Each month we celebrate a chick who embodies all things FIT CHICKS including fab fitness results, healthy changes in mind & body and  is inspiration to those around her (we are all warm and fuzzy!). To kick off the New Year we wanted to celebrate one of our most amazing, inspiring, motivational health makeovers with Jen from our Toronto Danforth Bootcamp, who has lost an incredible 100 lbs since starting with FIT CHICKS.

We first recognized how fabulous Jen was when she was our Chick of the Month in July 2010 , 14 inches lost and 40lbs down in her fitness journey.  Her commitment, drive and passion to change her health shone through as she sweated up a storm and we never doubted for a second that she would reach her goal!

We knew she could do it!  This December, all of Jen’s hard work has paid off and she reached her goal of losing 100lbs (if that doesn’t deserve a cyber standing ovation, we don’t know what does!).  Read Jen’s Story below to find out how she reached this amazing goal, what inspires her to be fit and how you can do it too.

You can also check her out in our latest “Bootcamp in Action” Video – she is sot cute:)

Rockin’ a “Fierce, Sassy, Sexy” FC T-shirt – way to represent

Chick, words can not express how proud of you were are and you should be even more proud of yourself!

JANUARY CHICK OF THE MONTH – Jen R

What made you decide to join FIT CHICKS?

I decided to join Fit Chicks after I saw a staff photo that my manager took.  I looked awful in that photo, I still remember, it’s burned into my mind!  I knew when I saw that picture that something had to be done-something drastic!  A co-worker got the Fit Chicks flyer that came into our office and showed it to me.  At first I just laughed, there was no way I could do a boot camp class, but the picture kept nagging me so I told her: ”let’s do it!”

How has FIT CHICKS helped you in reaching your fitness and weighloss goals? How has fitness changed your life?

Fit Chicks has helped me reach my goals by being my first step towards fitness.  After the first month and I had recovered from the brutal butt kicking my chick sergeant had dished out, I was surprised to see that I had lost 7 pounds and a few inches.  That’s when I decided to get serious.  Fit Chicks gave me the confidence to get working out on a regular basis in an environment where I didn’t have to feel self-conscious about my weight. Fitness has changed my life completely.  You have no idea how good you’ll feel until you lose the weight and you really don’t realize until you look back how much you hated being overweight and unhealthy.

What is your fave workout?  Which exercises do you love to hate?

My fave Fit Chicks workout is tabatas. I love something challenging or something I’ve never done before like when Laura comes up with some new MMA (mixed martial arts) moves!  Getting fit gave me the confidence to not be afraid the try new things.  This also might sound strange but I like doing hill sprints-that hill will not beat me!

What have been your fitness and / or weightloss results?

Since joining Fit Chicks in 2010 as a New Year’s Resolution, I have lost 100 pounds. It took me a year to lose the weight and for the last year I’ve been working on weight training and putting on some muscle.  I was 230 pounds when I started and now I’m 130.

You are such an amazing inspiration to women looking to change their health. What would be your advice / words of encouragement to a chick who is just starting her fitness or weightloss journey (aka starting to live la vida FIT CHICK!)

My advice for someone who wants to start losing weight is to not give up.  It’s not a diet, you actually have to change your life.  It’s long term not short term.  It’s easy to get discouraged and quit but if you eat healthy and workout, it’s impossible not to see results.  Don’t give up, make a plan and stick to it!

We’ve all hit our fitness slumps or plateaus. What would be your top 3 tips to chicks to stay motivated when they aren’t seeing weightloss results right away? Is there any tricks or products you use to keep on track?

It’s hard to stay motivated when you hit a plateau but remember that it happens to everyone eventually.  The biggest thing is to never put yourself down.  Think positive! I used to get down on myself and it never helped.  I told myself that if I thought positive and stayed with it, I would get results.  Positive thought plus positive energy will yield positive results.

Switch your workouts, try the 20 minute high intensity hottie workout or a workout from your chick pack for a start.  Try a different workout to keep your body guessing.  Another way to stay motivated is to pull out some old clothes from the closet that used to fit.  Keep them in your workout space as a reminder of what you need to do.  Visualize yourself looking awesome in those jeans and soon you’ll be in them!

One thing that keeps me motivated to be fit and healthy is how much better I feel.  I’m in the beast shape of my life.  My feet don’t get as sore and I’m not out of breath at the top of a flight of stairs.  When I don’t feel like working out, I think about what I used to look like and more importantly; how I used to feel.  It wasn’t good, that’s for sure!!  That’s what keeps me doing Fit Chicks, P90X, Insanity and GSP Rushfit.  I’m a workout video junkie!

What / who motivates you to be fit and healthy (and to keep at it on the days you don’t want to!)

My fellow Fit Chicks (especially Jaime and Charlene!) keep me motivated as well.  When I see someone really giving it their best, it pushes me to go harder!  Thanks to my Chick Sergeants, your support has helped me through thick and thin!

Thanks for sharing,  Jen and we can’t wait to sweat up a storm with again next week when bootcamps start again on Jan 9th!

FIT CHICKS XO

PS Exciting news – we still have our New Year’s Promo to save $50 off your Jan 8 week Bootcamp so make sure to take advantage and make 2012 the year you reach your fab fitness goals too!