Kim Lost 100 Pounds and Now Fitness Is Her Life

Kim Before

Name: Kim Johnson

Age: 48 years old

Height: 5 feet, 6 inches

Before Weight: 281 pounds

How I Gained It: I have been relatively large all of my life. In 2004, I had my first major migraine headache. Over the next four years, I spent many days and hours in and out of hospitals and doctors offices trying to find medications to control my pain. Migraine medications are often very hard on the stomach, so I spent my time eating breads, crackers, donuts and ice cream to calm the pain, and I started putting on even more weight.

In October of 2008, my doctor told me I had gained 62 pounds in about four years. I became very depressed. I looked into different diets like Jenny Craig and NutriSystem. Being a very fussy eater, looking at their menus I knew that would not be the way that I would be losing weight.

Breaking Point: My parents were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in 2009. They took myself, my brother and his family to Cancun for a week to celebrate in April, and when we came back from Cancun and looked at the photos, I cried. At this point I was on 14 different prescription medications. My pulmonologist told me that if I didn't lose weight, I would have to be put on a machine for my sleep apnea. I knew I had to do something.

I started looking at local gyms. In the mean time, I started walking on every break I got at work. I would walk for my two fifteen minute breaks and my half hour lunch break every day.

How I Lost It: One Saturday afternoon, I was out to lunch with my parents. Once again, we were discussing how I might go about losing the weight, and the different gyms that I had looked at. My mom asked me about Lifetime Fitness. I had received information about Lifetime before they opened and knew that I could not afford it, but she insisted that we check it out. It was incredible. My mom could tell I was impressed and really wanted to give it a try, so she told me that she would give me a six-month membership if I really thought I would use it. I signed up that day.

For the first two weeks, I walked on the treadmill and started going to the pool daily after work. I also started taking the water aerobics classes -- they were a great workout and I could tell that this was where I belonged. Then I was laid off from my job so I was able to take classes twice a day.

As part of my membership, I also got a fitness assessment. My BMI was 40.4 which is obese; my body composition was 45.2 percent fat, which is very high; and my overall fitness was a 20, which is poor. I already knew I was in bad shape, but that made me realize just how much work I had to do.

I also hired a personal trainer, Dave, to teach me how to use the machines. I enjoyed it so much, I decided to continue the sessions. Over the next few months, I developed a few injuries, but my trainer was always able to modify my workouts to make sure I was still getting in shape.

Of course, I had to modify my diet too. I cut down on calories and cut out fast food restaurants and donuts. I still eat many of my favorite foods; the difference now is that I know how to eat proper portions.

By that August, I had lost 35 pounds. I still hadn't found a job yet so I decided I was going to go back to school. I knew I needed a program that would allow me to keep up with my new passion for fitness, so I decided I was going to go to school to become a personal trainer. My personal trainer had done so much for me, and I wanted to be able to do that for someone else.

But by the new year, I had hit a plateau, so I decided it was time to change things up. Having shadowed many of the trainers as part of my schooling, I decided to start working with another trainer, a former US Marine. We started doing weekly boxing sessions, as well as a different exercise every day, and I quickly started dropping the pounds again.

I have now lost 101 pounds,and I'm down to only three prescription medications. My BMI is now 28.5, my body composition is 28.7 percent fat and my overall fitness is 77.8, just 2.2 points short of excellent. I'm also now an ACSM certified personal trainer. I can't wait to start working with clients and help them do what I did. Because if I can do this, so can anyone!

After Weight: 180 pounds

Kim has maintained her current weight for four months.

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