A Glimpse Into the Inspiring Stories of BURN

“In 2021, I got diagnosed with breast cancer… We had a Burn challenge and I drove to Georgia for that challenge. I had my wig on because I lost all my hair and my Burn sisters were encouraging me to drop my wig… so I took my wig off with the biggest embarrassment about being bald. I finished the challenge within the time… Right after the challenge, a Burn sister got inspired, God touched her heart, and she paid for a full year of membership for me which was a blessing because the medical bills were piling up… Thanks to that Burn sister, I’m still here.”

“I always ask my Members, “What is your why, what is your reason for showing up today?” When I started, my ‘why’ was my dad… My dad was a huge fitness guy. He completed sixteen Iron Men, including the World Championships in Kona. He did countless marathons, triathlons, the whole nine yards. He was working out all the time and he really conveyed to me how important it was to workout and stay healthy, even though he loved his Snickers bars and M&Ms. I want to think that I convey his love of fitness everyday when I step on that floor with my Members.”

“I had chronic pain. It hurt for me to stand up from sitting. It hurt for me to stand too long. It hurt for me to walk too far… Then in July 2019, one month before I turned sixty, my daughter asked me to join her in a fourteen-day trial at Burn Boot Camp. That name itself was intimidating to me because I thought there was no way I could do that type of workout. I joined her and it was a challenge, but just walking into the gym, I felt so welcomed, so accepted, so encouraged… Now if I do have pain, the pain tends to come from my workout because I try to push myself to lift as much as I can.”

“I really do believe that had it not been for Burn and taking that first step of discipline and just putting one step in front of the other, I wouldn’t have been able to remain sober. The effects of it have been wonderful and the life that I have now, I would never have been able to do it without that. I loved it so much that as I became a Member and became more engrained in it, I wanted to do something to help people in a way and pay it back. So I became a Franchise Partner and now I’m the owner of a Burn in Virginia, and just so thankful for the impact that Burn has on people’s lives.”

“After several months of chemotherapy, I ended up losing the ability to walk… When I was in the hospital, the chaplain that I met with almost everyday had tasked me to create a bucket list. This was not a list of ‘if I die’ but instead a list of ‘when I live.’ My list had three things on it. It was to take my children to Disney, to ride in my Jeep Wrangler with my top off, and to be healthy and strong enough to return to Burn Boot Camp. I completed all three last year… The main point I want to share is the power of a positive mindset. What you think is truly what you become. There’s no limitation to how strong our minds are.”

“A lot of times as wives and moms, or anybody that is working, we formulate this thinking that it’s selfish or an obsession to take care of your body. I had to reframe my thinking and as I did that, I watched it ripple into my family in the best way. If we can fuel our body properly and get our workouts in and feel stronger, we’re able to love and serve our community even better… It’s not about perfection and impossible standards; it’s about living a life I love for as long as possible.”

“About six months after I had finished my major chemo and my daughter was about six months old, I fell into a very serious depression. It was horrible… I was on antidepressants, I went back to work, I was trying to eat better. Things were a little bit better, but I just didn’t feel like myself. One of my good friends encouraged me to try out Burn Boot Camp… I loved it! I started going and within a few months, I truly felt like myself again. Burn saved my life.”

“After I started working out consistently, I noticed not only physical changes, but changes to my mindset and how I was feeling. Once you feel happy, you never want to feel unhappy again, and I had forgotten how good it felt to feel good. I started being more conscious about my choices when it came to food, sleep, my relationship with others, and my work. I got to a healthy place physically, mentally, and emotionally, Most important, I now believe in myself and I have my life back.”

“The first Camp was a wake-up call, pushing me to my limits and leaving me breathless, but it ignited a fire within me. From that point on, I was hooked on the intensity and camaraderie of Burn Boot Camp. Through unwavering consistency, I found that Burn not only helped me surpass my fitness goals, but also fostered a sense of belonging within the growing Burn community. Now, as a firm believer, I am not only transforming physically, but I am also embracing the strength and support that comes from being a part of an empowering community.”

“Shortly after I started, I had already begun to give up my addictions. I did not want to fall off the wagon and get addicted again, so I was also fully committed to Burn. I can honestly say I have experienced a transformation like no other – mentally, spiritually, and physically. At first, I committed to attending at least four days a week. Now, I’m regularly at Camp six days a week without a single thought. The dopamine hit I was getting from the nicotine and Adderall had been replaced with dopamine from exercise. What an incredible gift. I got my life back.”

“I’ve been living with severe arthritis pain in my joints most of my adult life, which greatly limits my mobility. A year ago, I started resistance training, but I was too afraid to lift more than 10 pounds at a time on any given exercise. I felt I could do more, and I wanted to feel stronger and less fragile… We got to work, making sure I lifted a little more each week. I gradually started lifting 15 pounds, then 25 pounds, 30 pounds and more. It wasn’t always easy. There were days when I just didn’t want to try. But I did. I didn’t quit. And my progress amazed me.”

“Although I still can barely do a burpee or wall sits, I am stronger than I have ever been. And not just physically – my journey has been far more mental. The past year has been a hell of a ride, and my journey is far from over. Hell, it probably never will be. I’m just grateful to have my family, my friends, my puppies, my art and music, and last, but not least, Burn for helping me rise from the ashes. The devil manifests itself in addiction, but at least now I’m a lot stronger to fight back.”

“I understood depression. I had tried medications, therapy and self-medicating. It would always come back after a while. I’d zigzag from optimism to despair and back again. Every day was different, and I muddled my way through… I was so nervous the first day that I forgot my shoes. I borrowed some and I completed my first Camp. I fell in love with it fast, and four years later, I’m working out six days a week. Because of this, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”