Success Story Spotlight – It’s a Healthy HIGH!! – by Lynnie

by Cathe Friedrich

This is a success story with 2 parts..

Part one:

I am writing this to share what exercise does for me emotionally and the incredible release that happens…

I am almost 54 years old (2-13 -1960) and feel like I have lived many lives…I come from a world of depression, therapists,illegal drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes…From not eating for days into weeks so my stomach would not bulge ( I am 5 foot 4 inches and was 94 pounds) to years later weighing 204 pounds..and then there was failed suicides to extreme religion..it was all there..I was crying out for help and was trapped by the torture of my mind and trying to find peace and to be set free..

Depression was a way of life for me.. However in the midst of what was trying to rob me of my life, there was someone who was crying out to be set free, and she was the part of me that loved life and was fighting to survive..there were times life could be fun, beautiful and full of goodness but then I would crash..and fall…but I could hear myself crying out “I want to live” so “fight” do not let the life you love/ hate destroy you!!

I was in a drug rehab hospital when I found out I was pregnant at age 18…was married and still am (35 years)but the road in which my husband traveled with me was very rocky and many times almost ended up in divorce..

Cigarettes was the hardest thing for me to give up..I struggled so much with that horrible habit..I would quit for months and even years but I would fall back into a depression start smoking and again I would classify myself as either a failure or a bad person…I could not overcome..

It was two very important factors that have helped me…I found strength from the Lord and exercise…the two have to work together to keep my body soul and spirit in unison..

I first saw Cathe on fit t.v. 6 years ago and It was love at first sight..she was who I was looking for…I was already exercising with my husband and by myself…I was learning more and more about healthy eating but was searching for more guidance,and there she was..all smiles and going 100 miles an hour..she was going to be my Trainer and I knew she would steer me in the right direction…

Now to the release..it is the endorphin release that beats any high that I have experienced..it is clean and it is healthy and it is awesome…running is when I first experienced it..I felt like I could move mountains and I was…I was releasing…this happens to me all the time now…Cathe it is your workouts that bring me such release..In hard strikes you say ” get those aggressions out” but it is so true..I can be laughing and jumping with you one minuet and then start to cry…..especially if something is bothering me before I start to exercise..the release happens once I get in the moment..it is so awesome…and of course there is ALWAYS the YAHOOS and the excitement that comes with the release!!

I also am amazed at how healthy I look and how healthy I eat..it all works together..to be healthy you have to think healthy…once you think healthy you become healthy..so the mind plays a huge part in you being healthy and the mind gets healthy when you take care of your body soul and spirit!!

Cathe you have become an important part of my life and I thank you for who you are..

I love, love to workout…..I also try to run on the days that I have time…I do not consider my runs to be a workout just a passion..all workouts are like that but when I run it is just me my legs and that awesome endorphin release.. Not to mention the cleaning out of my lungs..

I cannot I say I do not have my bad days because I do.. But I have clean healthy ways to release.. I love life and will not let it be taken away from me.. Cathe you say that life is a gift.. It is and I thank God that he intervened the many times I tried to end it..

Thank you Cathe for what you have given to me and countless others.. You are using your gift of life to help others..

So in closing part one I would like to say ” Get those aggressions out”!

Part 2

I also wanted to share how I was so blessed with a very supportive husband who is my workout partner in all areas of my life and 2 beautiful daughters and that equaled 5 grandchildren!! How awesome is that!!

My one daughter. Jenna needs me to watch her two boys as she works.. I tell you Cathe you have competition as running after two toddler boys that are a year apart is very challenging.. especially after a workout with you!!

Both my daughters saw the change and enthusiasm in me and wanted to be a Cathlete as well.. Actually it was my eldest daughter who bought me my first Cathe DVD.. Butts and Gutts!! OUCH!!!

I would borrow out my dvd’s as I was building up a wonderful collection but also thought they should have their own so I helped them build up a collection as well..

We are a Cathlete family.. Me, my husband Greg, my daughter Heather with her 3 children (2boys and 1girl), and Jenna with her 2 boys..

Cathe you are an awesome influence on a our lives and both my daughters look awesome!!

They both have used your dvd’s to help them loose baby weight..

