Kelly: Chicago, Illinois

Overcoming Many Obstacles

Not sure exactly where to start this so bear with me.  My name is Kelly and I'm 34 years old and have been battling a self-image problem since I was in high school.  It started in high school with an eating disorder. I started starving myself and taking laxatives.  I felt that my whole self worth was wrapped up in how I looked. The skinner you were the better you were.  Needless to say I ended up hospitalized for anexoria.  I spent a good month in a half in the hospital going to groups, meeting with counselors and doctors to try to figure things out. I was discharged from the hospital and told I was "cured". Maybe in their eyes I was cured cause I was eating again, but they never taught me how to deal with food, or my self-image. I have struggled with food since then. I was your typical under eater and cardio junky. I ate only enough to get by and skipped meals. Thinking this would help maintain where I wanted to be.  Little did I know it was having a terrible impact on my metabolism and my body. All I knew was that I wanted to be "skinny".

Now, many, many years later I have a whole different attitude.  I don't want to be "skinny" I want to be healthy and active.  I'm happy with me, I'm a good person regardless of what the scale says and believe it or not I competed in my very first

I can't believe where I am now and where I was just a few years ago. It seems like it was a lifetime away.  I will never forget what I've been thru, it's was definitely a long road, and I'm glad I had Jennifer by my side these last few years.  She has taught me so much is just a few short years that all the doctors in the world could never have done. I'm a better me because of my struggles and because Jennifer cared enough to go thru it with me.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

competition. I owe much of this to Jennifer.  Jen helped me to see so many things. She trained me thru my competition, and not only was she my trainer she was my friend. She was there to talk to me and to support me.  I never imagined that thru this journey on my way to competition I would change so much, but I worked thru so many of my demons and self depleting actions. I feel like I tore myself down and built a whole new person due to lots of hard work, on both our ends, and many tears, I came out of that experience a truly changed person.  Jennifer has taught me to open up and really feel things, I now could care less what the scale says, and in fact I want to see it go up.  My self worth isn't wrapped up in what I look like.  I no longer struggle with food, I eat; just ask any of my friends! I have learned thru my time and friendship with Jennifer that there needs to be a balance in my life.  I still workout but I probably enjoy it much more than I used to, I train hard, and I see changes happening to my body and it's beautiful! I'm hoping to compete again, maybe this year, may not.  But one things for sure I want Jennifer there by my side as my mentor and my friend.  My life has truly been changed because of Jennifer; I believe she was an angel sent to me.  I know that she will always be part of my life.