By Sara Brown

 

Revere resident Crystal Ciampoli, 27, decided to join a boot camp at Millions of Muscles Fitness to lose the baby weight she never quite lost after having her son.

“I was the biggest I’ve ever been. I heard great things about it so I decided to give it a try,” Ciampoli said.

Ciampoli quickly became impressed when the pounds started coming off. She told her childhood friend, Silvia Herrera, that she should join.

“I heard the words “boot camp” and thought, ‘That sounds too intense. I can’t do that,’” Herrera said. She continued, “But, I saw the results she [Ciampoli] was having so I thought I would give it a try.” Since joining, Ciampoli has lost 45 pounds and Herrera has lost 37 pounds.

Millions of Muscles Fitness is a combination of fitness programs, including boot camps, one-on-one training, and small group training. The program is run by Jodi Reath.

“Jodi has a great energy and makes it exciting. It is never the same workout twice,” Ciampoli said.

Millions of Muscles Fitness aims to be a tough but fun workout experience. “We try to keep it exciting. When it’s exciting, people keep coming back,” Reath said.

Ciampoli and Herrera both admit that in the beginning the boot camps challenged them in ways they did not know a body could be challenged.

Herrera said, “The first time I went to boot camp, I was almost in tears. I called Crystal, saying I couldn’t do it, but she convinced me to keep coming back.”

Reath says at first the workouts will be challenging. “The thing is, it’s going to be tough. You are going to be tired and sore and that’s normal. It will get better. The workouts won’t become easier, you will just become stronger,” Reath said.

Ciampoli and Herrera started noticing changes in their bodies and their endurance. “You can feel a change. My endurance is so much better than it used to be,” Ciampoli said.

The two friends say the supportive environment is also a big reason why they love Millions of Muscles Fitness.

“Everyone here is so supportive and they want you to succeed,” Herrera said. “If you miss a workout, people will call you and ask if you’re ok. I’ve made a lot of friends here.”

Ciampoli says the biggest challenge so far is sticking with a more healthy diet. “At first, it was hard. It’s easy to give in and eat crap,” she said. She continued, “However, after I saw the results it was the motivation to keep me going. Before I would give in, but now I don’t.”

Herrera agrees. “I’ve tried food I never would have tried before, like almond milk and cauliflower pizza,” she said.

Ciampoli’s goal is to lose 40 more pounds by July, and Herrera wants to lose 20 more pounds by May.

“They are a great example of determination. They worked hard and were consistent,” Director of Operations Sean Mallett said about Ciampoli and Herrera.