We’re very excited to share Kelly’s UNSTOPPABLE Story. Kelly is an excellent writer so we decided to let her share her story in her own words. Please enjoy reading the second part of Kelly’s story.
SEPTEMBER 2015
I’m currently on a journey to create Kelly again. For the past 16 years I have set things aside to be Mom. Mom is the most important role that I have ever taken on. Without sounding too full of myself I’d have to say I did one heck of a good Mom job. Andrew is an amazing and wonderful young man. I am beyond proud of his accomplishments and how he has handled challenges over the years. I watch him now in all that he does and I can’t believe I was given such an amazing young man to raise.
Not once in these past sixteen years have I regretted always being there for Andrew. Now he has opportunities to shine and have fun being a teenager. He doesn’t need Mom right there at every moment. It’s now time for Mom to allow a little bit of Kelly back into her world. It’s not only good for me, but it’s good for Andrew. As I remember, Kelly was a heck of a lot of fun. I am so looking forward to this journey!
I’ve reached out to reconnect with many old friends. It’s been good to start to build back those relationships. There is one thing that I have always wanted to do and that is to lose weight and be healthy. My opportunity came calling one day when I found the corporate discount that work had with Xperience gym. Xperience was close to the karate school where I have sat my butt in a chair for so many hours for so many years. This made perfect sense.
Andrew and I have been to other gyms before. He has been limited in what he was allowed to do or we haven’t liked them. Xperience was different. I liked it from the moment I walked in. Michael made me feel comfortable as we talked and walked around the gym. I didn’t feel like he was trying to sell me a membership. He took time to answer my questions. Michael didn’t judge me like I felt had happened at other places. I really felt as if he wanted me at the gym. I get the sense that he likes fun people. Every day when I walk by his row of desks he looks up and takes just a moment to wave hello. It makes me smile.
I left my first consultation with Kevin feeling empowered. I threw caution to the wind and stepped on the scale in front of someone I had just met and I hadn’t been drinking before I walked in. As we sat together he looked me in the eyes and said “Kelly, you will never weigh this again.” It was at that very moment that I knew I could do it. He understood that Mom no longer needed to be Mommy all the time and that there was a Kelly in there waiting to shine. I left that meeting confident and happy with who I was about to become. Kevin could see what I wanted and knew that he could help in creating a path for me to get there. My sense was the Kevin is also one heck of a fun guy so I think the two of us will become friends for a very long time.
Finding care, accountability and empowerment in my personal trainer
My personal trainer and my new best buddy is Matt. Matt is just recently out of the Marine Corps and at times, I think that highly skilled training might come in handy in dealing with me. Matt is also one of the fun guys. He looked beyond all of the extra pounds and he saw Kelly. As I mentioned before Kelly is a whole lot of fun but I don’t think he realizes the insanity he is unleashing as the pounds come off. He is patient and understanding but challenges me each week. He makes me think about my choices all day long.
It didn’t take very long before all of Matt’s work started to make sense. I leave the gym each time with sore muscles. The soreness felt invigorating because I knew it was making me better. Before I knew it, I feeling better each and every morning. I was sleeping deeper each night and waking up refreshed. I was feeling a great deal of energy and I was happy. I’ve always been happy but this was something different. Now I’m the weirdo on the treadmill with the goofy smile and sweat stinging her eyes as it drips down. I’m loving every minute of it!
Already becoming more UNSTOPPABLE
In a month I lost sixteen pounds and seven inches. My life is changed. My goals and my beliefs are stronger. My whole world has been completely transformed in this month. Each day I’m eating better. Sure I’ve still got a whole lot to learn on the nutrition front. I see why I want to eat better. It makes me feel better. I’m spunkier and sassier and maybe even a little bit flirtier. Those are all good qualities in fun people. Everything is falling into place.
One of Kevin’s suggestions was for me to start taking pictures of myself to track my progress. I’m the girl behind the camera taking the pictures not the one in front of it smiling. So I was hesitant. That changed in these few weeks. Matt and Kevin and I took our first picture. It is entitled “X minus 16 pounds”. Matt and Kevin are the only two people in the world as I type this that know I started this journey at 325 pounds. Our plan is to meet for pictures at every 25 pound milestone. While I am a key factor in all of this, I have to be honest, I couldn’t do it without the tremendous support I get from these two guys. I bet I drive them crazy sometimes. I’m blaming that on the withdrawal of Diet Coke – at least for the time being. They are truly beautiful people (and fun) and I am so thankful for their participation in my quest.