Kathy's Fitness

I have walked the exercise and fitness path most of my life. I even did aerobics and played basketball while pregnant with both of my girls. Because of that it is hard to believe I ever fit the description "morbidly obese." Forget the many doctors and other medical professionals who scolded me for my size - I couldn’t fathom why my weight kept going increasing.

But I didn’t give up, no matter what the scale said. I love working out and kept at it -even at my highest weight of three hundred and thirty pounds. After laying my ankle over during a workout at my heaviest, the male nurse asked while putting a brace on my ankle, "How did you do this"? I told him, "I was doing my aerobics and the ankle just laid over." Disgusted, he looked me up and down saying, "Well you definitely need to keep doing the aerobics."

I wanted to scream at him but, beaten down from constant failure I just hung my head as usual and said, "Yeah, I know."

Another doctor told me that I might just have to accept being fat; if I really did what I said I’m doing I should be thin. I went to my car and cried. Because of my size, no one believed that I DID EXERCISE. The only people in my life who knew the truth, however, were my husband and girls! They saw me exercise. They saw me make the effort to eat proper nutrition.

With all my heart I truly believe my love for exercise is the only reason I didn't get bigger than three hundred plus pounds. I know what it feels like not to be able to tie your own shoes, to get breathless getting dressed and to be embarrassed to go to your kids’ school for fear of embarrassing your own babies because sadly kids are cruel to each other. I didn't want my babies ridiculed because their mother was fat.

No one knew me and to see me you would have thought all I did was sit on the couch eating bon bons like Peggy Bundy although I sure didn't look like Peggy Bundy! But I NEVER gave up; I was always trying to figure out why my weight kept climbing. Not surprisingly my blood pressure reached dangerous levels and I had a heart attack. On one of my doctor visits, and being scolded, yet again, to eat right and exercise, I broke down crying and told this doctor, “I know you don't believe me but I do all you are telling me to do!”

The doctor leaned back in her chair, stared at me and said, “Kathy let me test you for something that doesn't affect many but, let’s see if it’s your problem.” I got the phone call the next day that I had a hypothyroid. FINALLY!!!!! I have an answer on why my body has gone crazy!

I dove into learning all I could about hypothyroidism and with the doctor’s help began regulating my thyroid hormone levels. After that my weight started to come down! HALLELUJAH!!!!

I finally know I'm not crazy and that I haven’t been eating in my sleep. LOL! I will follow this treatment plan for the rest of my life and I will always watch my diet; even more than most because there are some things people with hypothyroidism just should not eat. And of course I have to exercise just like everyone else!

Through my journey to figure things out for myself, my love for fitness grew even stronger! I even got every degree and certification in fitness, nutrition and natural medicine I could think of. I know through my journey I want to help anyone who needs me. I have experienced both ends of the weight scale and I don't ever want to be obese again in my life. It is a shocker to see the words MORBIDLY OBESE on your medical records! It is awesome to tie your own shoes too!

My heart goes out to anyone with weight and fitness issues. Feel free to contact me. I am here to help if I can.