Aug. 5, 2020

This paid piece is sponsored by GreatLIFE Golf & Fitness.

When Kim Wahl first walked into a GreatLIFE gym, she was feeling anything but great.

Her back and knees hurt. She had plantar fasciitis, high blood pressure and a doctor who told her that obesity had contributed to her diagnosis as a type 2 diabetic.

But Wahl also had a goal. A big one.

“To lose 193 pounds,” she said. “That’s what my doctor and I agreed on. My doctor didn’t want me to get below that much weight loss.”

So she went to work. With nearly daily trips to GreatLIFE and working with trainer Brendan Harberts, the pounds started coming off.

Wahl’s potential quickly became clear to Harberts.

“After about three weeks, I really knew that Kim would be able to reach her goals,” he said. “She never once complained, and she progressed very quickly.”

A few years into the journey, she was down 180 pounds. But that final push became the biggest one.

“The last 20, I just felt like no matter how hard I was working out and watching what I was eating, they just weren’t coming off. They were harder than anything I’d lost before,” she said.

She began working with GreatLIFE’s Austin Kjergaard as her nutrition coach.

“And by working with both of them, I got those last 20 to come off,” Wahl said. “Austin really helped me narrow down how many carbs and fats and proteins I should be eating and helped me make adjustments so I could lose the additional weight.”

A few weeks ago, while doing her weekly weigh-in to report to Kjergaard, Wahl saw the number she’d been seeking for five years.

“I was a little surprised,” she said. “I thought it was still going to be just short. But it was a relief and a sense of accomplishment being able to do it after all that time.”

Looking back, she said she feels “100 percent better” than her first trip to the gym.

“I can do things I normally would not have done because of my weight,” she said. “I’ve been able to do some 5Ks. I went on vacation where I probably wouldn’t have went before because of my weight. I went to Alaska on a cruise, and it was so fun. It felt good to be able to do different tours and not be limited by carrying around all that extra weight. And I don’t have to worry about plantar fasciitis and having diabetes because of all that weight. I was able to get rid of that.”

Harberts credits Wahl’s success “entirely to her work ethic,” he said. “She’s an incredibly hard worker in both the gym and other aspects of life. We had a few hurdles during the process, but she never once complained, and even when times were tough, she persevered.”

Mostly, though, her trainer said he’ll remember the laughter and fun the two shared along the way.

“There’s never been a dull session, and she’s always been a great listener, friend and training client,” Harberts said.

“My advice to anyone looking to change their life when it comes to fitness is just to be patient. All good things take time, and your health is no different. Be patient, make sure you establish realistic, timely goals and have someone that will help keep you accountable. Whether it’s a trainer or just a workout buddy, having someone to support your journey will make a huge difference.”

Wahl has some advice too. If you’re reading her story thinking you could never achieve a goal that big, she once thought the same thing.

“I know people say ‘If I can do it, you can do it,’ and I also thought ‘no way,’ but I surprised myself,” she said. “And you can do it. You might not think you can, but you can. It’s a matter of finding the determination to do it and the willingness to change your lifestyle.”

Looking to connect with your own trainer and nutrition expert at GreatLIFE? Email vice president of fitness Randall Hill at [email protected].