving to temptations, then I can do anything!
6. How has your interaction been with your coaching team and the NGPT community?
Crucial! They’re all amazing. I struggle with staying positive and not getting too discouraged, and they make themselves completely available for me to reach out. It truly is a community and everyone is looking out for everyone else. This place exists for WAY more than just losing weight to fit into a society that is only pleased by a thin body. We all want to see each other succeed and gain strength, and the sincerity going around has brought me to tears a couple of times! It’s rare to have such genuine, positive interactions with strangers and it really has inspired me to try to pass that along.
Natascha has also been blogging about her entire Bootcamp experience so far and she’s been really honest about her experience. It’s a great read and we suggest you follow along with her journey here: https://nataschakristin.wordpress.com/
That’s a wrap for this week. Check back soon for more Bootcamp Diary entries. In the meantime, keep on Melting!
