Natasha knew her sedentary job and and inactive lifestyle were adding pounds and making her unhealthy. At 36, knee problems and aching muscles were all indicators of health issues forming under her current lifestyle. With even worse future health issues looming, Natasha knew it was time to make a change. Looking around for weight loss bootcamps and fitness programs in the Lakeland and surrounding areas she found them all “insanely expensive” for what they were offering. The latest craze diet pill never lasted long, and the gym fizzed out quickly. Boring gym routines made it easy to lose motivation and quit. Natasha had always been an avid hiker, but time between work and family made it harder for frequent excursions. “I soon realized I needed to find a place that would motivate me and that I’d actually enjoy going to.” Could a weight loss and kickboxing boot camp program provide extreme weight loss with no dieting – she wanted to find out.
Natasha soon came across Lakeland’s Wing Chun kickboxing classes and boot camp. She knew it was worth looking into. Both the price and the central downtown Lakeland Florida location were perfect! “I had always wanted to take self defense,” Natasha said. The flexible class schedules fit in well with Natasha’s busy schedule, and she soon found herself sweating though her first boot camp.
Over the first 6 months of boot camp and Wing Chun self-defense classes, Natasha noticed the inches of belly fat begin to melt away. Additionally, worry spots were getting toned and firmed – and all this without changing her diet! Natasha also noticed prior food cravings lessened and her energy spiked. Her stamina increased, and Natasha found herself not having to take as many breaks as before. She credits her weight loss to classes focusing on upbeat cardio and muscle confusion. The intensive boot-camp classes at Sifu Och Wing Chun target multiple muscle groups challenging her body by combining cardio, agility, strength, balance, and flexibility exercises. Never giving her body a chance to plateau through the challenging workout, the pounds melted off. Her body was soon sculpted in ways she didn’t know possible.
Unlike the repetitive and dull gym machines and routines that “we’re boring her to tears”, Natasha was constantly motivated by new workouts, activities, and even games! By torching calories with classic games such as dodge ball and capture the flag, weight loss was never easier! Classes fueled with humor, enthusiasm, and motivation kept Natasha coming back not just for the workouts but the friendship and camaraderie. Led by Sifu Justin Och in his downtown Lakeland facility, Natasha also trained in Wing Chun Kung Fu. Having never taken a a martial arts before, Natasha was nervous but motivated just from watching the higher level students preform. One-on-one training with instructors helped Natasha improve in areas and capitalize on her strengths. Detailed instruction on fundamentals of body mechanics, attacks, and defensive techniques gave her insight into how to combat any situation and come out on top.
Natasha didn’t seek out to lose weight and tone up. However, since taking both the weight loss and kickboxing boot camp and Wing Chun Kung Fu classes, she has noticed improved muscle tone all over, weight loss, a better posture, and even greater self confidence. Of course, the defense skills she learned in class give her confidence to protect herself and loved ones in a bad situation. Learning how to defend and attack with all the right body mechanics, Natasha feels competent and secure in any situation. “I wish I would have taken this class years ago,” Natasha says.
The biggest surprise has been in stress relief! “I have a high stress job and I used to go home wound up some days. Not since I’ve started training have I been like that. I get it all out now. I’m sure my family is thankful. I’m on the right track and see improvement every week. Of course I’ll throw in that my clothes fit better now, too.” says Natasha.
Elizabeth D. – written on behalf of Natasha, a extreme weightloss machine and mom!
