She has learned so much, gained strength, increased her endurance and bettered herself little by little… and it’s not ending any time soon! Maggie is adopting habits and routines that are more than temporary – they’re a lifestyle.

Read her latest journal entries below…

May 22

“Take pride in how far you’ve come and have faith in how far you can go.”

My baby girl graduated from Elon University this past weekend! I am so immensely proud of her and look forward to watching her move into her next adventure.

Of course, graduation weekend meant eating out several times but I am proud of the choices I made. Before we went out I would pull up the menu of the restaurant so I could take my time reviewing the best options.

When we went to a franchise place, I used the tool on the Lose It! app to look up food and nutritional information specific to that place. It really helped to have a game plan going into the meal and not feel pressured to make a quick decision. Was I perfect with everything I ate (or drank…)? No, but it was all in moderation and I enjoyed the celebration with family.

May 24

Will it be easy? Nope. Will it be worth it? Absolutely.

Have you ever noticed that there are no light weights at Burn Boot Camp locations? I tend to  underestimate myself and I like the option of starting a little lighter and working up. You know, bicep curls with say….six pounds. Nope, not a thing for Burn Boot Campers.

It is funny though to see a handful of us heading straight for the limited number of 10 and 12 weights when an exercise is announced. I admire the ladies that can do reps with the massive 30 pound weights; hoping to get there one day.

May 25

“The difference between try and triumph is UMPH!”

My daughter is home for a couple of weeks before heading off on a post-graduation trip and then onto a new career in New York City so I brought her along to a boot camp this week. She’s a relatively fit young person, but the intensity of a 45-minute camp definitely came as a surprise to her. Maybe she thought that dear old mom was doing a fun little “jazzercise” class with a bunch of other ‘mature’ ladies…. She kept up, but I think she was surprised how intense the whole thing was.

She’s only home for the month of July before her big move and when I asked if she was going to do a short-term membership at Burn Boot Camp I was first met with silence and then the noncommittal answer of, “We’ll see…” Rack one up for mom and her high intensity workout program – take that you young whipper-snappers!!!

May 29

“The only bad workout is the one you didn’t do.”

I have to be honest; I was just not feeling it this morning. I debated with myself about whether to even go to camp. I was up late and then woke up super early for some reason and that all just put me in a bad mood. But I pushed through and started the drive (still agitated and dreading what was to come). Today’s camp was Strength Training and it was Tough (yes, that’s with a capital T)! My face was red as a tomato by the end but I had challenged myself more than I’d done before and that felt really good.

It’s been 13 days since my last Focus Meeting – I’ve dropped another .7% of body fat for a total loss of 4.2%. I’m only down about a pound but had a good conversation today about building muscle and that whole process. Most notably, my clothes are fitting differently (in a good way!) and I know my stamina and cardio is improving.

Want to read more and keep track of Maggie’s journey? Sign up for our weekly newsletter and get an inside look at her 90 day transformation!

“Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” –Plato

I hope you’ll indulge me while I share a post that has nothing to do with my journey, but one that might touch someone in their personal journey. Yesterday, the mayor of my city committed suicide. His name was Rudy Wright and he had served as the city of Hickory mayor for 16 years. I had the pleasure of working with him in various positions I’ve held in the community and have to tell you that I never, ever, ever saw that man without a HUGE smile on his face. Even if I hadn’t seen him in years, he always greeted me by name and would give me a great big hello. It saddens me, and many, many others in my community, that his personal demons were too much for him to handle.

Depression is something that can get so stigmatized, that a person may not have the strength to reach out for assistance or is too embarrassed to say, “I need to talk to someone.” Our ‘public’ face and our ‘private’ face can often times be very different.

Exercise is definitely something that has not only physical benefits but mental ones as well, especially if you are in a supportive environment. If this message resonates with you please know you are never alone and there are resources. And if you are in a stable place right now, remember that your words and encouragement just might be what someone else needs to turn their whole day around!

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800) 273-8255

May 14

“Be Strong. Be Confident. Be You.” –Tia Sparkles Singh

Thankful that this Mother’s Day was bright and sunny! Enjoyed an afternoon walk with the dogs and giving my body a little rest from camps.

May 15

Don’t forget, you are what you eat. I need to eat a skinny person…”

Last week I wrote how difficult my second week had been, and without minimizing how hard it truly was I think I may have figured out at least one small reason why I was thrown for such a radical loop. Plain and simple, I changed my coffee last week and I think there was such an increase in my caffeine intake that it affected my workout and my heart rate. I switched back to another brand and reduced the amount over the past few days and saw a bit of a difference in how my body reacts during the workout.

Further verification that what you put in your body, especially when doing strenuous camps, really can make a difference! Of course my other beverage of choice is water, lots and lots and LOTS of water; so much water that I have to think back to my pregnancy days when I knew where every bathroom was in every store I might possibly go into!

May 16

Don’t wish for it – work for it!

