Brownsville resident Leslie Perez was one of the top 10 finalists out of 17,000 nationwide participants who were part of the New Year Challenge by Fit Body Boot Camp this year.
Perez, who attends the Fit Body Boot Camp at 3225 Mano Drive near Alton Gloor, was awarded with $10,000 as a result of the challenge and said she enjoyed being part of the challenge because she learned how to eat and how to work out to get the results she wanted and achieve a better lifestyle.
“I was encouraged to do this challenge because I’m always very discouraged with all the information that is out there about trying new diets, new exercises and you just never know what to do,” she said in an interview.
Perez said she has family members who are overweight and diabetic and she worries about their health. As a result of this challenge, she motivated her family to also start working out so they can achieve a healthy lifestyle.
“You owe it to yourself, you owe it to your family and it’s the best thing you can do; it changes the way you think, it changes the way you feel and it changes the way you live,” she said. “You have more energy, more confidence, you have a dream and you have a goal to go to, this is a step to help you accomplish what you really haven’t.”
Alex Dominguez, owner at Fit Body Boot Camp, said it feels amazing to have one of the members recognized, especially during this difficult time due to the COVID-19. Dominguez said Fit Body Boot Camp offers on average four challenges a year that are tailored and focused on results because they take care of every component that they know a person needs to achieve results.
“This is a sign of how we can also change a person’s life through what we do, but never did we think it was going to be $10,000, especially in these difficult times and it’s great to know that it’s going to help her a lot,” he said.
“It’s amazing. I don’t like to take any credit because she’s the one who did all the hard work but it feels good and it’s encouraging for us as well, it’s very encouraging for the team and it gets us motivated to know that we are recognized.”
Dominguez said there is a special need for the community in Brownsville to have this type of programs offered due to the high rate of obesity and diabetes in the area. He said as a fitness professional, he feels it’s his responsibility to help the community achieve a healthier lifestyle.
“As a fitness professional it could be very easy for me to say that I’m going to go to San Antonio or Austin where there are a lot more people that exercise and from a business standpoint it can be more rewarding in that aspect, but it’s not just about a business it’s about a mission and my mission really is to try to influence people in a positive way through fitness,” he said.
