Welcome NPC Figure Competitor, Kathy Kiefer, to the Competitor’s Spotlight this week!
Where do you train? Golds Gym in Cascades and Herndon, The Fitness Equation in Ashburn, AnyTime Fitness in Vienna
Weight On Season: 123
Weight Off Season: 138
Division(s) You Compete In: Figure
What got you started in health & fitness?
I have always been into health and fitness. I grew up with a stable full of horses so daily barnwork was the beginning. I was a horse trainer and very competitive in show jumping, winning state championships.
I joined a gym when I went to college and got really into weight lifting and running.
Then I got married, had 2 kids and got diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when my kids were at the age to start playing sports. So I wrote myself off as a lost cause and spent all of my time navigating the wild world of sports and college recruiting with my kids.
When my youngest went to college in 2011, I had some free time all of a sudden. I was sick of my MS, my weight gain and do nothing situation. I stopped dwelling on all of the things I couldn’t do and decided to figure out what I COULD do.
So instead of just going to the gym periodically doing not much, I got with a personal trainer and got to work.
What prompted you to want to step on stage?
My 2011 “figure it out at the gym campaign” worked. I lost 60+ pounds in a matter of months and people started asking me if I was going to compete. Well, why the heck not, the super competitive drive in me reared up and I said sure, lets do it.
Which show was your first show? How many times have you competed since then? Where?
NPC Gladiator 2013 was my first competition. I loved it and am driving and striving to improve every time I step on stage.
I have competed a few times each year since then, with a huge highlight in the journey competing at Masters Nationals in 2016. Wow – beyond my wildest dreams. I am to do this again in the next year or 2. Being 50 is not going to stop me.
Are you going to compete again? If so, which shows are you targeting?
NPD Xcalibur Cup June 10th
What’s your favorite body part to train? What exercises?
I actually love them all, but back/legs/shoulders are my love. Pull ups/squats/presses are my favorites.
What’s your LEAST favorite body part to train? What exercises?
Chest, bench press is my weakest movement.
Do you have a consistent playlist for when you’re working out? Any favorites to get you motivated?
I have several playlists and love Spotify. But I don’t need music for motivation, I just use it for cardio entertainment. I am self motivating.
Favorite cheat meal? Go to food?
I really don’t have cheat meals. I am in this for life, not a fly by for competition only. With MS, my diet needs to be spot on 100% of the time for performance reasons. But some extra oatmeal is always an option in the growing season.
Favorite clean eating meal? Recipe?
I am not into variety – simple and clean is easy. Salmon with snips of fresh basil and sea salt are a must. And oatmeal with cinnamon, grated ginger and vanilla stevia is an everyday starter.
Do you have a strong support network in place?
I have an amazing trainer that works well with my limitations from MS that are diminishing with time. The more I train the better I get. My neurologist is amazed at my progress. But as far as a support network, this is about me and my quality of life. Social support is not needed, this is about my health.
What do you do for a living? How does your training and nutrition work around that?
I am a paralegal and work full time for a software company. I write software contracts in the healthcare field. I am up by 5AM every day for cardio and conditioning at the gym. I work from home and am at my desk by 7AM. I work a full day and then am off to the gym again at 4:30 to lift. Even though I work from home, I meal prep on Sundays and Wednesdays. It is simple. I have a rice steamer and precook my fish/steam my veggies. The only meal I cook everyday is breakfast – simply oatmeal and eggs.
Any addition information you’d like to share?
It just keeps getting better and better. Every moment of every day. I have learned so incredibly much about myself in this journey, and I am so much richer for it. Maybe having a physical disability magnifies my joy of any improvement – but it is a daily joy and blessing to get up and move. Every day.
I have gotten my personal fitness trainer certification from ISSA and a in the process of obtaining certification in Corrective Exercises. Next up will be Sports Nutrition.
It is never to late to start and it will never be finished. The fitness and competition journey is real and both success and failure = win for me. It is all a win.