Sergeant Tony's Blog

It’s about the size of a melon. A small melon.

Not a watermelon, mind you.

More like a small cantaloupe.

Other’s say it’s like a grapefruit.

I’ve seen some that were tiny, more like a cherry tomato.

Others are huge … like a very large pumpkin.

I don’t really know. I have never seen one, though I have one.

The critical flaw, if you will, in its design is that it can expand, like a balloon.

And that’s the problem.

The stomach.

If you put more into it than would be contained in a small melon, or in your cupped hands, you’re going to gain weight.

It’s pretty simple, actually.

Put no more into your stomach than is required to fill it.

Now, as if you needed reminding, there are problems associated with that simple dictum.

Restaurant portions are considerably bigger than your cupped hands.

Eating quickly, or in haste, ensures that you’ll overeat for certain.

And the last problem, food tastes good. So good in fact, that we have trouble restraining our appetites beyond the capacity of our stomachs.

I’m often asked about diets and eating plans. People want to know what they can and can’t eat.

I think that’s a veiled question. People know. I don’t think the average American is ignorant of the answer to those questions. We don’t suffer for lack of education on the subject, but on restraint and wisdom.

If you’d like to lose weight, follow this simple advice: Eat slowly the amount on your plate that would fill only your cupped hands. Replace your regular plates with salad plates. The portions of food on that salad plate shouldn’t touch the other food. The food should be their own little continents! Little islands of food. No seconds. And no building mountains!

Bon appetit!

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FACEBOOK

Find me on Facebook and make me your friend! (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=629618416)

I’ll make you mine! Then join the USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP Group!

While you’re on Facebook, you might see an ad for the program pop up. Do NOT click on it! Facebook charges me for every time someone clicks on it. The ad is NOT for you knuckleheads!

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ST. JUDE HALF MARATHON TRAINING TO BEGIN!

1/2 Marathon (13.1 miles) Training for the December 6, 2008 St. Jude Memphis Half Marathon will begin on Saturday, September 6! This is a 3 month program designed to ensure a finish time of less than 2 hours 30 minutes. (Although most who’ve completed the training finish much faster, some in under 2 hours!)

As a prerequisite, participants should be able to run/jog 3 miles in less than 36 minutes in order to begin the program. The training routine will be a modification of the Jeff Galloway program of running and walking. Over half of the participants each year are first timers!! So YOU can do this!!!

Sergeant Tony’s Half Marathon Training is open to all, Boot Campers and “friends” of Boot Camp, alike. The fee is $75 for active duty Boot Campers, and $100 for friends of Boot Camp.

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ANNIVERSARY MONTH DISCOUNT

ALL new recruits joining USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP in August can join for the Buddy Program rate of only $90 per person. This is in celebration of our Ninth Anniversary! Tell your friends and family! This is the BEST time to join USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP! Regular rates will return in September.

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COMBAT CHALLENGE #2
$5,000 COMBAT THE FAT WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE

To date, the 10 members of the First Challenge have lost over 500 pounds!!!

In September this first six month challenge will end and the winner will receive a check for $5,000!!!

Do you know someone who should be in this Second Challenge?

- The Second Challenge will be limited to 10 people.
- Men must be 65 pounds or more over their ideal weight; women must be 50 pounds or more over their ideal weight, each knowing that those who are heavier have more to lose and a slight advantage.
- Each Challenger chosen will be required to get their doctor’s okay to participate in the program.
- Entry fee is $1,000. Each Challenger must get at least $500 of that entry fee from at least 5 sponsors: family, friends, co-workers.
- Entry is open to ALL, Boot Campers and non-Boot Campers alike.
- The Second Challenge is a six month program beginning on September 6 and ends on February 28.

Pass the word!! Forward this email to someone who might be interested in this highly successful, life altering, awesome program!!

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0645 CLASS! … 0830 Class!

The response to my request for feedback has been awesome! You have said “YES TO 0645!” And so do I! We will carry on! 0645 remains on the schedule

The 0830 class will return to active duty on September 1.

