I love to exercise! But this was not always the case. Still to this day I consider myself to be the least athletic athlete. When I was in elementary school I played on every sports team because no one ever got cut, but I was never any good at sports.

In high school, I tried out for the track team and with the help of a friend to share rides with after practice and an amazing coach, something clicked – I loved running and I was actually good at it! From there I went on to earn a full scholarship to a NCAA division 1 university.

I still run sometimes, but I haven’t competed in a race in ~5 years. But I still love the feeling I get after a good run. It took a while to find something that offered me the same ‘high’ as running does, but I finally found Weekend Warriors Bootcamp in Vaughan, Ontario and I’ll never look back.

I started working out at Weekend Warriors Bootcamp when my second daughter was around 11 months old and it was the best decision I’ve made. Prior to that I had a gym membership which I thought was great because they had a daycare and I could have someone watch my daughter while I exercised. But, although I loved exercising I found myself wandering around the gym aimlessly trying out a few different pieces of cardio and resistance training equipment but with no real plan. Weekend Warriors Bootcamp takes the thought out of my workout and allows me just to show up and be confident that I am going to feel amazing after the 60-min full body high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout.

Price – This is usually the number one thing on my mind for any purchase I make. I am not shy to admit that I am frugal!! While the monthly cost of small group training studios are typically higher than a gym, looking back at the number of times I utilized my gym membership in the last year vs. the classes I have done at Weekend Warriors Bootcamp, there is no question that the price per use is WAY lower at Weekend Warriors Bootcamp compared to the gym.

Another thing to consider is that working out in a class with 6-12 people makes it feel like you are getting personal training without the cost of a personal trainer!

And each membership includes an unlimited number of classes, an individualized meal plan and one-on-one consultations to measure your weight, body fat, lean muscle mass and to make sure you are staying on track to what you want to achieve.

Community – If you ask anyone who is a current or past member of Weekend Warriors Bootcamp I can almost guarantee that everyone will say the same thing – Weekend Warriors Bootcamp is truly unique. The staff here are caring, compassionate and make you feel important. Although the members may only see each other a few times a week during a workout, they act like they’ve known each other for years are and great friends. There is something special about pushing your body to limits greater than you knew you could and seeing the results that you and others around you are getting. It’s sort of an unspoken bond between the members that you’ll never really understand until you have experienced it yourself.

Science – For those who don’t know me personally, I have a PhD in kinesiology which means exercise to me is way more than just the number of calories burnt. To ensure you are getting the most out of your workout there needs to be science behind it!!

Studies have shown that participating in HIIT workouts are around 3 times more effective in burning fat than moderate cardio workouts – Get off that stair master and get into Weekend Warriors Bootcamp to see for yourself!

At Weekend Warriors Bootcamp the members wear a heart rate monitor and each workout is designed to bring your heart rate into the different zones for a certain amount of time. Most people are intimidated by the word ‘bootcamp’ or ‘HITT’, but this system ensures that you are working at an appropriate level based on your individual level of fitness.

Additionally, measuring your heart rate during exercise can help you determine if you're pushing your body too hard. If your resting heart rate is elevated or you see your heart rate higher than usual for the same amount of work then it is a good indication that the body needs some rest.

Personal – And from a personal standpoint, I feel great. I feel strong, I feel healthy and I feel like I have found something that I love just as much as I love running and something that I know I can stick to – it’s addictive!!