Member Spotlight: Katherine Kirchner

Katherine says she has been a yo-yo dieter and exerciser since 2010.

“I would start, then something would happen to get me off track and then I would gain the weight back again and more.”

She did this for about 13 years.

Then, her mom was diagnosed with Leukemia. This led to a lot of stress and not watching what she was eating at all.

“I had a moment on the couch one day and noticed I was breathing really heavy, and I was just laying there.”

That was enough to get her back into the gym.

That was July 2023.

Katherine’s goal initially was stress management and then became more weight loss focused over time.

She started out doing workouts on her own in the gym and lost 45lbs in 6 months. Then in January 2024 she enlisted the help of a personal trainer to make sure she kept the momentum going to stay on track this time. She knew herself and didn’t want to repeat past behaviours.

Since then, she is down another 40lbs for a total weight loss of 85lbs in about a year and a half.

“Everyday tasks are much easier, I’m more active in my daily life and I am a lot stronger.”

Some of her favourite accomplishments besides the significant weight loss are that she recently completed a 225lb deadlift and a 360lb leg press and is working towards bench pressing a full plate on each side of the bar (135lbs). Amazing!

“I manage stress much better and have learned to cook a lot better too.”

Overall, Katherine feels like she is now living a much more balanced lifestyle and still enjoys eating most of what she wants in moderation.

“I love this gym, the staff and working with Aaron.”

Katherine does 4 strength training workouts per week. 2-3 with Aaron and 1-2 on her own.

“Aaron has helped me have a more balanced workout program, learn the proper way to do exercises, how to substitute other exercises when necessary and just be more confident in the gym.”

Unfortunately, Katherine’s mom ended up passing but said that she learned just how important health and exercise is to not only help deal with and fight illness, but also to deal with stress.

This has also helped Katherine build the confidence to start talking to a therapist to deal with the mental aspect of things.

“I feel like I have built a solid foundation of knowledge to keep going and get to more strength and weight loss goals.”

When asked about advice for others starting out, Katherine says to start small.

“I started just walking on the treadmill then branched out from there. If you want to learn more, use a trainer. It has benefited me greatly. It even helps to get to know more people in the gym with that 1 connection.”

A message from Aaron:

Katherine has been an amazing example of what can be achieved by staying committed and trusting the process. We decided early on that making a bunch of massive changes at once wasn’t going to work, as it usually doesn’t for most people. We have slowly made small changes over time that are sustainable and she is reaping the rewards. She gets to feel better about herself while still enjoying the foods she loves. She got a Crumbl cookie for her birthday and even though I encouraged her to get more because she’s earned it, she only had one because she knows that she will feel better by not overdoing it. She has become a good friend and someone I’m proud to see working hard on a regular basis. One of the best parts of working with her is seeing her confidence sky rocket. My favourite thing to see is when other gym regulars who have been here for years embrace her with compliments to make her feel welcome and a part of this great community. I thank her for being my client and look forward to seeing her continue to improve!

Congratulations on everything you have accomplished so far Katherine! You have come a long way, and your story is an inspiration to us all!