Before (Oct. 2011) & After (Dec. 2011)

Shortly before her 51^st birthday, Michelle Mahank of Largo decided it was time to get active.

“I was really active but not active in the right ways,” Mahank said. “Instead of just being busy, I needed to be more in shape.”

She had heard Jeff Shelton talk about the Total Body Results’ boot camp, so finally she made the plunge. She didn’t really know what she was getting into or have a lot of defined goals. She just knew she wanted to feel better. Boot camp exceeded any expectations she had going in.

“I had been in several car accidents and because of my job, I have neck and back pain, but I have pretty much eliminated that because of boot camp and have taken a lot of inches off,” Michelle said. “I can get into my smaller clothes again. Like most women, I have four sizes in my closet, and I can wear the smaller sizes again.”

When she began boot camp, Michelle was wearing a size 12, but now she can fit into her size 6 clothes again.

Michelle & Jeff so graciously mowing for us. (Thank You M & J)

“They’re still a little tight, but sixes are doable now,” Michelle said. “…My goal is to fit into those perfectly, and also I do have those size 4’s waiting that I wore years ago. I think it’s definitely feasible, but because I’m building muscle too, I don’t know if I can do that. But we’ll see.”

Boot camp has also greatly improved Michelle’s stamina and posture. She is proud of all she has accomplished and wants to maintain what she has achieved.

Michelle attends boot camp three or four times a week and is driven by the rest of the group to keep coming back.

“I love being outside but it’s mostly the people who are here,” Michelle said. “Any other places I’ve gone, they’re kind of downers. And this is such an upbeat crowd. And even though there’s so many people here where I’m probably old enough to be their moms, there doesn’t seem to be any age stigma. Everyone is kind of in the same boat and want to stay healthy and have fun. Everyone is very friendly.”

Michelle attributes some of her success in committing to the program to the great personalities of the trainers and fellow boot campers.

Michelle showing off her TRX skills. You GO Girl!

“I’m surprised that I kept up with it,” Michelle said. “Because I truly am not very athletic, and I was always the last one chosen for sports, and I was always the group that didn’t get much training because I was the least expected to do anything. But here, I didn’t label myself and they didn’t label me.”

In addition to working out more, Michelle has also adopted some of the nutrition guidelines that Julia Zammito encourages. Michelle now watches processed food and paying attention to what she puts into her body.

“When I started listening to Julia’s nutrition advice, that’s when I really started losing weight and inches around the middle,” Michelle said.

Looking towards the future, Michelle is considering doing an adventure race where people run through mud and obstacles. She still feel a little nervous about the idea, but surely fellow boot campers will help build her confidence.

The biggest thing Michelle has taken away from boot camp is that being healthy is a lifetime choice.

“Because of the differences in age, it shows that age doesn’t matter. Everyone here is to be healthy, and it can be a way of life. Julia has always been doing it. It can be a lifetime thing and be a fun thing.”

Michelle & Jeff looking fabulous at our holiday dinner

Next series: New Year, New You Boot Camp begins Mon. Jan 2^nd

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Boot camper in the spotlight: A farewell tribute to Tom Thursby

By ALEXANDRA LUNDAHL

LARGO – Tom Thursby had just finished a hard, two-year divorce only to immediately see his 21-year-old son die. He hadn’t left the couch since then and knew he needed to get out and be active again. Thursby, 61, was having a hard time motivating himself to run, so he went online to find a personal trainer. Instead, he stumbled upon Total Body Results’ boot camps. He signed up right on the spot.

“I had never done anything like this before,” Thursby said. “…I had no idea what to expect, but I knew I would die when I first came here. I hadn’t done anything since my son passed away. I was just a couch guy.”

His very first day, Thursby said he quit halfway through and didn’t plan on ever coming back. Boot camp was HARD!

“But just slowly from day one on, I just began to feel such a difference in my muscles and my body that it’s become something I want to do forever,” Thursby said. “And Julia is so good and encouraging, and you can just see how she lives the whole thing. I’ll tell you one thing, the exercise was great, but one thing that really made a big difference for me was the grocery store tour. Because you always read about this stuff, but it really came together then.”

Since the tour, Thursby has completely changed his eating habits. He now eats about 90 percent whole foods and 70 percent organic foods. This is a change he’s made for life, he said.

Thursby lost between six and eight pounds during the Belly Blast Challenge, and about 12 pounds in the three months that he has participated in boot camp. His pants fit better, and he has dropped from a size 36 to a 34. He has been truly inspired by Julia Zammito and the way she eats and breathes boot camp.

“I saw it in Julia and how she lives it,” Thursby said. “It’s not just words that you hear, but it’s something you can see, too.”

But as wonderful as the physical results have been, perhaps what touched Thursby the most was the emotional impact it has had.

