The tester
Caroline Egan: 'I wanted to break out of the stifling gym environment for a fresh new perspective. And to lose the hard-to-shift weight from my hefty carcass.'
The lowdown
'I arrive with reasonably good intentions but armed to the teeth with ibuprofen in the fear that the sheer volume of exercise planned will leave me feeling annihilated. My one hour at the gym twice a week doesn't quite compare with 20 90-minute sessions. But at least I'm stationed at a charming farmhouse in the unspoilt Cotswolds countryside rather than army barracks and, as I gaze out at the rolling hills and breathe in the fresh air, I reason it can't be all bad. At least I'll have a peaceful base in which to reflect and recover.
'On arrival, the muscly ex-military PTIs (personal training instructors), or 'staff' as we're instructed to call them, brief us on the week ahead: it's going to be hard, they say, there will be depression, tears and, ahem, constipation.
'The rules are strict and non-compliance will result in penalties. All contraband food is confiscated — even my sugar-free gum. We are to be punctual and stand to atten-shun for the start of every session. But we'll be working as a team, and I vow to myself not to let the side down. Our all-female group of 12 is a global mix (two come from Saudi Arabia and one has travelled from Strasburg) all of us with various abilities and strengths, from gym junkies to others who are strangers to exercise in a while, and different ages (early 20s to early 50s). But we all have the same goal: a commitment to lose weight and get back in shape. The PTIs tells us to view the bootcamp like a driving test, which will provide us with the tools to take forward into our day-to-day lives.
'The days start early at 7am with mobilising exercises to warm us up. Then the 'fun' begins: 90-minute sessions of weight circuits, boxing and Fartlek (no sniggering at the back), which is Swedish for 'speed play' and involves running a variety of distances and terrains to build strength, endurance and co-ordination. One day there was a 12-mile off-road cycle ride, another it was a day-long hike (ten hours and 18 miles). Which was all pretty hardcore. But there was plenty of merriment too: raft building, obstacle courses with camouflage-painted faces and plastic props, and rugby-type games including passes and playing tag.
'My one (tiny) complaint was the food. Although we had three delicious meals and two snacks a day, calorie-controlled of course, prepared by a trained chef using guidelines from NHS dieticians, the portions were on the teeny tiny side and equalled a daily total of 1,200 calories. At the risk of sounding like Oliver Twist, I wanted more — much more. But I did savour every mouthful and ate everything — even food that normally repulses me — porridge, olives, beetroot... With so little on my plate I wasn't going to waste a single morsel. But I did wonder how we could perform such hardcore exercise on so little food. Doesn't an army march on its stomach? Naturally, food was the main topic of our group's conversation. But more than anything it was a laugh and the group bonded quickly and easily. With nothing to do but focus on ourselves we were revealing intimate details and laughing at our own shortcomings in no time.
'The real beauty of the Prestige bootcamp is that it's so well designed that after we had given everything we had to one particular exercise, a game was introduced to persuade us that it's just a bit of fun and not hard work at all. When we split into teams, the competitive side took over and we were all in it to win it. When energy (and spirits) started to flag inevitably, there was always someone in the group able to motivate the rest of us.
'The PTIs were never less than committed to our goals. And with an army-clad six-footer running alongside me and shouting encouragement, I realised I could do anything: sprint up steep terrain, run like the wind, squat-jump up steps and even, eventually, enjoy it all.
'On our last night, our hard work was rewarded with photographic proof of our efforts on CD, a T-shirt and a healthy eating plan to keep up the good work.'
The result
'I lost 5lb, 7in overall. Some boot campers lost up to 12lb and 12in — respect! I arrived home on a high and a couple of months on, I still have a renewed vigour for exercise (the outdoor kind) and the confidence to push myself.'
The cost
From £1,100 a week all-inclusive, or day/weekend boot camps in London and Bristol for £75 a day. A £100 discount is available on all week-long boot camps in 2012. Or 50 per cent off day/weekend boot camps. Just quote High Life when you book. prestigebootcamp.com
Read High Life's selection of six of the best bootcamps.
