From Being a Smoker, to just Being Smokin’ by Iris

As a kid and teenager, I was always very active. Sports, running, and even some step aerobics kept me healthy, slim, and happy. In college, things changed! The party life commenced, I started drinking, smoking, etc. That lifestyle stayed with me for the next 10 years. When I was 27 I started to notice the constant cough, the change in my skin tone, the heavy drinking and hangovers were getting ridiculous, and my weight and attitude was the lowest it had been in my adult life.

I had just moved back in with my parents after a break up. I was looking for home workouts (I was super intimidated by gyms then) to help alleviate the almost guaranteed weight gain. A good friend suggested to me that I check out Fit TV to get started. Cardio Blast got my attention (not that I could even attempt more than 2 minutes of cardio at the time), and I tuned right in. I saw Cathe on the tv….with a barbell. I laughed and thought to myself “Women use these???”. But I kept watching, and eventually thought to myself “Wow….look at these girls!”. I then DVR’d the next Cardio Blast (which was Kick Punch and Crunch), along with future ones…and made it my life goal to find a barbell! Trying KPC for the first time still brings a smile to my face, because I’m sure I had a maxed out heart rate by the end of the warm up. I couldnt’ believe it was just the warm up!

I ended up joining a gym to go back to running, and tried out Cathe here and there at home….using whatever light weights and barbell at the time to start learning the strength moves.

Within 6 months I was back to smoking. At 28, less than a year after the first time I tried to quit, enough was enough, and I triedagain…for the last time. I was living on my own by that point, and starting taking money that I would have spent on cigarettes each month to purchase Cathe DVD’s and equipment. I soon built my own home gym, along with some muscles! I never thought in a million years I could build these small shoulders, but thanks to Cathe, I did!

Two years later, I went to my first Road Trip in Daytona to meet my idol, and at the time had no idea I would come home with such a renewed vigor for a fit and healthy lifestyle, and would acquire friendships that I know will last a lifetime. I took the winter after that trip to study vigorously for my personal trainer certification, and ordered and completed my first round of STS at the same time.

Fast forward to present day, I am working full time in the fitness industry, just competed in my first fitness competition, in the best shape and the healthiest I’ve been in my life, and can look back proudly at the complete lifestyle changed Cathe has helped bring about in just 3 short years. So, Cathe, thank you from bottom of my heart for showing up in my parent’s basement.