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Success Stories
See how these men and women changed their bodies and minds, plus discover their nutrition and exercise tips.
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Jamie Ramirez: Friends for Fitness
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Sometimes when you set out to do something, in addition to accomplishing the goals you aimed for, you end up with rewards you never could have anticipated. That’s what happened to reader models, Sherri Hansel and Jamie Ramirez.
Jamie and Sherri lived across the street from one another for years in Buena Park, Calif., and always had a lot in common as stay-at-home moms, but they were never that close. That is until they decided to do the Body-for-LIFE Challenge (a 12-week nutrition, training and supplementation program) together. In addition to losing fat, gaining strength, dropping several clothes sizes and feeling better physically and mentally, Jamie and Sherri each came out of the experience with a new best friend.
"We had common goals and the same excitement," Jamie says. "We opened our hearts with each other in a lot of ways, so our relationship really grew. I couldn’t have asked for a better best friend. That was a plus out of this whole thing."
Doing it together
Sherri and Jamie had both tried the Challenge in the past, but neither had ever finished. They decided this time they would—by doing it together.
Sherri wanted to model a healthy lifestyle for her kids—Tyler, who’s three and a half, and Tara, who’s two and a half. "We’d go to the donut store in the morning, have sandwiches with chips and coke for lunch, go out to Burger King or McDonald’s or order pizza for dinner, and eat ice cream every night," Sherri says. "Then one day, I thought, I can’t set that example for my kids. They were always asking for junk food. My main goal was to get healthy for them—I wanted to be a good example."
Jamie has four children, ranging in age from two to 10, and had been struggling for the past two years to get back into her pre-pregnancy shape. "After my last child, I was 30 pounds overweight. With my previous children the weight came off, no problem, but that wasn’t happening this time." Spurred on by her upcoming 30th birthday, Jamie decided something had to change. "I was depressed and angry and snapping at my family all the time. I would feel sick a lot. I’d wake up nauseous. I had frequent migraine headaches."
"I was sick and tired of being sick and tired," Jamie continues. "I remember reading somewhere that unless you change what you’re doing, you’re just going to continue to get the same results. I kept hearing that in my head, and I definitely didn’t want the same results."
Jamie and Sherri started the 12-week Challenge in February of 2002. Sherri would work out with her husband when he came home from school at night, and Jamie worked out at 5:30 in the morning. Despite their differing schedules, they kept each other motivated with frequent phone calls and modeling sessions across the street.
"We’d call first thing in the morning, `Did you work out?’ and `What did you have for breakfast?’" Sherri says.
During the day, they’d pose for each other in their front yards. "We’d come out with an old pair of pants on and say, `Look how much room is in my leg now!’" Sherri says.
They both have home gyms in their garages, so they don’t need to hire a babysitter or go anywhere to get their workouts in. "I’d see Sherri’s garage open at night, and it would get me so excited for my workout the next day," Jamie says. Then Sherri would see Jamie’s garage door open in the morning and be inspired for her workout that night.
Every day Sherri headed to Jamie’s house to read through her Energy magazines. "It’s kind of like I went to school. I was very uneducated about nutrition. I didn’t know what a carb or a protein was."
"I was her library," Jamie says. "She actually inspired me to read more." They shared different exercises and recipes with one another. But most of all, they kept each other accountable. "I knew she was out there doing it. I didn’t want to be the failure," Jamie says. "I had to keep right there with her. At that point in time, I don’t think I was strong enough to do it without her. It really helps having somebody doing it with you and encouraging you."
Sherri agrees. "There was no way I was going to tell Jamie I cheated on my food or missed a day working out. That was the main part—just knowing that we were each looking out for the other one. I needed her to call me and make sure I exercised, or I would go to sleep at 11:00 p.m., instead of going into the garage to work out."
Sticking with it
Both Jamie and Sherri faced their fair share of challenges. Jamie’s were the late-night Jack in the Box® or burrito runs she and her husband used to make. For Sherri, it was going to family events surrounded by pizza, cake and ice cream. Knowing they’d have to report back to the other helped them get through tough times.
They also had other methods for staying on track. Sherri kept dried apricots and cherries in her purse to snack on and posted magazine pictures on the cupboards and even in (yes, actually inside) the refrigerator to remind her to choose something healthy. And they both put pictures of fit women in their garage gyms, as well as pictures of themselves taken along the way showing their progress.
"It was hard the first few weeks," Jamie says. "I had to kind of trick myself and tell myself it’s just three months out of my life. I’ll give it a shot."
"I tell everyone you will have cravings," she continues. "You will not want to get up and work out, but once you get past that, it is so easy. It’s hard to imagine and picture that, but it’s true. There’s nothing tough about it for me anymore."
Jamie and Sherri promised one another that if they made it to week 12, they would treat themselves to a day at Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa. "We made it an all-day thing, of course," Sherri says. "We got mud baths and mineral spas. It was wonderful. Neither one of us had ever done anything like that before."