“You know, the other thing about class is the people in it,” Thursby said. “It came in a time in my life where I had just lost my son. So I really needed to have the energy I guess that I got here. Everybody has been so wonderful that it’s just been something that I needed in my life to lift not only my body but my mind and my spirit. God is an important part of my life, and it’s just like God put this class and the people in it in front of me because he knew I needed it. I had just gone through a hard two-year divorce and then right after that, I lost my son. He was only 21. So that was truly a hard thing to go through. But this has made a big difference in my healing and my grief process. This has made a big difference for me. I live alone, so when I go home I’m alone, but coming here just gives me such a lift for the day, the night, the week.”

Thursby’s last day at boot camp was April 27, 2011. His company won a three-year project to construct a highway in Fort Myers. He will be gone for at least three years, but he hopes to come back. He loves it here. He was born in Bradenton and has lived in this area his entire life. But even though he is moving away, he is taking boot camp with him.

“I’m going to continue doing some sort of boot camp,” Thursby said. “I’ve already looked into a couple down there. I have one picked out. Of course, none can compare to this one. But I’m taking that with me in that I’m going to keep doing this. I’m not going to stop. Even on days without boot camp, I run and walk two other days a week, so I’m going to keep my miles up. I plan on doing a half marathon by the end of the year, too.”

Boot camp has changed Thursby’s life and added to it in a way that he will never forget.

“I’m going to take the whole spirit and attitude with me of what I saw with everyone,” Thursby said. “It’s just great. Julia is great.”

Goodbye, Tom! We will miss you.

Meet Jeff, our April Boot Camper of the Month

Pinellas– In just the first 15 days of attending Total Body Results of Pinellas Boot Camp, he dropped 15 pounds. He is gaining muscle, he worked off his belly, and he is beginning to feel more like he did when he served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the 1970s. Meet Jeff Shelton of Largo, our inaugural Boot Camper of the Month.

Jeff began training with Julia Zammito at boot camp on Dec. 1, 2010, and quickly dropped to 195 from 210 in two weeks.

“I knew I was overweight and I had to do something about it,” Jeff said. “I was getting real tired of it. It was only like 15 pounds, but 15 pounds is a lot. I want to see my grandkid grow up. I needed to do aerobics, which I was not getting.”

Jeff set goals to trim down and build muscle mass and decided that boot camp was the way to go. He has been lifting weights regularly ever since he joined the Marines in 1973, but in his later years, he has still gained weight. At nearly 56, it was time to go back to boot camp. He knows it works.

Jeff served in the Marines through 1976 and worked on trucks as a mechanic in Japan. His final rank was an E4 corporal, and he still looks to his commanding officers for inspiration. They were the same age as he is now, but they still ran circles around the younger guys. Knowing that, he wants to now lose at least 10 more pounds and to get into super shape like he was while in the service. He works out six days a week, and boot camp is helping him achieve his goals.

“It’s getting me in better shape every time I go,” Jeff said. “I feel stronger every time I go there. My endurance is way, way up, and I proved that recently by doing all those agility circuits. I even amazed myself. I was amazed by what I could do.”

Julia picked Jeff for Boot Camper of the Month because she is amazed by his accomplishments. He came in with specific goals and has already met them through determination and sticking with the program.

“He’s like a machine out there, and it just makes me so happy to see how far he’s come and to see how in shape he is now,” Julia

said. “He’s in great shape, and it’s amazing and awesome to see him. He races people, and it is fantastic to see how far he is coming.” Jeff notices a huge contrast between his fitness level now compared to when he started three months ago.

“The first week I didn’t have any endurance,” Jeff said. “I had a heck of a time keeping up. And my legs were on fire for two weeks straight. But I really feel better and I am going to keep going with it. I just push it a little harder than I really have it, but the point is, I can now.”

His confidence has shot up, too. Jeff said his self-confidence had sunk from walking around with a big belly, and even his daughters had talked to him about it. He knew they were right. They had grown up with their dad always in good shape.

Jeff is a St. Pete Beach native and a Dixie Hollins High graduate. After he left the Marine Corps in 1976, he came back to Pinellas County, got married, and had three daughters, who are now grown. He is a history buff with particular interest in early American history, and he runs a pool service but is now semi-retired. Jeff’s first grandson was born in October of 2010, and that was his wakeup call. He realized he wants to make sure he is healthy so he can watch this little one grow up.

“Everybody needs to do this if they want to live longer,” Jeff said. “It’s that simple. And Julia works with you (to make sure you do it safely.) … You’ve got to get up off the couch. You can’t take a pill for this. And you will feel better mentally and physically. It’s that simple. It fights depression, too.”

Jeff said Julia is an amazing motivator and pushes him to meet his goals.

