WESTMINSTER, Vt. – Located at the Allen Brothers complex on Route 5 in Westminster, Fit Body Boot Camp (FBBC) is a facility specializing in 30-minute, weight loss boot camps designed to challenge the body and deliver results in a positive and supportive atmosphere.
Owned and operated by Bellows Falls Union High School graduate Sarah Dumont, the facility had originally been launched by her mother Lisa Dumont, a fitness instructor who, in 2006, had moved with her family to the area from northern California.
In 2009, Lisa had started working out at a local facility called Ripples, and before long was organizing her own fitness sessions, and then started offering evening sessions at the local gymnastics facility called Le Studio.
In 2011, during the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, as the community was rebuilding, Lisa had stumbled upon the FBBC franchise program online. After making a connection with the owner of a local business facility, she had found the location to launch her business, in exchange for completely rebuilding and renovating the space for the owner.
When Lisa’s FBBC finally opened, it immediately began to grow and thrive under her leadership, which included the opening of a second facility in West Lebanon, N.H., as well. However, an unthinkable tragedy would strike in 2019, as Lisa was diagnosed with cancer. Her daughter Sarah then left her job in Boston to come home and be with her mom and family, and help the business.
Sadly, after Lisa lost her battle with cancer in 2021, Sarah was determined to keep her mother’s strong legacy and her business alive, by taking ownership and leadership of the Fit Body Boot Camp her mom had worked so hard to create.
“The biggest obstacle for me was the immense responsibility that comes with becoming a leader,” Sarah Dumont said in a recent interview. “I came into this opportunity without understanding the fundamental philosophy of leadership: it’s all about the people. When you are a leader, you are no longer responsible for doing the job; you are now responsible for inspiring, coaching, mentoring, and motivating your team to produce their very best work and reach their full potential.”
With Fit Body, it’s definitely about the people. Peggy Jellie has been a FBBC member since 2019. “I had colleagues trying to get me to join FBBC, and I kept telling them that I’d probably die if I joined. Long story short, I won a 21-day pass and figured okay, if I don’t like it, I can just quit. Well, here I am five years later and still going strong. I love the support I get from all the coaches, and the workouts are never the same. If you can’t do certain exercises, the coaches are great about modifying the exercise so you get the best workout possible.”
Craig Mellish is a Fit Body member since 2011. “I first learned about the boot camp when a colleague at work said I should try it, which I did, and I’ve been going there for 13 years now. Since joining, I’ve learned that I like, or even need, to be told what to do when working out. Going to other gyms over the years, I could spend a lot of time thinking about what I was going to do or wasting time waiting to use certain equipment. But with boot camp, that’s not an issue. They tell you what you’re going to be doing, and for the 35 minutes there’s no wasted gym time, and the classes are different every day.
“There’s also a sense of community that started with Lisa and her husband Marc, and continues now with their daughter Sarah. That sense of community has gotten me doing things that I might not have otherwise done, like running 5Ks, helping families in need during the holidays, and picking up trash on the side of the road. All stuff that keeps me coming back year after year.”
Sarah and her coaches continue to grow and thrive, challenging their members to strive and be the healthiest people they can be.
“As we continue to grow as an organization, both in Fit Family members and teammates,” Sarah concluded, “I am committed to the continued exploration of opportunities that allow me to use my business as a vehicle for changing the health and consciousness of our planet in a positive way. I’ve started to uncover my passion for engaging our team and clients in collective efforts that will facilitate said change.”