THANKS VANDY! — Weekly Newsletter 2/27/08
Adam Shepard arrived alone on the streets in Charleston, SC in the summer of 2006 with a sleeping bag, $25 in his pocket, no job, no friends, and no place to stay.
Shepard was a recent graduate of Merrimack College doing his own experiment on the American Dream.
His goal: to acquire a furnished apartment, a car, and $2,500 in savings within a year.
For the first 70 days, Shepard lived in a shelter and received food stamps. He also made new friends, and found work as a day laborer. That led to a steady job with a moving company.
Within 8 months Shepard had achieved his goal! Two months later he’d exceeded his goal with $5,000 in savings!
In the course of my day to day, I hear all sorts of excuses and reasons why people can’t workout, or lose weight, or feel good, or run a 5K … blah, blah, blah. I hear all about failed attempts at doing things physical. I marvel at how some people are so quick to excuse themselves, give up, quit, embrace premature old age, and then creatively rationalize it all.
I think those excuses are just the outward verbalization of an inward problem. The sense of entitlement, the need for instant gratification, the growing levels of apathy and laziness, and our national obsession with playing the “blame game” are partly responsible for the failures of The American Dream and the success of American Obesity.
And according to Forbes magazine, Memphis is the most sinful city in the country, ranking #1 in gluttony, sloth, and envy.
Isn’t that just great.
BUT … our city and our lives, don’t have to be that way. Adam Shepard knows that …
If you want a different life …
if you want a better life …
if you want to upgrade your life … you can.
YOU CAN!!
It’s up to you.
No one will do it for you.
The power is in your own choices.
It’s up to you.
Your friends and family can’t do it for you.
The government can’t do it for you.
I can’t do it for you.
You’ll have to do it for yourself.
It’s up to you!
The choices are ours to make.
We created our circumstances by our choices.
We can choose different circumstances by making better choices.
Adam Shepard proved that with hard work, determination, a desire to succeed, and an unwavering commitment to reach his goals, anything is possible!
It’s up to you to choose.
It’s up to you … and YOU CAN DO IT!
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$1,000 REUNION CHALLENGE 2008 BEGINS MARCH 7!
Since June is class reunion month, wedding month, trip to the beach month, take a cruise month, and time to wear shorts and tank top to the mall month, on FRIDAY March 7th we’ll launch “One Grand ($1,000) Reunion Challenge 2008.” This year the Challenge will be a version of the Combat Challenge!
The details:
1. Entry fee is $200. Half of that must come from 2 living, breathing, hold-you-accountable sponsors. (The entry fee is separate from your regular Boot Camp membership fee.)
2. Entry fee, with sponsor’s info, is due on the initial weigh-in day. Initial weigh in will be conducted between February 25th and March 7th.
3. Final weigh-in is on May 30th.
4. Optional weekly weigh-ins every Friday.
5. Weight loss tips, ideas, and consultation from Sergeant Tony.
6. The Winner is the one who loses the highest percentage of weight!
6. The Winner receives $1,000 and a FREE month of BOOT CAMP!
7. The Winner’s SPONSORS each get their money back AND a FREE month of BOOT CAMP!
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NEW LOCATIONS FOR BOOT CAMP!!!
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP Mid-town is set to begin on March 3rd @ 5:30 AM at EVERGREEN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 613 University across the street from Rhodes College!
If you live in Midtown, let me invite you to attend the very first workout at USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP — Midtown on the 3rd at 0530. The Quarterdeck at Evergreen is located behind the gym, in between the gym and the ball field. Just enter the Evergreen campus from University. It’s safe, easy to find, and well lit!
I’ve been asked if Boot Campers can attend either location, or do you have to commit to one or the other location. You can attend either location!! One person told me that they were going to double up, working out at Midtown in the morning and East Memphis (Christ Methodist) in the evening! (You go girl!)
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RENT MY HOUSE IN EAST MEMPHIS!
My house on Southern, in the Colonial View neighborhood (between Target on Colonial and The Half Shell on Mendenhall) will be available for lease on April 1. GREAT LOCATION!
It’s a geographical oddity, 5 minutes from everywhere! (My apologies to the Coen Brothers!) More details and a picture are on the blog: http://usmcfitnessbootcamp.com/blog/
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HALF MARATHON TRAINING THIS SATURDAY!
Half marathon training continues this Saturday, March 1 at 8 AM @ Shelby Farms. We’ll meet in front of the Visitor’s Center.
EXTRA SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR EVERYONE: Since EVERYONE has a weekend homework assignment of one hour of continuous cardio, EVERYONE is welcome to come out and join us for an hour for FREE. Fee’s for the half marathon training are: $75 for active duty boot campers and $100 for non-boot campers.
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SERGEANT TONY’S COMBAT THE FAT CHALLENGE!
The COMBAT CHALLENGER’S KICK OFF MEETING is this Saturday! The Challengers will be joining us soon, so be ready to accept them with friendly open arms! Make them feel welcome and at home at BOOT CAMP!!
Be proactive and introduce yourself WARMLY to anyone standing near you that you don’t know. That’s just a good policy for ALL the time!
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FIVE PEOPLE YOU CARE ABOUT
Send me the names and email addresses of five of your friends and I’ll add them to the distribution list of this BOOT CAMP NEWSLETTER. This will help some of you who end up forwarding it anyway! They’ll receive the newsletter and nothing more. I’ll never solicit them individually to buy anything or join anything.
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“Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.”
~ Lou Holtz
To your continued good health and fitness!
Sergeant Tony
Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
4888 Southern Cove
Memphis, TN 38117
901-644-0145
www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com
www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main