Woohoo! Had my second focus meeting today and I am pleased to say that I am down three pounds but, more importantly, I dropped 3.5% body fat! Also had a great conversation with the trainer about strategizes to increase my daily calories and ideas for exercise while I’m away from Burn Boot Camp over the weekend for my daughter’s college graduation.

May 18

“Take care of your body; It’s the only place you have to live.” –Jim Rohn

I wasn’t able to get to a camp today so I ventured out to walk at a community track. As I approached the track I realized I was going to intersect with an older woman walking laps. I figured I would say hello and then with my nimble speed I would forge ahead and be on my way. Let me tell you, this woman not only stayed up with me but I had to hustle to keep up with her! Thirty minutes of walking later I learned her name was Helen, she is 80 years old and she has walked virtually everyday for the past 30 years! What an inspiration!

We are all given only one body to get us through life and how we treat it will determine the quality of life we will enjoy into our golden years. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that taking care of my body has not been a priority at various times of my life, but it is something that I truly see the importance of now and I need to stay committed to getting stronger and healthier. I want to be that grandma that has enough energy to run around with my grandkids, being silly and crazy and making awesome memories together. That vision is several years down the road, so I better keep up my Burn journey and stay in tiptop shape.

So to my new friend Helen I say, Thanks for the inspiration and Rock On!

Maggie is learning so much on her journey, and her transformation is clearly external AND internal! We are so thankful that she is participating, and we know these 90 days are going to change her life. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter so you can stay updated as she continues on this adventure with Burn!

May 8

“The gym is my playground.”

Do you remember recess as a kid? Back in my elementary school days we had multiple recess sessions and we had jungle gyms, monkey bars, metal slides, swings and all sorts of other playground equipment that is probably deemed unsafe today. My favorite was always the monkey bars. We’d patiently wait our turn in line to try and break a speed record going across or try to use one hand per bar as you made it over an imaginary moat of alligators. Getting blisters on your hands was the one sure-fire way to be sidelined, and that was long before your arms gave out on you. Now, decades later, those “monkey bars” may be my newest nemesis.

Today was ‘upper body’ and for one of the circuits you needed to hang from the bright blue monkey bar set up (I’m sure there’s a more official name for this) in the middle of the gym. A great thing about Burn is that the trainer will demonstrate the exercise and then offer a modification in case you need that – and I usually need that! Today I wanted to challenge myself so I stepped up onto the platform below the bars, got my grip, went to left my feet off the platform and promptly dropped to the ground. I know my upper body has a long way to go, but that did not make me feel like the kid who could fly across the playground bars all those years ago. I modified the exercise and still got a really great workout, but lemme tell ya – I WILL conquer that exercise eventually!! Kudos to the women in my camp that held that exercise throughout the whole circuit, and to all the women who walked in the door today!

May 9

“Friends don’t let friends skip leg day.”

Today was leg day and we had to run outside in the rain. ‘Nuff said…

May 10

“You gotta hustle for the muscle!”  

One of my favorite outdoor activities is kayaking. I hit the water for the first time about two years ago and from that point on I have enjoyed the rhythm of paddling; the quiet that surrounds me and the up close and personal view of wildlife. Although, when I gained a little too much weight, I felt uncomfortable sitting in the kayak and was surprised to find that I got tired just a little quicker with longer paddles. One of my goals with Project 90 is to improve my overall fitness so I can better enjoy this favorite pastime. Nothing stinks more than paddling a couple miles down the river and then remembering you have to paddle back. My trusty kayak companion is my dog Sandy and I know she is ready and waiting to get in the water this year!

May 11

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

For some reason this week has been really tough; I mean really, really tough. I would have expected week 1 to kick my butt, but week 2 has been a different kinda beast for some reason. Maybe the circuits are set up to be more challenging; maybe my body was in denial last week and thought all this working out stuff would pass; I really don’t know…. I must have really looked like a hot mess a couple times this week because I had more than a few ladies high fiving me while switching between circuits. Maybe they were quickly checking my pulse to see exactly how high those numbers were getting. But the encouragement was welcomed and gave me some added energy.

I’m continuing to log all my food this week and I’m still not getting to my target amount of daily calories. That is such a mental block for me to get over; eat more so I can lose more weight. Seems counterintuitive. Next focus meeting is next week so hoping to see some movement on those stats!

Comment below and offer Maggie some encouraging words as she continues her Project 90 journey! How cute does she look kayaking with her dog? What a fun way to stay active and spend time outdoors! Leave your email below to keep track of Maggie’s adventure!

Maggie Greene, the mother of one of our headquarters staffers, willingly volunteered to blog about her ninety day journey with Burn Boot Camp! Maggie is taking it back to the basics – starting with day one. She’s providing you, our readers, with the ability to walk through the Burn Boot Camp journey; the good days, the hard days, and the days where you achieve more than you ever thought possible.

