I had gained over 50 pounds during my pregnancy. By that point, I was ready to commit to my health and get the body I always wanted. I transitioned to eating a plant based diet for weight loss after I spent several months studying nutrition on my own.  It became apparent that the most successful weight loss diets require eating less meat, less dairy products, and less cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol is only present in animal-based foods, and I wasn't interested in having any foods in my diet that could hold me back from my goal. Everything I read would suggest we increase whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. I wanted to focus on eating the highest quality foods for weight loss, and avoid the lower quality foods for weight gain.  At this point, it was pretty clear to me what I needed to do to get fit and healthy - go vegan!

So, that's what I did. Like many of you, I got tired of the misinformation shared on the internet, the calorie restriction diets, and getting nutrition advice from bloggers and sales reps (especially those who have no credentials to make health claims.)  Health was also very important to me, as I wanted to stay healthy for my newborn son and didn't want to rely on supplements or diet pills. I learned about plant-based diets from a variety of reputable websites such as www.pcrm.org, www.nutritionfacts.org, and from several nutrition books and videos. I watched "Forks over Knives" and "Food Inc", as well as video footage of how animals are raised for food. I watched several videos to learn how food is made in factories including the processing of meat, cheese, butter, and poultry.  After becoming educated, it was easy to transition to veganism as my new lifestyle of health, compassion, and fitness. A whole foods plant-based diet helped me lose weight and feel great! I've never felt better.

Starting in January 2012, I spent most of my free time learning new vegan recipes, reading food labels to find vegan products, and learning about fitness and nutrition. During this transition I lost 75 pounds in 10 months.  So, I took the plunge! I opened a Fitness & Nutrition business in September 2012 and called it Kelly Athletics, because I like to take a fun athletic approach to fitness.  I was finally able to help other women and moms lose weight too! Did I mention Personal Training is the best job ever?! I had so much fun working with other moms and women who had the same struggles that I did. They were inspired by my story, motivated by the outcome, and driven to succeed too.

The twist to the story... Personal Trainers can earn just as much as Engineers!  (Curious what we charge? Go here.)

I don't feel like I wasted my engineering degree. In fact, the work ethic and skills I developed in college have led me to where I am today.  I don't let anything stop me from achieving my goals, and that is what I thank engineering school for. After a year of maintaining my weight loss, I experienced an amazing reward for the hard work I have put into my health & fitness journey. I became the featured cover model & weight loss story in Woman's World magazine! Go here to see the January 2014 weekly issue that I was the cover for. I am so thrilled that I had the chance to share my story with millions of readers! Since staying active after college can be tough on us, I decided to focus my work on young women and moms who need help getting fit.  It is my passion to incorporate fun training into my exercise programs to make working out more athletic in nature and enjoyable for my clients! There's nothing like feeling young when you're getting old! I still feel excited to help more people as a Gluten Free Vegan Trainer, and not only will I keep doing it, I live for it! Yes, Personal Training IS the best job!