Transformation Tuesday: Kim Gregory on her Boot Camp and Paleo Success

We are starting a brand new series called Transformation Tuesday.  We have SO many amazing members in our Bay View Boot Camp family, and I wanted to share their stories with you to inspire, encourage, and motivate you to keep working towards your fitness and nutrition goals.

Our very first story comes from Kim Gregory, who started boot camp with us during a 21 Day Transformation Challenge.  She got hooked and has been coming consistently ever since!

Kim has a great story to tell and shows how she completely changed her lifestyle beginning with adopting a Paleo way of eating.  Now, she feels as strong as she did in high school and feels GREAT!

Please check out her story below and congratulate her on her success in the comments section below.

Here is Kim’s Story, as SHE tells it:

Jan. 1st was my ‘awakening’ of sorts. My blood pressure was spiking around 140/100. My Crohn’s was flaring out of control. My weight was the highest it had ever been and would stubbornly sit there no matter what I tried. My dad had just had another bout of heart attacks (on top of his high blood pressure, diabetes, etc…) which is something I wanted to steer clear of. After months, no YEARS, of waking up feeling bloated, headachy and with my stomach on fire and cramping, day in and day out, I knew enough was enough and I needed to make a change…. so that’s what I did!!

My first action was to start eating whole foods as much as possible. I was raised on the theory, as we all were, that grains are good and low fat is better. I was eating almost ALL processed foods as that was (at least what I thought) what my stomach handled better. While I was looking for gluten/soy free recipes in the first month, I stumbled across the whole Paleo lifestyle and figured, why not?! I instantly began cutting ALL processed foods out of my diet, and never looked back. It took a while for my gut to settle down and start healing, but it did start to happen. I truly believe that the food we eat can be a magical drug to heal, or the poison that slowly kills us.

I was feeding my body as a whole and I started seeing the weight come off, along with a drastic drop in blood pressure, but I still felt I was missing something….fast forward to boot camp!! I remember seeing on a friend’s Facebook wall the link to the 21 Day Transformation Challenge and though now might be a great tine to start exercising. My weight had dropped some and I actually had energy for the first time in a long time, so the timing couldn’t have been any better!! I was very nervous as I had been a couch potato for so long, that I wasn’t sure if I could do it, much less like it….I really hate to exercise!! I took it one day at a time. It wasn’t easy (and still isn’t, lol), but it has become easier to embrace the burn as I have noticed great improvement in my strength, endurance and posture.

I embrace the motivation and guidance of my wonderful instructor, and look forward to the days I get to challenge myself to new levels. Every workout is different so you can never say it is boring. You work different muscles so even though you might get sore from a workout, you are not overly exerted. What I really love is if you are suffering from an injury, Laura always has an alternative to challenge you, but not cause any more discomfort. That is awesome!! So after the end of the challenge, I couldn’t wait to sign up for more! In the weeks I have been attending Bay View Boot Camp, I saw such a transformation in my body, I was shocked and giddy as hell!! Whats not to love about that?!? :)

In all, 2012 has been a process of turning over a new leaf. On Jan 1st I weighed 147 lbs, no muscle….I now weigh 127 lbs and feel as strong as I did in high school! My blood pressure is a normal 120/80, and my gut feels great! I am happy to say, that not only do I LOVE working out now, but I actually anticipate the time I get to push myself. This has not been a ‘fast’ change, nor has it been easy…. it is not a gimmicky fad/diet, it is a changed way of seeing food, the world and yourself! It is amazing to truly feel and know the good you are doing for your body. My transformation is nowhere near over, but at least I know I have set up a great foundation!

Thank you Laura and all my bootcamp buddies for encouragement, positive vibe and helping to make this one of the greatest things I have done for myself. Yes, MYself, no one else, because if you’re doing it for someone else, you probably won’t be doing it long!!!! Peace.