Rewards—Expected and unexpected
At the end of the 12 weeks, both Jamie and Sherri had achieved what they’d hoped to, and more. Sherri reduced her body fat from 29 percent to 19 percent, her weight from 150 pounds to 135 pounds, and her pant size from a 10 to a 6. Most importantly, she accomplished her ultimate goal—changing her kids’ habits. "They don’t ask for donuts anymore. Whatever I cook for my husband and me, they’ll eat too. They love tuna and steak. They’ve come a long way."
Jamie’s body fat percentage dropped from 28 percent to 21.9 percent, her weight from 178 pounds to 158 pounds, and her pant size from a 12 to a 7/8 (her pre-pregnancy size). At first she wasn’t happy with her weight number, but now realizes that it’s not the number to focus on. "Before I didn’t know that muscle weighs more than fat."
For both Jamie and Sherri simply finishing was a major accomplishment. "I used to call myself a non-finisher," Jamie says. "I’d start and stop things. Now I know how to start and finish."
And they’re both enjoying the increased confidence and energy that has come from their healthy lifestyles. "I take the kids to the beach by myself now," Jamie says. "Before I was kind of shy and embarrassed. It was like I was in this little box. Now I feel great. And by the way, I have not had a single migraine headache since I started the Program."
"I feel like I can accomplish more," Sherri shares. "I thought I was happy before, but I’m way happier now. I didn’t really have a close, close friend before. Actually, that is probably what makes me happier—having a best friend to talk to."
Sherri and Jamie continued to follow their workout and nutrition programs after completing their first Challenge and began their second Challenges in June. In July, Sherri found out she was pregnant with her third child (Jamie was the first person she told, of course). She continued with her Challenge as planned, simply adjusting some of her goals, "since I’ll be gaining rather than losing!"
Four other neighbors embarked on the 12-week Program, as well. Each household takes turns cooking and delivering dinner to the others one night a week. Jamie is also trying to get everyone together on a regular basis to "have a pow-wow to talk about how we’re doing because I think that really helps … a lot."
Jamie’s workouts
Weight training
Jamie rotates her workouts each week. For example, she does her lower body workout on Monday and Friday and upper body workout on Wednesday for one week. Then the following week she does upper body on Monday and Friday and lower body on Wednesday.
Jamie does reps of 12, 10, eight, six and 12 ,and then one set of 12 reps of a different exercise for the same muscle group.
Lower body
Squats (with a long bar across shoulders): 60 pounds, 70 pounds, 75 pounds, 60 pounds
Leg extensions: 60 pounds
Leg curls: 10 pounds, 15 pounds, 20 pounds, 25 pounds, 15 pounds
Deadlifts: 40 pounds
Calf machine: 25 pounds, 45 pounds, 55 pounds, 65 pounds, 55 pounds
Dumbbell calf raises: 20 pounds
Decline abdominal crunches
Reverse abdominal crunches
Upper body
Dumbbell flyes: 8 pounds, 10 pounds, 12 pounds, 15 pounds, 12 pounds
Incline dumbbell flyes: 15 pounds
Incline side raises: 5 pounds, 8 pounds, 10 pounds, 12 pounds, 8 pounds
Seated circle presses: 10 pounds
Back extensions: no weight, 5 pounds, 10 pounds, 20 pounds, 10 pounds
One-arm dumbbell rows: 20 pounds
Seated triceps presses: 12 pounds, 15 pounds, 20 pounds, 25 pounds, 15 pounds,
Bench dips: no weight
Bar curls: 15 pounds, 20 pounds, 25 pounds, 30 pounds, 20 pounds
Hammer curls: 12 pounds
Cardio
Jamie does a 20-minute high-intensity cardio workout on the Stairmaster or treadmill Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Sherri’s workouts
Sherri rotates her workout schedule each week. The following week Sherri would do her upper body workout on Monday and Friday, and her lower body workout on Wednesday.
Sherri’s reps are 12, 10, eight, six and 12, and then 12 reps of a different exercise for the same muscle group.
Monday:
Lower body
Lunges: 10
Jamie’s nutrition
8:00 a.m.
Omelet (4 egg whites, 1 slice turkey lunch meat, tomato, red onion, cilantro, dash of fat-free cheese, topped with salsa)
1 slice whole-wheat toast (plain)
16 ounces water
Supplements: fat-burning supplement, creatine/HMB combo and CLA
11:00 a.m.
Nutrition shake
16 ounces water
1:00 p.m.
Turkey taco salad (salad mix with tomato, onion, cilantro, fat-free cheese, avocado, salsa as dressing)
1 whole-wheat tortilla on side
16 ounces water
Supplements: fat-burner and creatine/HMB
3:30 p.m.
Apple
Chicken breast
16 ounces water
6:30 p.m.
Salmon
Wild rice
Broccoli
16 ounces water
Supplements: fat-burner and creatine/HMB
9:00 p.m.
Low-fat cottage cheese
Yogurt
12 ounces water
"And lots of water in between meals," Jamie says.
Sherri’s nutrition
7:30 a.m. French toast (a recipe from the BFL Web site)
10:00 a.m. Tuna with fat-free mayonnaise and tomatoes
1:00 p.m. Turkey, lettuce, tomato and mustard sandwich
4:00 p.m. Taco salad and fruit
6:00 p.m. Steak fajitas (a recipe from BFL Web site)
8:00 p.m. All-natural peanut butter and celery with fruit
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