I had my first massive stroke at the age of 34 a week before I was to be married! I wore a size 18 wedding dress and did not consider myself overweight or morbidly obese. After a stay in ICU, medications and many doctors later I was finally diagnosed with a blood disorder. My neurologist put me on aspirin and blood thinners however, I continued having TIAs and several massive strokes. The weight just piled on from different medications and I ate in order to “comfort” myself.
My weight soon ballooned up to 297 pounds. My knees were so bad that I could not stand or walk with out debilitating pain. I healed very slowly from knee surgeries on both knees…I spent many months in a wheelchair and then a walker. I was a MESS!!!!
Finally, when I had completely healed I started using one of my mom’s old Jazzercise tapes. It was only 15 minutes and I couldn’t get through it. But I stuck with it and when I could do the 15 minutes without nearly passing out, I went online to find other videos. There was no WAY I would go to a gym!!! I found Collagevideos.com!
All my workouts had to be modified! When The Firm no longer challenged me I looked for something different. In came Cathe and
wow, what awesome results I have gotten from using her workouts. I now put them on my mp3 player and use them in my gym….where by the way, I am asked several times a week how I got to be so fit. I show them my videos on my mp3 player, tell them about collage video and now they are also ordering Cathe DVDs from collage!
I really started seeing results when I began using Cathe’s workouts from Collage. When I started using them “religiously” I weighed 215 pounds and wore a size 18/20. I now weigh 140 pounds and wear a size 4/6.
I now use my workouts to handle stress and to feel good about myself. You see, I will always remember where I have been, but always strive to move forward to the next level of fitness! At my gym I am often asked if I am one of the trainers….hmmmm….maybe I’ll make that my next goal! Through much personal prayer, prayers from others and CatheI am where I am today! Praise God!
I have recently downloaded from the Cathenation site STS Plyo for legs. And yes, I have to still modify some of the moves, but for me to even do plyometrics is a miracle in and of itself. I am really working on toning and firming my lower half! Thanks so much, Cathe and if you ever need someone in your videos to show modifications, you just go ahead and look me up!
Seriously, Cathe you made me who I am today! Thanks so much!
