Bkm Fitness Boot Camp, located inside the Jamestown Mall in North St. Louis County, is a hotspot of weight loss, motivation and inspiration to better health and nutrition.
Clients attribute their dip in the scales to positive motivation from Briant K. Mitchell (thus, the name Bkm), owner and certified trainer at the facility. And he does it family-style. His wife Felicia works there as well, along with other certified trainers. In addition, whether they are new or seasoned members, most feel like family.
“In 2010, I had 44 clients get their overall weight loss goal. Of those 44, I had three who did over 100 pounds – two of them in one year,” Mitchell boasts, like a proud trainer. “My biggest loser, she lost 155 pounds in 18 months – following my meal plan and workout.”
Mitchell said three physicians he trains approved his low carb meal plans – and it is for people with diabetes and high blood pressure. “You eat six small meals a day,” he said. “The most important meal of the meal plan is breakfast.”
Mitchell’s rules are simple – lose weight and have fun.
“As life-changing as weight loss is, you must have fun with it or you probably won’t stick with it,” he said.
Profanity is not allowed at this fitness center, and the variety of music in the routines appeal to most everyone. Mitchell said do not let the term “boot camp” scare you.
“They think it’s hard and it is hard,” Mitchell admits. However, when they scream, its positive motivation. “Are we going to push you? Absolutely,” he said. “That’s what we do, but you still go at your pace and of course, you must have fun.”
Fun can also be addictive.
“Some clients try to attend six and seven times a week, two and three times a day, and I’m like, ‘Whoa, time out – your body needs rest,” Mitchell said.
Monee Collins of Ferguson, Missouri has been working out at Bkm five to six times per week in the last year. She got her health and fitness hookup from a friend on Facebook who attended Bkm.
“I just one day came to check out the boot camp and I went to a class the next day and I loved it. On the spot I said that I was ready to join this,” Collins said.
“By me loving the boot camp so much, I went home the very same day and I told my mom about this place.”
Okay – she coerced her mom off her retirement couch in Collinsville, Illinois to avoid the inactivity and subsequent weight gain.
“She drug me hear and I love it, I really do. And I think I have lost maybe 15 pounds,” Crawford said. Now she comes four to five times a week.
“After I talked to my mom and she came, the whole family came,” Collins said.
When she said her whole family came – she meant it. Collins has at least 15 relatives, including her mom, two sisters, nephews and cousins, who work out at Bkm. She happily brags that she was first.
What Bkm offers to all ages, all sizes-is supportive, uplifting motivation that builds self-esteem and keeps people working toward their health goal. Most clients have joined after observing the noticeable results of friends, coworkers or family members.
“I went from 165 at Bkm and I’m at 137-138 and I’ve maintained it for the last four months,” Collins said. Her sister, Jacqueline Collins of St. Louis is having amazing results that continually astonish her.
“I’ve been here seven months, and I’ve lost 52 pounds – can you believe that?” Jacqueline Collins said. “I’ve got 32 pounds to reach my goal, but in the back of my mind, oh my God, I am ecstatic.”
And she worked hard for it.
“I am here at least five days a week and on a couple of days, I do two routines [two one-hour sessions],” she explained. “I enjoy it because of the results.”
At the morning senior exercise class recently, Cynthia Ringo, pastor at Christ Deliverance Ministry in University City received a trophy for meeting her 2010 weight goals. Ringo is one of 20 church members who are working out and losing weight at Bkm.
“He takes time with us, it’s not a quick fix thing,” Ringo said.
“He has passion for wanting to help people.”
They’ve even call their church crew as the CDM Bkm Group.”
Bkm offers hour-long boot camp sessions, spinning classes, weight training and personalized sessions. He said strength training is important, particularly as you age.
“Osteoporosis – African Americans are affected by that, and doing the strength training, it strengthens their bones, add years to their life,” Mitchell said.
Taylor Miller, is a high school teenager who makes it to Bkm several times per week and has lost about 14 pounds.
“I love it. It’s getting ready for soccer and it helps you get into a prom dress and going to college, so the better the body to start off with,” she said.
Her mother, Melissa Miller, and aunt, Traci Nave, also attend and are getting results.
“The last time I went to the doctor, my cholesterol has gone down and so that’s a wonderful thing to me and my doctor was excited that I finally lost the weight that she had been asking me to lose for several years,” Nave said.
“He just actually helped me more with my nutrition. Some things that I thought I knew, I didn’t know, so he educated me,” Melissa Miller said.
For more information about Bkm. Go to www.bkmbootcamp.com.
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