“She is really, really good at what she does. That is why she has such an effect,” Jeff said. “She’s very charismatic. She should have her own television show. She’s like a female version of Richard Simmons. … She’s so effective, also, because she doesn’t give you much of a break. I think that’s important – you keep your heart rate up, and you burn fat that way.”

Julia has also taught Jeff more about nutrition. Even though he said he’s not perfect, he has given up bread and French fries, and even being around Julia is a constant reminder to him to eat better. He said just looking at her, he knows she eats right and that is inspiration. But perhaps one of the biggest motivators is just how he feels when he is at boot camp.

“I feel alive. I just feel alive,” Jeff said. “And you’re surrounded by all these people doing the same thing. I mean let’s face it, look at
our society. We’re the most overweight society in the world, and it’s sad. Especially younger folks. And I like to be around people who want to be healthy. Or at least trying.”

Jeff doing some partner work at Boot Camp!

Julia said she has noticed major changes in Jeff. He now has gotten rid of his belly and has a handsome V-taper. His chest is taller, his shoulders are broader, and he just glows. “It’s freaking the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen,” Julia said. “Losing weight changes people on the outside, but what is crazy and so important is how it changes people on the inside. He walks with his head up and is just happy. He has lost the weight he wanted to lose, and he’s sticking to it. He goes to the gym on his own. He’s changing his lifestyle and is reaping the benefits, and I just think he’s back. He’s unstoppable.”

CONGRATS Jeff on your success & being our Boot Camper of the month!

Written by: Alexandra Lundahl

Bootsie (Margaret), 49 began her boot camp journey in July 2010. When Bootsie first began, she told me that her mother had recently passed away. Bootsie and her mother were very close, and she knew her mother would want to see her lose weight and get healthy.

Bootsie had a membership at a local Shapes Club for a year and had only been once. I think one of the biggest struggles for Bootsie was changing her diet, as she was raised on good, old Southern cooking — biscuits and gravy and all that comfort food. Bootsie attended our Grocery Store Tour and mini nutrition seminar, and with consistent food journal check-ins, we re-vamped her nutrition to line up with her fitness goals.

Since day one at boot camp, Bootsie has always pushed though and never lets anything — including a shoulder injury — stand in her way. Her goal is to get in shape before her 50th birthday for herself and her two children.

Bootsie has lost 29 ½ inches and really slimmed down on the 21-Day Meal Plan!

Great job, Bootsie!

Husband & wife and dynamic duo couple Connie & Dan came in on our 21-Day Pre-Holiday Belly Blast program. Dan & Connie have three boys, including Frank, the head strength coach for the University of North Texas.

Connie, 52, works at the Medical Examiner’s Office. Yo-yo dieting and weight loss pills have always been a constant battle for Connie. These extreme diets and weight loss clinics have left only frustration and a sense of defeat.

Dan, 56, and a true hero, served as fire chief of Seminole for 33 years where he has had many accomplishments and recently retired in July. Dan admitted right from the start that he loves donuts He overcame his sweet tooth and had body changing results in his first week. The only complaint from Dan was that he could not fit into his dress pants for a holiday party.

Connie & Dan both attended our grocery store tour and were A students in our 21-Day Belly Blast program. They made changes in their diet, stuck to the meal plan and guide and never missed a workout. Their efforts paid off!

Connie lost 15 inches in only 21 Days!
Dan lost 10 lbs. his first week and 9 inches total!

Way to go guys! I know you’re going to see more successes from these two in the near future.

Arnita has been part of the morning boot camp crew since September. She drives 45 minutes to Boot Camp at 5 am and pushes through every minute to the fullest! Her motivation comes from her son who is in the military. Arnita said, “If he can do so can I.” Arnita is an inspiration to everyone. She continues to see solid results with every assessment.

I noticed a huge change in Arnita’s appearance after the 21-Day…. She was just glowing.

Arnita lost 24 lbs. and 17.5 inches!

Arnita has truly changed her life through nutrition and exercise and is an asset to our morning class.

Each one of these ladies (and Dan) is different. They have different schedules, backgrounds, jobs, demands, even different body types, but they all got results. That’s because they have one thing in common.

They all came in and took action.Action Takers
They took action on their diet and exercise. They made changes in their eating habits right away. They didn’t all take the same diet moves, but they all took some kind of action on their diet. They didn’t “hope” the workouts would do the job alone. They won’t.

Consistently, they showed up to training. Even when they couldn’t get to the workouts, they didn’t just give it all up. They have the tenacity to finish what they started. They all stayed on their eating plan even when injury and jobs kept them out.

Write your own personal success story by setting goals, taking action, and sticking with it long enough to see results.

With such high demand for our 21-Day Belly Blast Guide & Meal Plan, we are offering it for a limited time. Get your Guide & Meal plan emailed to you today. Click on the link belowhttp://totalbodyresults.com/category/21-day-belly-blast/