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Special to the Observer
ORMOND BEACH - As summer turns into fall, there is no better time than present to start shedding those extra pounds from the beer, greasy brats, mayo-laden potato salad, fatty ice cream, and all the other high-calorie summer food splurges.
“Many people plan to be active during the summer but end up not exercising at all,” says Jennifer Labonte, CPT, owner and trainer at Adventure Boot Camp Ormond Beach & Port Orange, the pounds from all the cookouts keep piling on and, by the time September rolls in, these folks need to seriously get back into, or start, a good fitness routine that not only speeds up the metabolism but also offers multiple health benefits.”
However, many people, especially those who have not exercised before, may not know what kind of fitness program will whip them into great shape, burn those pesky calories, and motivate them to keep working out.
“Once boredom sets in, people lose their motivation to exercise,” Labonte observes. “That can happen if your workout routine is monotonous or doesn’t yield the desired results."
The key to a successful workout, she says, is to make exercise not only results-oriented, but also interesting and enjoyable, so that people will keep coming back for more.
That’s where fitness boot camps kick in – no pun intended.
“We are in a group setting, where people encourage and cheer each other on, so you don’t feel like you are in it alone,” Labonte says. “There is a pleasant social aspect to it, which makes this type of interactive exercise more interesting. And, if you are serious about losing weight and getting in shape, you must stay motivated and focused. ”
Even more importantly, boot camps are very effective in terms of overall health benefits. By incorporating strength, agility, balance, flexibility and interval training into each session, “the workouts exercise your heart, your muscles, your whole body,” Labonte says. “That is what we are trying to achieve in each session.”
An additional perk for all those trying to lose weight: “Boot camp workouts can burn-off up to 600 calories during a single hour-long exercise session, so if you keep at it, you will see those extra pounds melt right before your eyes,” Labonte adds.
In fact, boot camps are so efficient in burning calories and improving muscular fitness that the American Council on Exercise (ACE), the country’s leading authority on fitness, rates boot camps among the top 10 fitness trends for 2010.
As one of the leading boot camp trainers in the area, Labonte sees first-hand the effectiveness of this kind of comprehensive training program and believes its popularity will continue to gain momentum in the future.
“Everyone who participates regularly in our boot camps can see amazing – and sometimes spectacular – results,” Labonte says. “It is the ultimate workout program, regardless of your age, shape, or level of fitness." Boot Camp schedules are available at www.OrmondBootCamp.com.
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Can I work out when I’m sick?
blogs.orlandosentinel.com/fitness_exercise_health/2010/10/exercise-work-out-sick-cold-flu.html
The beautiful, fall weather in Florida has finally arrived — and so has flu season.
Up to 20 percent of the U.S. population on average gets the flu each year, and even more are likely to get a common cold — adults average between 2 to 4 colds a year, mostly between September and May — according to the American Lung Association.
 Don’t want to get sick? There’s no magic bullet, but exercise can reduce your chances.
“Among many other benefits of physical exercise is that it is a great immunity booster,” says Jennifer Labonte, CPT, owner of Adventure Boot Camp in Ormond Beach and Port Orange, Florida, in a news release.
“Certainly, exercise is not a cure-all for whatever ails you, and even the most ardent fitness aficionados will get sick once in a while,” Labonte says. “However, there is all this compelling evidence suggesting that exercise may lower your risks of common infections.”
Research cited by the American College of Sports Medicine shows that regular exercise can boost the immune system by either stopping viruses before they attack or by reducing the duration of cold symptoms by half. Studies have shown that people who work out regularly report fewer colds than those who do not exercise.
So you’re a fitness junkie and you pick up a bug from a loved one.
Can you still work out?
Many experts use the “neck rule“: If your symptoms are above the neck, it’s probably safe; if they’re below the neck — congestion in your chest, aches in your limbs — it’s a sign of an illness that may be worse than the common cold, so it’s best to sit on the sideline and rest.
