Hey there you awesome people! I'd like you to meet a friend and awesome lady named Kim. She is kind enough to share her weight loss story today on the blog. I love this blog because it is about the women who inspire us and sharing their stories. I mean, don't get me wrong, I think I'm pretty awesome. But I know some awesome women too. And I also believe that as women, there is value to sharing our awesome and inspiring wisdom. For me I am constantly motivated and inspired by the women around me. This includes Kim's story of happiness, transformation, and health. And she went from 195 to 125 pounds! Amazing right?! You've got to be wondering, "How did she do it?" Luckily she shares her story today. With that, I'll let you get to the meat and potatoes below.
Kim's Weight Loss Story
If you told 18-year-old me that within 15
years I would be a fitness instructor and health coach, I would have laughed
hysterically and kept on walking. For me, a healthy lifestyle was not something
that came naturally and it showed. I had no idea how to eat right; I was
constantly overweight, and always looking for the next best thing to lose the
extra pounds. I was floundering when it came to health and who could blame me? With all the fast food at my fingertips, the entertainment so readily available
from a screen, and no healthy examples to pattern my life after, I was
struggling. In fact, after my second baby I was 195 lbs. and the heaviest I had
ever been. I was done doing the yo-yo diet where I lost some weight then gained
it back. Something had to change, but I didn’t know what.
So I started with
exercise. It was something I didn’t really do, but I was determined to lose the
baby fat. Once I found Zumba, I fell in love and discovered I was pretty good
at it. Then I realized that if I had to teach it, I wouldn’t make any excuses
to skip a class. I got certified and started shaking my booty every week. It
was fun, but exercise only gets you so far when you are trying to lose weight. I
went from 195 to 167 and then I just stayed there. I thought, “Maybe my body
just liked being bigger. Maybe I really WAS big boned.” Again, I was
frustrated. I really wanted to lose weight and nothing was working. So I
decided to change my goal. Instead of just losing the weight, I wanted to BE
healthy. When I made that mental shift, I finally discovered the drive I
needed to actually succeed. Too bad I had no idea what to do next, and again, I
was stuck thinking this was my new life.
Well, within the past six
months, everything changed. After trying diets that failed to yield long-term
results, and exercise that only got me so far, I met the person that would
change my life for good, my health coach. She introduced me to a program which centers its founding success on three principles;
support, the Habits of Health, and specialized meal plans to help you reach
your goals. (If you would like to learn more about the program Kim used see contact info below.) With a personal health coach I was able to actually stay on track
and I never felt like I was alone on my journey. And the results were amazing!
I started in January of 2014 and by the end of April I went from 167 to 125 lbs.
and from a size 18 to a size 4. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t even know my body was capable of
sitting in a healthy BMI range. But the best part wasn’t just the weight loss.
My coach and I talked
weekly during my transformation. I learned how food affects my body and what
foods I should be eating. I learned the importance of water, exercise, and a
good rest. And I learned how to have a healthy mind during the whole process.
The key here is that I LEARNED something. It was amazing. So I had to turn
around and start sharing it with others. And here I am now, 15 years later,
teaching Zumba and helping people reach their goals for optimal health.
So what tips do I have
for all those out there that are in the same boat as my 18-year-old self? First
of all I say find what drives you to change. What is it that you really want
out of life? Is it to get off your meds? Is it to have the energy to keep up
with your kids? Is it to live a healthy life well into your 90’s? Whatever it
is, hold onto it and remember WHY you are working so hard to change. Secondly, remember that food is not a reward
for good or bad behavior. It is simply fuel that keeps you going. If you feed
your body well, it treats you well. So learn what it takes to keep it happy.
And lastly, make sure you have people around you who are cheering you on.
Support, in my opinion, makes all the difference. And after all of that, if you
still need guidance on how to make better choices, come talk to me. I’d be
happy to help. It’s the least I could do.
We love that Kim wanted to share her story. If anyone is interested in learning more you can visit Kim's site or email her at healthcoachkim @ outlook.com
