Few events evoke more excitement – or a greater commitment to get in shape – than an impending wedding.  Luke and Chani Overstreet were reminded of this recently as their daughter, Tavia, began preparing for her nuptials.  Like all brides-to-be, Tavia is determined to look her absolute best for her big day.  It helps that her parents own the Strada Fitness & Wellness Center, and knew exactly what to do.

Hence the birth of the Bridal Boot Camp, a program created at Strada specifically to help women lose extra weight, reduce stress and get fit, while giving special attention to firming up the key areas most “exposed” in a wedding gown: the back and arms.

Jonae Anthony (formerly Harrison), a thirty-something attorney living in Flower Mound, gushes about her experience with the Bridal Boot Camp.  A self-proclaimed “yo-yo dieter” who was sick of taking weight-loss pills and trying every “crazy diet out there,” Jonae came to Strada three months before her May 18th wedding date with a goal of losing 25 pounds “the right way.”

Jonae met with Chani Overstreet, who customized an exercise and diet plan to sculpt and tone her 5’3”, 155-pound frame to achieve her ideal body image.

“Chani was just amazing,” said Jonae.  “I loved that she never gave me the same workout.  She kept it interesting, and that helped me stay enthusiastic.  As the weight starting coming off, and my body started firming up, I kept getting more energized.”

Jonae laughs when recalling how she purchased two wedding gowns, since the first one she bought was too small.  By the time the big day arrived, she fit into the smaller one perfectly.

“Everyone who saw me at the wedding said ‘oh my gosh! How’d she get so tiny?’” recalls Jonae.  “They couldn’t believe how I looked, and I even heard one girl say ‘I want Jonae’s back!’  That really made me feel great!”

Over her three-month boot camp, Jonae dropped a total of 21 pounds and two dress sizes.  More important, she converted her excess fat into muscle and now proudly says “I’m ripped!”

“Jonae looks awesome now, and she was absolutely stunning on her wedding day,” said Chani.  “Every now and then after a workout, she’d complain about being sore; but I told her that just means her muscles are changing.  Just a few weeks later, she’s a fit, healthy, energetic woman starting a new chapter in life with a great husband and a rockin’ body.”

Jonae still exercises at Strada twice a week, mostly because she craves the feeling she gets from the strenuous workouts.  She also feels at ease in the studio.

“I love Strada because it’s not like a typical gym,” she says.  “You don’t go there to see and be seen.  And they add in the nutrition component, which makes such a huge difference.”

In addition to using the most advanced exercise machines, cardio and strength conditioning, boot camp clients learn how, when and what to eat and which products to use and avoid to get the body they’ve always wanted.

Bridal Boot Camps are scheduled regularly in private, semi-private and group formats.  As with Jonae, exercise and nutrition plans are customized to achieve each individual’s personal goals.   Beyond slimming down and toning figures, the boot camp helps reduce the stress associated with wedding planning.

The 12-week camps are open not only to brides, but to their bridesmaids, mothers and any others involved in the wedding.

For more information about Bridal Boot Camps and other programs offered at Strada Fitness & Wellness Center, call 972.330.4300, or visit www.StradaFitness.com.  Strada is located at 3041 Churchill Drive, Suite 100, in Flower Mound, just across from Lifetime Fitness.