As far as a fitness regime, I typically stick to the same few exercise machines (treadmill, elliptical and stationary bike), weights and abdominal workouts at my gym, Retro Fitness. In the past I tried yoga and Zumba classes, both fun for different reasons. My gym has a “Retro On Demand” room, where participants can choose from a selection of video classes. This feature is very convenient, though I prefer interacting with an actual instructor, not a trainer on the big screen.

Recently I saw a sign-up sheet at my gym for a six-week fitness boot camp conducted by a real-life instructor. Always open to trying new things, the boot camp intrigued me. I asked GT‘s Kimberly Krol about boot camp — she participated in a similar program last summer. Following her advice, I decided to take the fitness plunge. Two weeks in, I can already sense a difference. During the one-hour class, we start with a few minutes of warm-ups, then do three or four rounds of stations (crab walk, squats, planking, etc.), followed by about 15 minutes of stretching. I experienced aches and pains, as expected. The day after my second class, it hurt to walk up a flight of stairs! It is great to know what areas need improvement. With eight classes left, I have plenty of time to target those areas. Once boot camp is finished, I can add some of these new exercises to my routine.

— Katie Skrzek, advertising and editorial coordinator, eFlyer USA editor