On January 6, 2007, I quit smoking after 21 years. I had always been blessed with a good metabolism and was naturally thin. I had periods in my life when I would be a very active exerciser – but I never fully committed.
As many people experience, I began to gain weight after I quit smoking. I spent the next year or so pouting about it but not really doing anything to change it. In January 2008, I was home sick one day and saw an infomercial for another exercise video set and decided to buy it. It arrived on my 39th birthday, and I decided right then and there that I would be in a body I could be proud of when I turned 40.
I started working out daily to the new videos – starting out slowly and soon, completely mastering this set. I felt better but couldn’t really see much of a difference in the way my jeans fit. During this time I discovered FitTV and started watching Cathe among others. I would only watch her at first because I did not have a step and most of those shows utilize one. For Mother’s day, my husband bought me a small step and I began planning my days so that I could work out with Cathe on FitTV and loved it. The challenge of her shows was so much greater, even with commercial breaks, and I really started to see the difference that an advanced workout could make for my body.
After a month or so of that, I went to Cathe.com and bought Body Max 2 and Drill Max as my first Cathe videos. Whew! Those two videos really kicked it up a notch. I then decided that my step was too small and I was going to end up breaking an ankle, so I bought the advanced workout step package and now owned among others, Imax 2 and 3.
I am 41 years old and in the best shape of my life. I love the way I look, the shape and definition of my muscles and most importantly, the way I feel. Without Cathe and her incredible energy and motivation, I don’t think I would have met my goal to be in a body I love by 40. Now my goal is to still be in this body when I am 60. I work out exclusively to Cathe 5-6 days a week. If I can’t squeeze in a workout at home because of a soccer or football practice for my kids, I just bring my tennis shoes and do as many Cathe drills as I can think of off to the side of practice (other parents probably think I am nuts). I am totally devoted and it has really changed my life.
Cathe even has a pet name at my house! My son, who is now 11, read the way Cathe spells her name on those first videos and took the little turn of the E to mean a special emphasis – so at my house she is Cath-eeee! Cath-eeee, you are the reason that my husband said to me this summer, “you are really rocking that bikini, baby” – thank you!!
