'Rescue Me' Star Callie Thorne Ended Knee Problems With Exercise

Callie Thorne is a workout convert. For most of her life, the 40-year-old star of FX's "Rescue Me" could never find a regime that resonated with her. She's tried everything over the years, from at-home Tae Bo DVDs to yoga classes, but nothing stuck. After hitting the gym with a personal trainer and concentrating on building muscle, she has found that gaining strength, rather than worrying about her waist size, keeps her coming back for more. Thorne talked to That's Fit about her hard-won love of fitness, plus what we can expect on the new, and final, season of the show.

That's Fit: How did you used to approach working out?

Callie Thorne: I was the last person you would find in the gym. I don't like classes; I always thought people were staring and judging me, thinking "she's completely a spazz attack." I felt like I was being punished, and after getting sore or sweating, I would just think, "this is not enjoyable to me."

TF: What changed for you?

CT: I realized that I'm not doing this to make me thinner, but I'm very much concerned with being stronger. I always thought I had bad knees. I used to play soccer, and my knees, elbows and shoulders would get really really achy, and it was very painful. I would struggle if I was sitting down on the ground.

I just thought that pain was something I had to live with my whole life. I thought it was age or soccer, so I never put any thought into making any sort of change. In fact, I was just really, really weak. And now, it's completely gone. It's a completely different feeling each day, and I love feeling that change in my body.

TF: What do you do in the gym?

CT: Free weights and cardio on the bike or the treadmill -- never the elliptical. I'm constantly afraid of punching myself in the eye on the elliptical! I do lunges with and without weights, as well as step-up lunges. At the end of each sessions, we do MAT muscle work, where my trainer tests the different muscles and joints. I can't wait to get to the end of the session to see my progress.

TF: What about your diet?

CT: It's getting better. I love drinking nutritional protein shakes with my sister and her family. If left to my own devices, I could eat a bag full of Goldfish for dinner and be fine.

TF: What's new this season for Sheila on "Rescue Me"?

CT: For six seasons, her entire existence has revolved around manipulating and blackmailing people. And for so many years, everything was blowing up in her face. This season, it's her attempt at a completely different angle. Her son Damon is now in the firehouse. She thinks she is settling into a life of a selfless mother, but she's really still crazy and up to her old tricks. It doesn't work, but in the most wonderful ways.

Thorne is not alone. Find out how you can manage pain through exercise.