Let’s start at the beginning….

May 1

“Change is hard at first, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end.” – Robin Sharma

I embarked on a new adventure today. Not one where I get to sample all sorts of new wines from around the world or sample new and creative desserts; instead I agreed to work with Burn Boot Camp for the next 90 days to fully immerse myself in their program and share my experiences. Crazy? Sure. Intimidating? Definitely! Outside my comfort zone to share something as personal as my fitness journey and details about my body? You bet!

But I am at a point in my life where I really need this challenge. We’ve all heard the term, “dad bod,” and I think society is a little scared to utter the phrase “mom bod” because that just wouldn’t fly. I’m here to tell ya, I have a mom bod. I’m 49 years old, have two grown kids, been happily married for 25 years and have spent the past few decades caring just a little bit more about the three of them than myself. Sure, I walk on the treadmill every now and then, walk the dogs, try to follow the newest exercise circuits on Buzzfeed or Pinterest, but I needed something challenging, inspiring and consistent.

Enter Burn Boot Camp! Full disclosure here…I learned about Burn because one of my kids works for them. As a proud (maybe nosy) parent, I was checking out the website and social media of this company my son, Will, was now working for. I would look at the workouts posted on Facebook and was completely intimidated, but also a bit curious.

Today was my first camp and though I don’t know if the word ‘fun’ is necessarily accurate, I did walk away with a huge sense of accomplishment. Was I the fastest or strongest? Um, NOPE. Did I collapse on the floor after the first set? Proudly, I did not (nor did I collapse after the last set!) It honestly felt really good to be in a room with women that are at all different fitness levels, but were working side-by- side in the journey. I had a complete stranger tell me after class, “good job!” I don’t care how old you are, getting that validation from another woman felt really great.

The nerves of day 1 are done and behind me. I took the leap, I pulled on the old sports bra, laced up my shoes and I walked through the front door – now I just need to do it 89 more times! (Ok, maybe not 89 times but you get the idea!) Besides working on my own physical and mental health, I hope that in some way I can inspire another woman with a little nugget to nudge them into taking the first step through the door!

May 2

“The first step to getting anywhere is deciding you’re not willing to stay where you are.”

Kjflspmerkwkfkdg…. Wooo, excuse that massive misspell. That’s what happens when you hit arms and upper body at Burn Boot Camp. My arms were literally feeling like noodles when I walked out of the gym. Have you ever been presented with an exercise to do and you think, “okay, that looks tough but I got this?” I had that happen to me today.

Picture this, you have a mini hurdle, aka an equalizer bar, in front of you and you lay down under it and try to do a pull up. My body did not move the first few times. I felt like a roach stranded on my back just flailing around! Eventually I managed a couple, but it was tough.

Another good camp with many encouraging women. So excited to see how my body feels tomorrow! LOL.

Here’s what I ate today…

Breakfast: Egg on toast with avocado spread, cold brew coffee with milk
Snack: Banana
Lunch: Chicken breast on flatbread with hummus, spicy mustard and spinach; cantaloupe
Snack: Greek yogurt and strawberries
Dinner: Grilled chicken breast and cauliflower salad with kale and sun dried tomatoes; “mocktail” (V8 juice and low cal orange juice)
Snack: Strawberries with cool whip

May 3

“If it’s important to you, you will find a way. If it’s not, you’ll find an excuse.”

Happy Hump Day! I’m someone that likes routine and structure and I know with this new exercise routine I have to stay at it 110% to really get in the groove. I had an appointment this morning that went longer than planned and I knew I would be pushing it to get to the gym in time for the last morning camp.

I think the old me would have said, “well, I planned on going, have the workout clothes on, but it is not worth the effort to fly down the road to get there. There’s always tomorrow.” But I’m proud of myself that I shut off that conversation and hopped in the car to get to the gym by the skin of my teeth (not proud that I probably broke a couple speed limits to get there, but we won’t focus on that…)

I’m so glad that I rushed to get to the camp because it was LEG DAY. I did a camp Monday and Tuesday that were not called “leg day,” but somehow my leg muscles were already making themselves known… and a full mini camp of all leg exercises was tough. But I persevered and made it to the end, along with my fellow campers.

Maybe it is the honeymoon phase, but I am still pleasantly surprised each time another woman gives me a high five for a job well done. As I continue on this 90 day journey, I hope I can give someone a high five that helps them get through a tough set.

Here’s what I ate today…

Breakfast: Egg on toast with avocado spread; toast with Simply Fruit spread; cold brew coffee with milk
Snack: Banana, almonds
Lunch: Vegetable soup, salad, Coke Zero
Dinner: Turkey burger on bun with cranberry/apple relish and spinach; sweet potato fries

Wow! Maggie is working hard and hitting the ground running. What advice would you give her? How did you handle your first 90 days at Burn Boot Camp? Sign up below and tune in next week to see how Maggie tackles week 2 of Project 90!

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