Kara Richardson Whitely realized she needed to live her life right now and not wait until she reached her ideal. She hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro three times, weighing as much as 300 lbs. when she made the trek.
She lost more than 120 lbs. and made the first trip up the mountain to celebrate. She gained back half that weight during her pregnancy. Her second attempt up the mountain was unsuccessful; she hadn't addressed the reasons for her overeating and it got in her way.
For the third climb, she accepted herself as is. Strength and stamina training at 300 lbs., she pushed past the emotions and made it up the mountain. She was physically active, which really helped her reach her goal.
Kara has three pieces of advice for listeners:
- Love yourself where you are. Stop hating your body.
- Don't look at yourself as a before-and-after photo. Build strength so you can do the things you love.
- Bet on yourself. Push for your own success.