They both give what they have time to give in chasing children, working and being the best they can be in fitness!!

We all say “Thank you Cathe”!

Love,
A Cathlete Family! ☺️

Categories: Blog, Success Stories, Success Story Spotlight
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

19 Responses

  • Thanks for sharing your inspirational story with us Lynnie. I think you’re awesome. Cathe has been my guru/trainer for 16 years. She’s a very good fitness and lifestyle role model. Congratulations on all your success and on your equally fit family. Great picture!

  • Beautiful family, beautiful story of triumph! Way to go! Keep up the awesome work, you are such an inspiration!

  • Lynnie, I am so happy for you that you made your life turn out this way! Congratulations!! Greetings from Germany 🙂

  • What any amazing story Lynnie! You should feel so proud of yourself for how far you’ve come. Congrats! ❤ Lesley

  • What a beautiful story! You have a lot to be proud of:) Thank you for sharing your journey!

  • This is absolutely beautiful and amazing! Thank you so much for sharing — it’s truly a blessing. Keep rockin’ it! 🙂 God’s blessings to you and your family!

  • What a beautiful & inspiring story! Lynnie, I’m so happy for you. How wonderful it’s a family affair! God Bless you all!

  • What an awsome story. Life can certainly have it’s ups and downs. This is one of the best success stories ever. Hang in there and keep it rockin…

  • What a heartfelt story! I appreciate you being so candid and open about issues that so many of us struggle with. Keep up the great work!

  • I would like to thank everyone for the warm response and support (the “likes” and “comments”) that this story received!! I cannot even begin to tell you how much this means to me! And Cathe I thank you for posting this story in your newsletter and on your Facebook page..this was something I truly wanted to share! Nervous,I was however…
    I hope and pray we all can reach the goals and visions we have for ourselves!
    As I have heard Cathe say many a time” NOTHING comes easy” and “If you want it, you have to work for it”!
    OUCH!

  • Lynnie, I am still crying from your story. Your story hits so close to mine, that I don’t even need to tell mine. I just started exercising AGAIN with Cathe. I started in 1989 until 2004 until I went through the worst divorce with children and had to leave my children in custody of husband, because I was so beaten down by Severe Depression and turned to ‘self-medication’. Now, I’m 54. God has given me the best man in the world, a true gift to my soul. I’ve started back with Cathe, but because I started smoking way back, I don’t have the lung capacity. The smoking is the last to go of my ‘bad’ habits!!! I do not even like meat anymore!! I hope and pray that I can quit smoking. I know exactly what the wonderful ‘high’ feels like in exercising. I’m not really supposed to be exercising, because I have a severe spinal injury that was brought on by a bad spinal in a C-section. But, I HAVE to exercise!!! It cuts down on the pain pills I have to take, which I’m sure you would agree is not a good way to live life. I have exercised so much with Cathe, that in my mind, I CAN do everything!!! But my BODY will not oblige!!! It gets very depressing, but I must keep going. I have cut down on smoking, but I do not listen to my doctors about ‘taking it easy’!!! I’ve been in bed for 3 years taking it easy, and it has actually made my pain worse!! Everything Cathe does, I just downgrade to my level, and I avoid the Stability Ball because I have new damage to my neck. None of my injuries have EVER BEEN FROM working out with Cathe!!! Thank you so much for sharing your whole self to all of us. You ARE SO NOT ALONE!!! Ever since I have been listening to God, all He wants for me is balance and He wants me to get off my butt and exercise. That’s where I find my Spiritual peace from all the pain that tries and weasel its way back into my life. And, God Bless you, Cathe!!! I’ve been with you since 1989. You have helped so many of us that have ‘life’ problems, not just ‘weight’ problems!!!

  • I just read this today and once again, it reinforces the whole body effect exercise has on the person…by whole body, the mind, and soul! Truly inspirational and I am imagining whenever you do butts and guts, it really has a special impact seeing as it was your first DVD. I will have to search my memory for my first VHS of Cathe, but I know I met her on FitTV and could not believe her….she changed my way of working out. Keep up what you are doing Lynnie. You and your family are inspirational.

  • Your story brought me to tears! You are so inspirational!
    God bless you and your wonderful family!

Leave a Comment

Related Posts

X