Success Stories: Kelli Hykes
Director of Public Health Policy
Columbus Public Health
About three years ago, I was diagnosed with
fibromyalgia. My body hurt and I was tired all the time. The medication I was
given causes an insatiable appetite in a small number of patients. I was one of
them. I knew that losing weight would relieve stress on my joints and help me
feel better, but I kept gaining weight despite my best efforts. I had gained
the bulk of my extra weight during an earlier health crisis, so I knew that I
needed to do something drastic to keep this under control and avoid morbid obesity.
Working closely with my doctors and seeking out specialists, I was able to
craft an alternative treatment plan that allowed me to not only maintain my
weight, but lose weight. About 18 months ago, as I began to feel better, I
started walking further and further. I started out doing 3 miles, 4 days a
week. I was soon up to walking 6 miles a day and it felt great. I began wogging
(walking/jogging intervals) at 240 pounds. Pretty soon I was running 5 days a
week and completing personal records in the Cap City Half Marathon and Columbus
Half Marathon. I have lost nearly 100 pounds. I am currently training for
The Blue Ridge Mountain Half Marathon which has huge elevation changes and my
first triathlon, as an adult, is this May. I fuel my body with a high protein,
low carb diet. I drink water (and bourbon!), but ditched my diet coke habit. I
haven’t had a fibro flare up in over a year. I feel amazing and want to push my
body to experience all it can.