You could say that Kim Fine resembles a typical up-and-coming 20-something: she lives in the big city (of Chicago), works in advertising and has a lot of friends. But one thing that was different about Kim than her peers was that she wasn’t living like them. She avoided social functions and a lot of the benefits of living in a city like Chicago, in an industry like advertising. Why? Because in January 2024 Kim was at, what she calls, an all-time high and low.
Kim weighed 321.6 pounds on January 20, 2024. The all-time high was her weight, the all-time low was feeling trapped within herself and depressed. She says she wasn’t living the life a 24-year-old should. “I distinctly remember thinking to myself for years I was absolutely meant to be fat because my body must not know how to be thin,” Kim told us. “It was all I had really ever known.”
That day in January would be the last of that life and the first of this new life. “I rewrote my life story,” says Kim, but she didn’t do it overnight. Today, Kim is 25 and weighs 168 pounds, a dramatic 154-pound loss that she says is still in progress and that has completely changed this woman’s outlook and approach to life.
Want to know how she did it? Impressively, the old-fashioned way with hard work, more exercise, healthy dietary changes, and a commitment to herself. “I am not superwoman or more inclined to success than anyone else in this world,” Kim says humbly.
Hear Kim discuss Jillian Michaels’ Master Your Metabolism, which she credits with giving her the education she needed to get her food and fitness in control.
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Kim on balancing lifestyle with work.
“I work full time in advertising, which often times can call for many late nights. I bring my lunch every single day and often times, I bring my dinner too so I can eat at the end of the day, digest, and go straight to the gym.”
Kim on rewarding herself.
Kim seeks non-food rewards that she doesn’t get to enjoy all the time. During her 13-month weight loss journey she would get a massage for every 25 pounds lost, which helped recover her muscles from long workouts, too.
Kim on challenging herself.
“To celebrate the ‘year’ anniversary of my weight loss journey, I ran my own half marathon at my gym and committed to do a minimum of 10 races in 2024 with the big one being the Chicago Olympic distance triathlon in August (I’ve already signed up).” Kim also recently completed her first race, a stair climb to the top of one of Chicago’s tallest buildings. She completed the 80 floors in 17 minutes, coming in 222 out of 2000.
Kim in the gym.
Kim took on the gym on her own, without a trainer, from the beginning. She works hard to have a healthy relationship with the gym, which means if she’s not in the mood to go, she doesn’t force herself. It also means she tries new things so she doesn’t get bored. Always expanding her horizons at the gym, Kim enjoys running, rowing, incline training, basketball and more.
Kim on eating.
“In a nutshell, I eat clean and organic when possible, no processed foods, etc.,” says Kim. “What I was and many people are truly missing was a true education of how my body works, what I am putting into my body, and how everything works together to affect my health and weight.”
She admits she never feels deprived, as she’s found plenty of healthy alternatives for her favorite foods and has a lot of variety in her diet. Favorites include a cheeseburger made with turkey, whole-grain ezekial bread, and reduced-fat mozzarella cheese. Inspired by Biggest Loser’s Hollie Self, Kim enjoys high-protein pancakes for breakfast.
Kim’s tips.
1. Planning is key. She says when you make your health a priority, time opens up.
2. Set mini goals. She says when you take things one day at a time, the overall goal is less daunting.
Kim’s final thoughts.
“I spent far too long saying ‘Why am I destined to be fat? Why me?’. I have a much more conscious conversation with myself everyday, whether I wake up and say outloud ‘I WILL make good choices today’ or ‘I am going to run 7 miles before I leave the gym. Period’.”
“I am going to be so much happier and healthier in the long run in life for choosing a different path. I want to pay anything I can forward as much as possible because again, I am not superwoman. I made a small choice over a year ago to start anew, that has led to a year of better choices, which has led me to pursuing all of my goals, hopes, and dreams. I am still learning, growing, going through ups and downs every single day, but in the end, I know the bottom line is that I too am worthy of success and happiness just as everyone in this world is.”
Congratulations to Kim on all of her hard work! We wish her luck in continuing to exceed her goals and expectations.
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