Item of the Week: No one wants to be bootylicious on their wedding day (or while wearing a bridesmaid dress for that matter). What’s a girl to do? Enlist in boot camp, of course!

Why we love them: Many of the boot camps listed below are owned and taught by women or offer women-only classes. Some even have specific classes or sessions geared towards for brides.

Where to find: Everywhere! See below for a few suggested boot camps in various locations around the U.S., as well as some at-home options. As with all fitness programs, please consult your physician before starting a new exercise regimen.

SAN FRANCISCO: Bay Area Adventure Fitness is a fantastic boot camp for women, offering camps in San Francisco, San Mateo, and the South Bay. Due to their popularity, they recently added a co-ed bootcamp in the evenings that welcomes men (listen up, grooms!) who want to get in shape. Bay Area Adventure Fitness offers a ton of variety over the course of their four-week camps. Exercises vary daily, and campers will see a difference before they know it — especially in their quads!! Amy is particularly fond of this boot camp — she has been going for the past six months and can’t imagine life with out it! Visit Bay Area Adventure Fitness online: http://www.bayareabootcamp.com, or call them at 415-567-7411.

SEATTLE: Like Bay Area Adventure fitness, the Wedding Trainer is owned and taught by women. Seattle’s Wedding Trainer offers a variety of fitness programs, including a six week Bridal Boot camp in in Seattle, Tacoma, East Side and Kitsap. While the company was started to help brides get fit, they are equally devoted to their other clients too. Call the Wedding Trainer at 206-755-9683, or go to their website: http://www.theweddingtrainer.com/index.htm.

CHICAGO: Those gals in the Windy City are definitely tough cookies. It is no surprise that Bulldog Bootcamp is equally tough. This intense and comprehensive four-week training program meets daily in three locations (Lincoln Park, Grant Park, and South Barrington Park District). The boot camp instructors are male and female, and the camp welcomes men and women, both out-of-shape recruits and athletes, with three classes to accommodate a variety of fitness levels. Check out Bulldog Bootcamp online at: http://www.bulldogbootcamp.com/Index.htm or call them at 866-966-3966.

DALLAS: Jay’s Boot Camp of Dallas offers a variety of programs (even the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders have worked out at Jay’s!), including the “HER Boot Comp Fitness Program”. All classes are taught by women and these dedicated trainers also consult their campers on nutrition and healthy eating. What makes this program unique is that boot camps are formed with groups of women who know each other. So grab your mom, your sister, your bridesmaids and your friends and form a class. Y’all are guaranteed to look great by the time the wedding rolls around! Call Jay’s Boot Camp at 972-373-8344 or visit them online: http://www.jaysbootcamp.com/classes_bootcampforwomen.html.

BOSTON: Fitboot was started and designed by a woman who knows fitness, Charla McMillian, a former Marine Corps Captain. Training sessions are six weeks long, and recruits are required to pass a physical fitness class at the end of camp. This is a no-holds barred approach to fitness, but a supportive environment that welcomes men, women, and people at all fitness levels. Visit FitBoop online at: http://www.fitboot.com/, or call 877-FITBOOT.

NEW YORK: Manhattan brides can check out New York Sports Clubs’ Buff Brides program. While not a boot camp, Buff Brides is a personal training program based on the book “Buff Brides”. Like many of the programs above, it is not exclusive to brides and welcomes grooms or the rest of the bridal party. Brides meet with a trainer 2x a week over a course of twelve weeks. The program is also open to non-NYSC members as well. Check out the Buff Brides program: http://www.nysc.com/personal_training/buffbrides.asp

Not in one of these areas? Not to worry. Here are some other camps for you to check out. The Adventure Fitness Boot Camp franchise (see Bay Area Adventure Fitness, above) offers programs in many cities throughout the U.S. and beyond. Here are a few that may be of interest:

Phoenix: http://phxbootcamp.com/
Baltimore: http://www.charmcitybootcamp.com/
Worchester, MA: http://www.baystatebootcamp.com/
Dallas/Fort Worth: http://www.dfwbootcamp.com
Houston: http://www.texanbootcamp.com/
San Antonio: http://www.sanantoniobootcamp.com/

And lastly, for those of you who would prefer to get fit in the privacy of your own home, check out “David Kirsch’s Sound Mind Sound Body Ultimate Fitness Boot Camp” available on DVD, or Cynthia Conde’s book, “Bridal Bootcamp”. Both are available online at www.amazon.com or at a retailer near you.

On a personal note, Amy’s Guide is coming to you today live from outside of Baltimore, Maryland. Amy and her family will be celebrating at her brother’s wedding tomorrow. Congratulations Chris and Heather!

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