Proud that Boot Camp moms could help her,but more proud of her for her perseverance

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"Now I love the rush that I feel when my muscles burn. I love the endorphins that are released when my heart rate rises and I sweat and I get out of breath.” -- Melissa Diana

It started when her doctor recommended Weight Watchers over a year ago. She hesitated about joining because she delighted in cooking and eating the results. Her husband Justin, an Italian, loved her cooking as much as she did. But when he learned about her interest, he was not only supportive, but joined with her.

Afterwards she was so successful at revising recipes to fit with the Weight Watchers system that she started sharing them online in her blog. Then one evening when she stopped at a neighbor’s house, Kyle, a personal trainer at the Finley Y, encouraged her to combine diet and exercise so she could see even better results.

RAISING WORKOUTS TO A NEW LEVEL
Melissa had always hated exercise, sweating or doing anything that made her short of breath. But the next week, she started walking her dog and worked her way up to two miles. Then she was invited to Boot Camp Moms, a group of women who met for exercise each week. At first, Melissa was scared. But she was assured she could work at her own pace. Soon she stressed if other activities conflicted with her workouts. She summed up her feelings at a Weight Watchers meeting.

“I was very disappointed that I missed boot camp that morning and that was so crazy because I had never worked out before starting this program. I went from never exercising to exercising six days a week and being upset when I couldn’t go!”

Now Melissa gets up before her family (and most mornings before the sun) to work out and has devised a schedule that works for her. “I am amazed at how quickly I have advanced. I couldn’t do a sit up, a push up, nothing. They (her instructors) showed me how…I can actually see my muscles!”

SPREADING THE WORD
She also tries to motivate others to exercise on her blog. “If you just focus on food or just focus on exercise, you won’t get as far as if you focus on both at the same time. Finding a good balance between the two is the key.”

NO SWEAT, NO GAIN
Melissa is learning that there’s a reward when she pushes through the pain. “Now I look forward to working out with my friends. I love the rush that I feel when my muscles burn. I love the endorphins that are released when my heart rate rises and I sweat and I get out of breath. I still have not learned to love to run and I may never, but I am moving six days a week and that’s a pretty good start.”

(Above and on Home Page: Melissa Diana (R) recently at her 10-year college reunion)
Below: Melissa Diana 80 Pounds Heavier