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The benefits of running? Running Benefits: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26143460/

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“Why would anyone want to buy from you? If you can answer this question, you’ve created a significant dominant advantage over most other salespeople,” said Ken Edmundson, local business consultant.

When I taught high school, one of my students, a rather bookish and socially awkward teenaged boy, asked me to help him make friends. He was new to the school and thought I could help. He didn’t play sports and wasn’t interested in sports. He was a bit of a loner and didn’t make conversation easily. I suggested a number of things to help him assimilate into the school in some capacity, clubs to join, organizations to volunteer for, ways to plug in. He wasn’t interested in any of my suggestions. None suited him, he said.

“Rob, you must find answers to these questions, ‘Why would someone choose to spend time with me? Why would someone want to be my friend? What do I have to offer?’” I told him.

In each of our relations with others, be they personal or professional, familial or temporal, the question, similar to Mr. Edmondson’s, is “what about ME commends me to the company of others, to their partnership, their trust, their friendship?”

Getting along with others is a good thing … but building good, lasting, and vibrant relations with others is much better!

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“When you stop moving, it’s over.”
~ Don Wildman, 75 year old athlete and adventurer

A SURPRISE: For the first active duty Boot Camper to email me back with the words “The Big Funny” in the subject heading, you’ll get a surprise gift.

To your continued good health and fitness!

Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
5358 Denwood
Memphis, TN 38120
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main

“Tony, you know how it feels when you’ve had the flu and you start to feel better?”

“Yes, I do.”

“And you know how it feels when you’re able to get out of bed and move around and eat something solid for the first time in days? … and you have that happy feeling in your heart that believes you’re getting well? … and you gradually see your strength and abilities return? ….”

“Yes, I do.”

“And you know how it feels to regain your strength again and be healthy enough to go back to work and resume your life?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Well … that’s what coming to Boot Camp has been like for me!”

“It’s like having the flu???”

“NO! It’s like getting your life back!”

USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP began 9 years ago this past Monday! And one of the BEST things about my job, and the benefits of the program, is the kind of conversation like the one above.

“Tony, you helped me get my life back!”

Does it get any better than that?

Does it?

Gary Gardia was the first “success story” of the program. Gary joined in September of 99, along with Theresa Andreuccetti (Co-Commander of the Midtown Battalion). In 6 months Gary lost 65 pounds and his doctor took him off his high blood pressure medication!

I could never have anticipated those kinds of results and the benefits that would come from it when I founded this program 9 years ago.

Gary’s success opened my eyes to the health and medical benefits of the program. Happy consequences that I hadn’t considered when I designed it. They aren’t glamorous results or sexy benefits, necessarily.

They’re actually much deeper.

I’m not too concerned with trying to get people into bikini’s or attempting to further facilitate the fit to new kinesis. I do acknowledge that a certain degree of vanity fuels our efforts to “get in shape.” And I admit to being glad when people tell me that I don’t look, or act, my age. And I would personally like to get faster and fitter. But what better endorsement for my work than what happened first to Gary?

In the past 9 years, USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP has helped countless others “get their lives back.”

Let me humbly (if that’s possible!), and with all seriousness (equally difficult to muster), offer you my heartfelt thanks for your support and friendship. Some of you have been with me for years and others but for a few weeks. To all I say thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. To those who have been with me for some time, I can’t thank you enough for your friendship, for giving me the best job in town and for ensuring — by your constant and regular support — that I have a career that I love and your camaraderie to enjoy! Thank you, dear friends!

And let me congratulate each of you for your own hard fought results and successes. I celebrate your victories, large and small!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

As we begin our 10th year of USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP together, I wish you all continued health, hope, happiness, fitness, faith, well being, and life! May your cup always be full!

(If you’ve been in Turdeville, if you’ve been out of the program for a while, or if you’ve never joined at all, let me personally invite you to “get your life back!” Come back! Join us!)

