My story

E

eaglobo

Cathlete
My family has a history of depression..it has resulted in the loss of my father, and one of my brothers, and it pushed me to brink in 1999, but it didn't push me over, thanks to exercise.

It so happened that my episode came during my off time from work, so I had nothing but time to educate myself on the disease, and the one thing that jumped out at me was the benefits of exercise.

I believe that one of the main reasons I love video workouts so much was when I started working out, I chose the video route, simply because I didn't want to socialize at all, and now that I am in recovery...I much prefer home workouts.

My favorite workout was/is cardio kickboxing, which is why I began a 10 year association with TaeBo and Billy Blanks...I even worked out with him on QVC on more than one occasion..and LOVED it!!!! here I was showing people that you don't have to suffer from this disease, this was great!!!

My association with Billy Blanks and TaeBo ended last year during a 3 day certification camp in California where it became obvious that the Billy Blanks I saw on videos, the one on QVC wasn't the same person away from the camera. The worst part is one of his instructors made some ignorant remarks towards my wife, who made the trip to support me.

Enter Cathe and Kick Punch and Crunch...this is my #1 anti-depressant, although I do take a pill, and will have to for life because of the hereditary nature of the disease. The endorphin rush from this workout, and the support on these boards in the short time I've been here has been great, and I can see why Cathe is as highly regarded as she is..she's worth every accolade.

I will never use the term fully recovered when it comes to my disease, it is all a work in progress for me...when the day comes I think I've licked it all, I just know it will be there to bite me in the derriere...}( :)


I know this though...physical exercise has made me a better husband to my wife, better friend to my friends, and a better employee to my employer..I look forward to a long and happy association with all of you and Cathe...

In closing, thanks for reading and should any of you ever need an ear from someone who's been through crud..I'm just a PM or email away!!

Peace,

Jerry
 
Jerry,

I am so proud of you for doing this for yourself! My husband has two brothers that struggle with dibilitating depression. One can't keep a marriage or a job; and the other can't even leave his bedroom, and still lives at home at age 31. They refuse to stay on their medication because of intense paranoia. I worry about them all the time.

I am so impressed that you actively push forward and fight against the demons (if you will). I can only imagine how difficult it must be at times. Keep up the good work!

Natalie
 
Jerry,

I very rarely go on message boards and I'm not sure why this caught my eye but I feel that I have to reply to it. I applaud you for sharing your story in case it does help someone out there that is struggling with depression. I do, however, fail to see why you felt the need to slander Billy Blanks and TaeBo in your posting. I don't think that was necessary and I take offense to it.

I am a huge fan of Cathe and have been doing her workouts for about 3 years. But I also do TaeBo and it helped me to lose 50 pounds and changed my life. I was invited to be in a TaeBo infomercial and have also done QVC. And I have also done Boot Camp with Billy. And you are correct in saying that he is not the same person that you see in the videos when you do his boot camp. If he were, then I would not have pushed myself to make it through that camp and feel better about myself than I ever had in my entire life. That man could see that I needed to prove to myself what I was made of both mentally and physically. And I will always appreciate everything he has done for me. Just because things didn't go the way you expected them to when you went to camp gives you no right to slander him or his actions. Your posting upset me greatly and I have thought about this all day.

I realize that you have a right to your opinion, as does everyone, but I don't think you should go on a public forum like this and say these things about another human being. Billy and Gayle have done some wonderful things with their foundation and he continues to change people's lives. What if there is someone out there that thought about ordering a TaeBo workout because they have a weight problem and now you have talked them out of it? Shame on you. It's because of postings like yours that I rarely go on message boards.
 
Jerry,

I applaud you for all the progress you've made. Having dealt with depression (with my ex's family for years), I know what a difficult struggle it is. I have read many times how exercise can help depression and you are living proof. I'm glad you haven't succumbed to the pressures of the disease and that you are now living and enjoying a happy and healthy life. I'm sure you will be getting more Cathe workouts in the future and will have the same endorphin rush you get from KPC. I started with Cathe almost 2 years ago and am in the best shape of my life at 42.

Again, congratulations and don't give up the fight!

Marcy
 
Jerry, that is so great that you are using exercise to help manage your depression!! There are many benefits that go so far beyond the physical when it comes to exercise! I know that for me, personally, I feel better both physically and mentally when I work out regularly.

And Bev, I want to point out (to be helpful, not to flame) that Jerry was not slandering Billy or Tae Bo. I have also been through Boot Camp...with Jerry, so I was there. Jerry did not discuss what happened, he did not say that Billy was a bad person, and he did not say that Tae Bo is a horrible thing. He mentioned that some things happened that caused him to direct his interest from Tae Bo to something else and that's how he discovered Cathe.

And the important thing is that Jerry has discovered a new kick butt workout to help manage his depression!
 
Jill,

Thanks, as always, for the kind words, having people like you in my corner make me so glad I never gave up!!

On another note, I will not mention my association, or the lack thereof, with TaeBo anymore. This is Cathe's site, and a fresh start for me, and I'm looking ahead, not behind!!

Jerry
 
Jerry,

I just wanted to offer my congratulations on your progress. I have at times suffered from mild depression and have found that exercise really helps to combat those feelings. I'm happy that you have found an avenue to help you with that struggle. Exercise has so many benefits beyond losing weight and looking good. I wish more people would realize the benefits and what they could accomplish with exercise.

Again, congratulations on your success!
 
Hi Jerry,

It was very inspiring to read your post...I had a friend give up his badle several yrs ago and it was so incredibly sad...he will never know how much he hurt his friends and family or how much he is thought about...

I'm glad your doing everything you can to beat it and I'm glad you found your way to Cathe...she really kicks my buttushy too! But it feels so good.

Celeste
 
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