The exception to the “neck rule” is fever: Working out with a fever will stress your heart further, Dr. Rick Kellerman of the American Academy of Family Physicians tells CNN.
Do you find it hard to stop training when you’re sick? Let us know in the comments.
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Adventure Boot Camp has moms up and at 'em
Posted: 2008 Nov 27 - 23:09
By Bethany Chambers
HomeTown News
Staff writer
ORMOND BEACH - It was 35 degrees in the black stillness just before sun-up when a dozen women gathered outside the Temple Beth-El gymnasium at 5:30 one morning last week.
In their thin track suits, they ran laps, jumped rope, breezed over hurdles, hoisted weights and lifted their legs on cold metal playground benches. Their every breath was visible in the frosty air.
But these women aren't military recruits or semi-pro athletes; they're 30- and 40-something moms and professionals.
And last Friday they finished a fitness feat: a four-week stint at Ormond Beach Adventure Boot Camp for Women, a new fitness program being offered by one of their own, 34-year-old mother of two Jennifer Labonte, a certified boot camp instructor and personal fitness trainer.
"With the cold weather it's more difficult to trick them into thinking it's just fun," Ms. Labonte said with a laugh as she rubbed her gloved hands together. "They know this is exercise now."
On this particular day the group was running "The Amazing Camp." In 30 minutes, they had to complete a series of exercises, a take on the reality show "The Amazing Race" - but minus the big cash pay-off, as one camper pointed out.Ms. Labonte said campers get something more valuable than money.
"No million-dollar prize, except your health, of course," Ms. Labonte said as she amped up her iPod speakers. "I had to throw that in."
Adventure Boot Camp was started in the late 1990s in Orange County, Calif. by John Spencer Ellis, a well-known fitness instructor who created programs for Cirque du Soleil, the U.S. Secret Service and Ultimate Fighting Championships. The camp gained attention as the workout of "The Real Housewives of Orange County," a popular reality TV series.The Ormond Beach camp, which started earlier this month, is the first one certified in Volusia County.
Each day of camp is different, with a new obstacle course, race or exercise. Campers get three or five days of instruction plus personalized nutrition counseling and fitness evaluation with the camp.
"We're from all different fitness levels," said Ms. Labonte, an Ormond Beach resident and first-time business owner. "Some of them work out more than I do, and some of them haven't worked out in months or years."
On average, campers lose 3 to 5-percent of their body fat, five to 12 pounds and one to three inches from the waist in the four-week period, Ms. Labonte said.
Camper Terri Wilkinson, a 37-year-old employee at Florida Hospital Ormond Memorial, said she joined for her health. Now, she's noticed her pants are even a little looser."I didn't think I could do it, but I leave here sweating and feeling like I got a good workout," she said. "I'm getting in shape, my blood pressure's down to normal and my cholesterol is better."
Mother of two Wendy VanWinter, 44, said she enrolled in the program for another four weeks so that she can "see the other side of the closet ... (with) the clothes my body hasn't seen in years."
Doing her sit-ups on the mat next to Ms. VanWinter, Erin Ash, 36, said working out with women has helped her not be self-conscious.Indeed, when some of the women couldn't keep their hips in the air during a core exercise last week, there were giggles, not groans."There's something to be said for not having to worry about appearances or keep up with men," Ms. Ash said.
But don't think camp is a breeze. If a squat wasn't low enough or a sprint not fast enough, Ms. Labonte let the campers know. Checking her stop-watch, she kept everyone moving until the last second of that full hour.
As the sun began to rise on this particular day and the women headed home to wake sleeping husbands and children, there was excitement in their exhaustion.
"I don't necessarily like to get up this early, but it's the perfect time. I can get ready for work and get my kids off to school with a little planning the night before," said Denise McMullin, 41. "It starts my day off on a good note."
For more information visit www.ormondbootcamp.com
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