I’ll see you on the Quarterdeck!

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ANNIVERSARY MONTH DISCOUNT

Starting August 4, ALL new recruits joining USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP can join for the Buddy Program rate of only $90 per person. This is in celebration of our Ninth Anniversary! Tell your friends and family! This is the BEST time to join USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP! Regular rates will return in September.

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Paying For Boot Camp — Made Simple

This from Surly Anne Emmerth:

“I wanted to share my ‘how I remember to pay for boot camp’ tip:

After I re-enlist for, say, 3 months, I page three months ahead in my planner and then – get this – write ‘Pay for Boot camp, last paid xx/xx/xx’ on the correct day. It’s pretty complex, I know, but I thought you could pass this along to others.”

This is just what we needed!

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PAYING FOR BOOT CAMP — Part 2

May I ask you to please check your check registry to see when you’re due for reenlistment.

FYI: The current fee schedule is on the website on the Recruiting Office page: http://www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com/recruiting.html

Briefly, $180 is the Recruit Month fee to start, then it’s $75 a month. There are discounts for those who pay for 3, 6, or 12 months at a time! Also, people CAN start anytime, I’ll work it out with them so that it’s in their favor! Cuz that’s just how I roll.

REMINDER: when you pay with a check, PLEASE note in the memo section who it’s for and for what months. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

FREE MONTHS: When you recruit someone at the full price of $180 each, or a group of people who pay $90 each, you get a FREE MONTH!!
For each $180 that comes into the BOOT CAMP treasury, you get one free month. When that happens, in lieu of a check, take an index card and write your name, the name of the recruit(s) and which month or months you’re getting for free!

Thanks everyone!

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COMBAT CHALLENGE #2
$5,000 COMBAT THE FAT WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE

To date, the 10 members of the First Challenge have lost over 500 pounds!!!

In September this first six month challenge will end and the winner will receive a check for $5,000!!!

Do you know someone who should be in this Second Challenge?

- The Second Challenge will be limited to 10 people.
- Men must be 65 pounds or more over their ideal weight; women must be 50 pounds or more over their ideal weight, each knowing that those who are heavier have more to lose and a slight advantage.
- Each Challenger chosen will be required to get their doctor’s okay to participate in the program.
- Entry fee is $1,000. Each Challenger must get at least $500 of that entry fee from at least 5 sponsors: family, friends, co-workers.
- Entry is open to ALL, Boot Campers and non-Boot Campers alike.
- The Second Challenge is a six month program beginning on September 6 and ends on February 28.

Pass the word!! Forward this email to someone who might be interested in this highly successful, life altering, awesome program!!

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0645 CLASS?! … 0830 Class??

The response to my request for feedback has been awesome! You have said “YES TO 0645!” And so do I! We will carry on! 0645 remains on the schedule

The 0830 class will return to active duty on September 1.

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TUESDAY MORNING SPEED WORK &
TUESDAY EVENING SPEED WORK & CARDIO

All are on hiatus as St. Mary’s completes the resurfacing of their track. All classes will meet at CUMC until the work at SMS is finished, which should be soon, I think.

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USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP — COLLIERVILLE!

Battalion Commander Sergeant Les Bonnett commands USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP — Collierville at Faith Lutheran Church, at the corner of Byhalia Road and White. This is just down the street from The Home Depot. There is currently one class there at 0530, Monday through Friday!

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USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP — MIDTOWN!

at Evergreen Presbyterian Church, 0530 to 0630, Monday through Friday,
under the direction of Battalion Commanders Theresa Andreuccetti and Holly Guthrie!!

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“When you stop moving, it’s over.”
~ Don Wildman, 75 year old athlete and adventurer

To your continued good health and fitness!

Tony

Sergeant Major Tony Ludlow
USMC Fitness BOOT CAMP, Commanding
5358 Denwood
Memphis, TN 38120
901-644-0145

www.usmcfitnessbootcamp.com

www.shaklee.net/tonyludlow/main