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Clare Keen

"I lost 13lbs on Boot Camp back in April 2009 - by mid October I had hit the 3 stone mark!"

I've been meaning to drop you a line by way of a progress report. I lost 13 lbs on Boot Camp back in April 2009 - by mid October I had hit the 3 stone mark!! Since then my weight has stabilised a bit but I do still feel in control of what I'm doing. I know that Christmas and the cold weather hasn't helped, plus I've been getting less exercise, so do feel confident that I can push on and reach the 4 stone mark sometime soon. I'm thrilled with what I am seeing and feeling in myself - clothes were beginning to fall off me, so I enjoyed a bit of a spending spree, and I have much more of a spring in my step!

In a nutshell, I feel that Boot Camp gave me the tools and information to find the formula that would work for me, and spurred me on to do something about my weight and lifestyle. I think the key for me was proving that you can survive on 1200 calories/day, which made me appreciate the value of food as a fuel rather than as a habit or hobby. Don't get me wrong, I do still eat lovely food when I go out but now appreciate it so much more!! I've really tried to use the GI information and seem to be able to keep cravings under control. If I do need a quick fix then I have a chunk of dark chocolate, a hot chocolate drink, a handful of nuts or a spoonful of peanut butter - sounds daft but it seems to do the trick!! I've reduced my portion sizes, drink 2 litres of water most days and now have a much better awareness of the calorific content of food so can control my intake much more easily. I also buy less but frequently so that food stays fresh and I have less to choose from. The majority of my diet is now fresh  fruit, veg, meat and fish and I'm getting more confident/creative with my cooking - which is a million miles away from how I used to eat!! Using all of these rules seems to be working for me. My attitude towards food has completely changed, I think I've achieved a much better balance if you look at the simple equation of input versus output, and I'm pretty sure this is a sustainable way of eating.

I stepped back and looked at myself last year and knew that my weight had been gradually creeping on for years. I wasn't unhappy as such, perhaps frustrated by the difficulty in finding clothes that suited me, but I was accepting of it even though I knew it was going in the wrong direction. The challenge of Boot Camp appealed to me but more importantly I hoped that it would prompt a permanent change in me and reverse the direction my weight was going in. The week itself was the most intense experience of my life!! Everything that my body had previously known and experienced changed, and that was a complete shock to my system. Thanks to the amazing support of the professionals, as well as the camaraderie of my fellow boot-campers, I not only survived but really felt that I had achieved something. I'm just so thankful that the impact of that week has ended up having a long term effect on me.

So, thanks again to everyone. It really was one hell or an experience but the positive outcome was exactly the kick start I needed!

Claire Keen - Back to Basics - April 2009 - Weight loss 13 lbs and 11 inches at Boot Camp - 3 stone 3lbs to date.