A picture is worth a thousand words - part 2

I have just passed the 15 month anniversary of my lifestyle change. I am healthier than I ever believed I could be. I eat right, I run, I have more life in me, it's wonderful.

In the beginning (July 18, 2006) there was 260 pounds of me on a 5' 4" frame. Now there is 155 pounds on that same frame, pretty amazing. And I can tell you right now, I am never going back.

Instead I am going to lose a few more pounds, tighten things up and pack on muscle. That's why I am at Fitness World West . After losing so much weight, I needed that next thing. For me that is becoming more lean and athletic, but it's different for everyone.

However, that's one of the things that made trainer Traci and I click so well from the beginning. She asked my goals and I said I didn't care how much I ended up weighing, (within reason) I just wanted to be athletic. She assured me I had the right attitude and we moved forward with this in mind.

It's working, I am getting leaner. You can see my 'guns' (biceps and triceps) growing. My thighs have definition and my waist is leaner, just to name a few of the areas improved. That's in just 2.5 months!

Though you have to count me out for 12 days during that time due to strep throat. One bout took me out for 10 days and landed me in the hospital, so pay attention to your bodies people!

So I thought I would show you some pictures of what I looked like at the beginning of training with Traci at Fitness World West. This will give you an idea of where I started what I consider my final push to fitness. These pics are from August 13, 2007.

I will have more pics along the way. But if you look back at the one "before" I was able to find and look at these, you can see how far I have come.

I still have a ways to go, but with Traci and FWW, I will get where I want to be for the rest of my life.

Yours in fitness, Kate

A picture is worth a thousand words - part 1

I didn't get to workout today. It makes me a little crazy. But I will be back at it tomorrow with both my cardio and Traci.

My pitfall today - I needed something to wear for my photo shoot tomorrow. That's right, the Des Moines Radio Group air talents are having a professional photographer come in to take our pictures. This will be the first time I have had a pro-pic taken in 19 years, the last was my senior pictures for high school. The winter after those my weight ballooned and I began avoiding cameras like, yes, the plague.

So, now I am facing down a major mental menace tomorrow and I had nothing to wear. I know that sounds odd, but due to my eating and exercise, I keep shrinking out of everything. In fact, today as I was hunting, I found I have moved down another pant size. I am not whining, I am aware that everyone wishes that had such problems. However, shopping ate up my workout time.

I am taking three options to the photo shoot, hopefully something will work for the photographer.

NOW... the thing everyone asks me for, a "before" picture. Honestly, I have looked everywhere and this is the best I can offer. It is a chest up shot from May of 2006 that I used for a headshot as I attempted to land a walk-on role in the movie "The Final Season". I remember thinking at the time that I looked pretty good. I realize now I was deluding myself, I was morbidly obese and miserable.


Again, this is from May, I actually put on about 12-15 pounds after this was taken. I didn't start my journey to health until July 18, 2006.

Yours in health, Kate
(I still don't like that sign-off)