Hello Loves,

Well I’ve never been one to shy away from the fact that I am a big girl and honestly, I never minded it too much. I was always on the larger side of normal, brought to you by my sturdy Irish genetics and my middle-class upbringing. I used to always compare myself to my friends in grade school, which left me in that now normalized downward spiral of self-hate known as adolescence. However, by 11th grade, I stopped comparing myself so much to others and realized my confidence was a turn-on to others as well as myself.

Let’s fast forward five years. Okay, so I also am adamant that you should never associate ones outward appearance with their health (how many big folks do you know that actually aren’t really unhealthy, conversely, how many rail-thin folks do you know that survive on black coffee and cigarettes?) and certainly for a long time, my size was NOT a proper indication of my internal health. However, unemployment had not done a body good, and an extra 40 lbs had caused me to develop both pre-hypertension and pre-diabetes. Basically I said a big old “HELL TO THE NO” and decided I’d take action immediately. I touched on this briefly about a year ago on the blog. I thought you deserved an update, because quite frankly, I’m practically an all new person.

I’m 40 lbs down and a total fitness freak.  I’m in the process of training to become a fitness instructor, a personal trainer and I’ve opened my own home fitness business via Team Beachbody. What is Team Beachbody, you ask? Well if you’ve occasionally dealt with mild insomnia and have an affinity for infomercials, you’ve seen our products– P90x, Slim in 6, TurboJam, TurboFire, Insanity, Brazil Butt Lift.  I began using the at-home exercise programs a year ago (Started with Brazil Butt Lift– totally works!), and have continued using them almost exclusively ever since. I love working out at home. I get to dodge the heat and cold and rain. The programs come with a schedule, so I never have to worry about the best way to structure my workouts (Do I lift weights first or do my cardio? Do I have enough time to get to the gym and get in a good sweat) and best part, they all come with nutrition guides. The programs provide a level of support that are hard to come by all on your own.  And we’ve got “on ramps”– programs for anyone at any level. And supplements to keep your energy high, to help curb your cravings, to help you work your hardest.

The best part is, I really could still care less what my weight is. Why? I’m strong. Gosh, I’m strong as heck. I’m more disciplined, not just with food or exercise, but in everything that I do. I’m more confident in trying new things, because I’ve learned through these workouts that if I fail the first time, I can try try again. And food is magically not the same obstacle/obsession it was because I need it to fuel the workouts I like doing because they give me great endorphins. Suddenly that’s become the most important thing. Fuel. Endorphins.

I’m not interested in trying to sell YOU anything, but I am interested in helping you figure out what can get you healthy and keep you motivated and accountable. I guess I just want to pay this bliss forward. Sure, it’s awesome being in smaller clothes (um hello, lets go shopping). Its way cooler though that my blood pressure is normal, and my blood sugar is stable. It’s super fun being strong and realizing that my body can do push-ups and headstands. Come visit me on Facebook and let’s chat! WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/SWEATITOUTKEL

Your Friend in Fitness,

 

K