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. Kelly’s story isn’t over yet, so we’re happy to announce Kelly’s story will be in 3 parts. Please enjoy reading the first part of Kelly’s story.
By Kelly:
On my first day at Xperience gym in Blaine I was terrified because I had so much weight to lose. I had been to other gyms before and never felt comfortable. Nothing ever worked and I felt as if I would be fat forever. That changed the day I walked into Xperience gym. I met with Michael Welter and felt inspired. He believed in me and I don’t know the last time I had ever felt that.
Michael set me to work with Kevin Carlson who said one sentence that truly changed my life. After we took my weight we sat at his desk. He pointed to the number he had written on the page and said without hesitation “You will never weigh this number again.” (I have told that story about one hundred times and it still makes me smile.) Kevin set me to work with Matt Kealey, my personal trainer.
Immediately something clicked with Matt and me. I didn’t know what I could do, but I knew there was a bunch of things I could not start with. Matt’s knowledge of nutrition and physical exercise was amazing to me. Something told me that this was a life changing meeting. Each week I was doing something new and we were seeing some incredible results that I had never seen before. He made all of this doable for me. He made this exciting for me.
He changed my life and for that I owe him everything.
What goal did you achieve?
I have lost 80 pounds and I’m not finished yet! Lots of people ask what my final number will be and I have to say I honestly don’t know. I’m not sure what my body should weigh. I am confident that once I get there I will know it.
Until then, I’m having the time of my life learning and living this new lifestyle of mine.
What caused you to start your UNSTOPPABLE journey?
I used to drive by the gym several times a week. Each time I would think, I should stop in there, but I never did. Then one day I found we had a corporate discount from work. Something just drew me in after that and I connected with so many people almost immediately. I truly felt at home. Since then my life has been UNSTOPPABLY transformed into these amazing Xperiences and opportunities.
Who inspired you (to start or continue your journey)?
That’s an easy one. Matthew Kealey. He inspires and motivates me each every day. Sometimes I’m sure he doesn’t even realize he is doing it. Matt is my trainer and he has also become one of my very closest friends. From that very first day on August 17, 2015 Matt has never given up on me. In our very first session he showed me what I COULD do. He didn’t point out what I could not do. Losing the amount of weight that I need to lose is an overwhelming task. We are a team. We celebrate our victories. We work through our challenges together. I have not been alone in this since that very first day. I am successful because Matt Kealey is so amazing with all of this.
We are an UNSTOPPABLE team together.
What was the toughest moment?
I’ve had many roadblocks on my path. Yes, there have been moments of tears and frustration but I have never wanted to quit. The biggest challenge is the fact that there really isn’t a manual written on what to expect each week. Every body is different in how it reacts. Sometimes you lose several pounds and then the next week gain while still doing the exact same thing. It can be so scary and confusing. Thankfully, Matt has always been able to explain exactly what was happening and what we needed to do to overcome our challenge. When we do it is the most powerful emotion ever.
What was the best moment?
Each time we hit one of our smaller goals. We take pictures as we hit close to the 25 pound increments. Those are the best moments because we have accomplished another milestone that once seemed beyond achievement.
People at the gym are also now asking me for advice. At first that seemed very awkward, but then Matt explained that I was actually a motivator while I was being motivated. We have had some tremendous success, but it was hard for me to see why people I don’t know were interested in me.
It’s because we are living my dream right now.
What kept you motivated?
I’m having the time of my life. I’m doing things that people thought were never possible for me to do. Heck, I’m doing things I never thought I would be able to do! Every day I walk into the gym standing tall and smiling. Every day I walk out of the gym sweaty and stinky but still standing tall and smiling. I’m motivated by the accomplishments that we have made. I am motivated by the people around me. I am motivated by my son who is just starting his own journey with an incredible personal trainer.
What did you do if you felt unmotivated?
I am lucky enough to have a huge support system all around me. My family has been very encouraging and supportive. The entire staff at the Blaine Xperience gym is amazing. Every day I get a hug or a high five. If I’m on the treadmill I get a wave or a finger point from across the room. The smiles and the winks encourage me to take those extra steps or finish the set of reps.
I am where I am today because of the positive motivation of the entire staff at Blaine Xperience Fitness.
What are 3 tips to share with others who are starting their journey?
- Listen and trust your trainer.
- Do not give up because you deserve to live the dreams you dream. It is not always going to be easy. Don’t let those roadblocks stop your journey. At the end of each day, focus on the good points no matter how small they are. Learn from mistakes, but don’t ever give up.
- Set small goals and milestones. Don’t forget to celebrate each of these victories.
Can you tell us about your workout regime/diet?
The first dramatic change that Matt assigned me was – no more Diet Coke. I was truly addicted to the stuff and it was just compounding my problem. I have not had a sip of Diet Coke since that very first meeting. Slowly we worked on my nutrition and I now know the right balance of macros to eat each day. It’s actually a game that I play with my food diary to make sure to come as close to those numbers as possible. I have so much to learn with all of it and I am excited to add new items into the nutritional balance each week – as long as they are not brussel sprouts!
The workout regime is a one of the most amazing transformations in my life. I started out with simple full body weight exercises and walking slowly on the treadmill. Gradually we have added resistance training and weights. I see muscles developing and body parts tightening and that is so exciting. We have recently added hammer strength machines that are immediately showing some strong results. By the time this is being read, Matt and I will have completed our very first 5K race.
How do you plan on maintaining your results?
I think in this case being 325 pounds when I first walked into the gym is a blessing in disguise. (This is actually the first time the entire world is now knowing my original weight.) I’m learning slowly, from an incredible teacher, how to do this and how to maintain these lifestyle changes. Everything is becoming second nature to me. We are not in a rush to finish by a certain date. Slow and steady.
How has working towards/achieving your health goals affected other areas of your life?
I am a completely different person than I was about 80 pounds ago. Before I was the silent person in the room. I rarely offered my opinions because I didn’t want to draw attention to myself. I wasn’t truly happy in many aspects of my life. The more I could keep private the better. Now I smile for no particular reason at all. I find that I am more patient and willing to lend a hand more easily to others. My world has developed into something so fantastic that I want to share it with others. My life has meaning and is special.
I am worth every bit of effort we put into all of this journey. I can make a difference because of Xperience Fitness.