My Journey to Here – Kirsten

Before

My success story is just beginning and know that it will be ongoing for the rest of my life!

Before I can tell you about my success, you need to know where I came from. I apologize in advance for this being so long!

In high school I was a competitive swimmer – I trained 6 days week, 2 hrs per weekday, 3 hours on Saturday’s. Needless to say, I was in great shape, and nutrition wise also, since my family didn’t eat a whole lot of junk food or sweets, really only special occasions and holidays. Plus, where I grew up in Canada, we didn’t have fast food restaurants on every corner. So through high school I was in excellent shape, then I graduated.

The first year after graduation wasn’t too bad, because I still lived in Vancouver, didn’t have much money, and food had to yet to become love/hate binge cycle. In 1991, (20 yrs old) I got out of an abusive 2 year relationship, started to party hard about 3-4 days per week with alcohol being one of my main food groups. (How I made it to work and actually do my job in those days I will never know), I still didn’t gain too much weight at this point maybe 5-10lbs, as it is hard to overeat when you don’t eat dinner (so the effects of the alcohol come on quicker), and then crash until until 10-11am the next day and usually couldn’t eat for a few hours as I was usually hungover.

Anyway, then I moved to the States at the end of 1991 – and stayed with my mom and her severely obese husband, who didn’t think twice about using 1 cup of olive oil in spaghetti sauce. Since I didn’t know anybody, and didn’t work when I first got there I had lots of time to catch-up on my eating. Since I had never struggled with my weight, ever, I had no clue that what and how much I was stuffing in my mouth was going to lead me to what I became. I binged good and hard, I know realize, but at the time I had no clue. Once I did meet some people, I resumed my party hardy days, only my new best friend introduced me to Taco Hell at 2am – the best feast for after a night of drinking, and cheap too! And I just spiraled, I started getting into drugs (nothing heavy, that came later) which did nothing for making healthy eating choices – especial ly when the munchies hit.

I lived in Florida for 8 long years – by the time I left I weighed 215lbs – I moved to Bellingham became depressed because I had no friends, again, and so now I just ate – my highest weight was 256 lbs and I just submerged into my own private semi-hell with a 9 year binge cycle of bingeing, then not and working out and losing a few pounds, only to gain them all back plus some, and repeat the cycle.

Though I did manage to finish my BA during this time, so it wasn’t a total loss. Early on in this cycle I once again found friends with the same party attitude as I, and continued where I had left off in Florida. Only this time, I worked for a towing company where I saw first hand the effects of drinking and driving – the cars, the families after a loved one was lost – after driving drunk for 12 years, it finally hit me that it wasn’t just my life I was risking – how would I feel if hurt someone or worse, killed them? That was when I separated from my current life at the time. I stopped drinking, stopped going out, lost contact with all my friends, and just kept eating and kept the cycle going.

Fast forward to 2007 – my body was finally starting to show the effects of my ill-health, high blood pressure, and hypoglycemia. Thankfully I have never made it to the pre-diabetic stage. Anyway, I realized that if I wanted to live a full and productive life I needed to get healthy, I also needed to forgive myself for the 2 year abusive relationship (since then my longest “relationship” has been 6 months, then I’m out).

I discovered Cathe (yay Cathe, for creating workouts that are not geared towards little kewpie dolls, but really women interested in transforming their bodies – thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!!!)Anyway, started working out to Cathe starting with the beginner dvd’s, gradually moving up to her intermediate low-impact workouts and joined Weight Watchers and lost 42 lbs.

2008 I left a job that was very unhealthy emotionally – somewhere I had been for almost 9 years. I had no idea that I would fall into a major depression during this transition as I w ent from knowing almost everything, to knowing nothing. Plus, I ended up in a job that wasn’t what I had applied for. So I gained back about 24 lbs. During

After

2008 I gained and lost the same 5-10 lbs. I believe I only gained back that much because through everything I kept working out, 4-5 days a week to Cathe’s Low Max and Low Impact Circuit. In March, my anti-depressants were finally right (I started in January 2009), and it was like a switch was flicked on – all of sudden I was making different food choices, over the course of 3 months, I dropped fast food, then most pre-packaged chemical laden food, discovered Tosca Reno, and Dr. Mark Hyman and finally went completely clean. The first 2 months I was probably anywhere from 50-70% clean, the third month and continuing to present day I eat approx. 90-95% clean, and the 5-10% is organic granola bars, and cereal and the very occasional meal out at a real restaurant that serves real food, but may not be “clean” food. In th e last 3 months I have lost 18 lbs and am still going strong. I have graduated to the Gym Style series, and IMAX 3, Body Max 2, 4 Day Split.

I feel better than I have in years – my skin has cleared up, I’m sleeping better (and no more sleep apnea), my endurance and strength are increasing daily. I am so proud of myself and so happy that I allowed myself the time I needed to get to this point. Before I would always get mad at myself, because I would always slide back into old habits. This time I just made slow changes and have become a work in progess – I am living in the sidelines no more.

Thank you Cathe for everything you do!!! You truly are one of a kind! Because of you I get up every morning at 4am to work out, and enjoy it – I absolutely love feeling my muscles work, my body glistening/dripping by the end of the workout! Because of your workouts, I was able to hike a 4 hour hike (2hrs each way) on a 1100 degree elevation. I was sore for a week, but it was a g ood sore!! So to me, and all of you, who reside in Catheland, “we’re getting ready to work!”

7 Responses

  • Kirsten,
    What a great testimony. It is encouraging to hear about the lifestyle change that you made. Keep up the good work.

  • Congratulations Kirsten. You look very happy and very healthy! I give you tons of credit for picking up a Cathe dvd. That surely is reaching for the stars!

  • Well done Kristen! The difference in your facial expression in the before and after photographs says it all. You are glowing in the ‘after’ shot. Very impressive choosing to do the right thing for yourself.

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