Master Chief Tina Castaldi,
In the last six months I have come a really long way. In May I went to see my doctor, suffering from bad sinus headaches. She tested my cholesterol and found it was extremely high for anyone, let alone a 25 year old. My doctor gave me a list of foods to avoid and said to check back in three months.
Over the next 3 months I lost 3 pounds. I was highly disappointed. What was the point in eating right if it didn't make a dent? My doctor asked if I exercised. When I replied no, she told me to wake up at 6 am and go for a walk. Good advice. However 2 months later I had only lost one other pound.

The problem was that I wasn't combining the right diet and exercise at the same time.
When my friend, Sarah, handed me the article about CASTALDI'S KILLER Boot Camp and asked if I would try it with her I said "yeah" in a very despondent tone. Sarah acted on that yeah--signed us up and paid for it. There was no backing out.

Over the summer I was averaging 12-14 hour work days launching an ambitious and now successful, interactive block of programming and website for kids. I was hardly taking the time to eat once or twice a day let alone the six meals required on the Master Chief's breakdown.

The first day of CASTALDI'S KILLER Boot Camp I thought I wouldn't last. I was dying during the one mile. I was out of breath. I felt really inadequate around returning campers. When Master Chief asked us to say the Pledge of Allegiance I balked. By the third day I was already talking about taking the camp again. I met a camper named Yolanda who told me I was nuts!

After two weeks, people around the office started to comment on how great I look. It was actually working. It's funny because you even though you are taking a tremendously positive step and following the program, you don't really believe at first that this is going to affect you. I now see breastbones I never saw. My watch is too big and my rings are all falling off my fingers. These are areas you don't necessarily think are going to change.

The first two weeks were the hardest. By the third and fourth week I had the hang of it all down. Five was hard. It was like " enough already". That's when a lot of people dropped out. I couldn't believe it and didn't want to give up to become one of the ones who just couldn't go for it and seize life.
To get inspired I re-read some of the inspirational letters in my journal. During those mornings we had to run Cardiac Hill, I had my two inspirations--Oprah and Minnie Driver running beside me "Get up that Hill! One small step at a time. I hate this too, but I never want to go back to the alternative and neither do you so GET UP THE HILL!" Sarah thought I was insane when I told her. Once she tried it herself she realized it worked.

I fought those voices inside at the beginning and never looked back. After the first Boot Camp Sarah and I went on vacation to Hawaii. When I got back the photos it was the first time in that I can remember ever not having to sort through and throw out the ‘fat’ pictures before I showed them to other people. What an incredible feeling!

I still had a battle ahead of me and signed up for the second camp, this time alone. The first day of the second camp I felt really strong. I was surprised to hear the voice in my head saying "You are strong! You are becoming an athlete!". I was glad to see some of my friends from the first camp, especially the inspirational guide Yolanda.

CASTALDI'S KILLER Boot Camp also changed me mentally. My anger was not as strong. I was taking that little extra effort and using it in other areas of my life. Events or other tasks I might have previously avoided or bailed out on at the last second were no big deal. I had a lot more energy. I used to eat a bagel with cream cheese and one of those lovely mocha frappucinos with dark chocolate and whipped cream on top every day! I haven't had one since I started Boot Camp. I don't need it. Exercise makes me more alert and ready to conquer the world.

When I think about cheating on my lifestyle changing food intake, I deny it. How? I think just one leads to just two, etc. which leads me right back to what got me into this mess in the first place. No surrender!

At work there were two trains of comments--ack! you did something I was too lazy to do so now I am going to run down your program. The other camp, has been outrageously supportive. Last week one of my fave vps called me "Tiny"! Woah, mind blowing.

Next on the agenda? The California AIDS Ride from San Francisco to LA on a bike. Scary, but doable!!
When you're feeling like you want to give up ask yourself why? Is it because you're afraid that success will mean you've been failing all along? It's too hard? Wait any longer and you won't be able to get out of the road when a moving car is headed straight at you. Just get up, make the effort and you'll never regret it.

I used to get up in the summer by berating myself--you've slept enough, get your ass out of bed! The cool thing about Boot Camp is that it's too early to think, you just do it. Carpe Diem.
You'll never regret it. Hang in there at the worst of times and you'll enjoy the benefits for a lot longer. You can do this. I believe in you, now believe in yourself.

Best Regards,
Colleen Quill