Note: This article was first published on July 18, 2023
Hi. My name is Kelly. I’m 36 years old, and, since I started working out at Sarasota Memorial’s HealthFit in December of 2021, I’ve lost 118lbs.
All my life my weight has yo-yoed, but I reached my highest weight during my first pregnancy. Once I got home from the hospital, I was crestfallen to see the number 301 on the scale. My body was recovering from an emergency c-section and my BMI was 45.8, which put me in the morbid obese class IV category. I dealt with several postpartum complications and the next nine months was a slow recovery. Thankfully, I was able to lose 30lbs through dieting alone, but I knew I would need to get back in the gym if I wanted more results.
Once I was healthy enough, I took advantage of HealthFit’s Moms in Motion program and, thanks to their wonderful daycare and staff, I was able to start coming to the gym 2-3 days a week. At first, I could only work out for 30-45 minutes and everything was VERY difficult. I could barely breathe, the weights felt incredibly heavy, my body felt heavy and slow, and everything hurt.
But every day I chose to keep going. I didn’t want my son to grow up seeing his mother constantly tired and out of breath while struggling to go up stairs or play with him. The more times I went, the easier it was to lift the heavier weights. I went from curling 5lbs to doing sets with 20lb dumbbells. The first time I got in the pool, it took me 1 minute and 45 seconds to swim from one end of the pool to the other. Now I can do it in 35 seconds.
If there’s anyone out there who is struggling like I was, my suggestion is to just keep going! It can be really discouraging and tough in the beginning when the number on the scale doesn’t drop as fast as you want it to, or you can’t lift as heavy as you thought you could—but DON’T GIVE UP! Everything in life takes time and losing weight is possible.
Favorite Class: Aqua aerobics. It’s incredibly versatile! Depending how deep in the water you are or what size weights you use for the class, you can take your workout from a therapeutic stretch to a cardio workout.
Favorite piece of equipment: The assisted pull-up machine. Not only does it strengthen your back, but there’s something about pulling your whole body up with just your arms that makes you feel strong. My next fitness goal is to do at least one unassisted pull-up.
Favorite cardio: The stairmill. In a short amount of time you can really get your heart rate up and get the blood flowing!
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To learn more about Moms in Motion and other fitness courses and medically integrated wellness programs available at HealthFit, ranging from aqua aerobics and yoga to cycling, cardio and strength training, click here.