Meet Classy Fit Gal - Kisha

SW: 186 CW: 165 GW: 155

Truthfully, my doctor told me I needed to lose weight back in 2006 when my husband and I were having trouble getting pregnant. I was hard headed and continued to ignore his advice because I didn't feel overweight- but he told me then that by losing just 10 percent of my weight, ( and watching what I ate, etc. ) my fertility chances would go up. At the time, I was in the 190's.

So, I did what the doctor said, and the next year, we welcomed a healthy baby girl. I gained 25 pounds during the pregnancy, and was able to drop it quickly while I was out on maternity leave. After I returned to work though, my weight started to creep back up... And in November 2008, I was weighing in at 197.

That number scared me enough to start exercising- but I didn't stick with it. The reality is my weight has fluctuated in the same 188-198 lbs. range since my daughter was born. Then in 2011 we decided to expand our family and I was able to get pregnant with no weight- related issues. Again, after my son was born I dropped the pregnancy weight quickly while I was out on leave- but after I returned back to work I was having trouble keeping the pounds off. I knew what the problem was. I wasn't physically active.

I started to get serious about my activity and becoming healthier/losing weight at the beginning of 2013, and I signed up for my first 5k run in March. It was a fun race, but I had not prepared for it and couldn't even run the entire first mile. I used that experience to keep me motivated through the year and began to talk to my friends/family about my fitness goals. Their support truly boosted my efforts and kept me going when I felt like stopping. I met with a personal trainer for a few weeks, and signed up for another 5k in September. Not only did I run the whole 3.1 miles, I finished in under 30 min! It felt great, and I realized that I was starting to look forward to running. It grew on me in a way I truly didn't expect. I think I ran every other day all of October, and at least 3 times a week in November. I slowed down a bit in December, but I'm back on track with a 60 mile fitness challenge this month.

21 pounds down since 9-26-2013, and all I've consistently done is run. In the next few weeks, I plan to start incorporating weight training and seriously tracking my food intake. My advice to anyone reading my story, is to get active! Find something you like to do that will keep your heart rate up and will make you sweat! Stick with it, and keep yourself challenged so you won't get bored. I think that's what I like best about running- that its at my own pace and each time I lace up my sneakers, it's an opportunity to go further than I did the run before.