ONE STEP SPOTLIGHT: Kristin Brinkman

There is so much SUCCESS in the weight loss world and I am daily amazed by awesome stories I hear on facebook, by blog, at work or by word of mouth. I often see people walking or jogging on the sidewalks of town and in my car whisper a "Good job," because it fills me with joy seeing people push themselves to become a happier, healthier person.

The "ONE STEP spotlight" recognition comes from the famous quote, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." You have no clue how many people you can impact in life just by setting an example. So here it goes...

*****ONE STEP SPOTLIGHT*****

~ 97 LBS LOST ~

Name: Kristin Brinkman
Occupation: Insurance

Amount Lost: 97lbs

What is your favorite exercise?

"Zumba as far as good cardio and fun. Spin for when I want to push myself to the limit and sweat like no other."

Favorite healthy food/recipe?

"Cracked Pepper Turkey Tenderloin on the grill…it’s my new obsession. I needed a change from just chicken and turkey breast. It is delish! My brother in law cooks it on Sunday and I eat it all week for lunch with steamed veggies or a salad."

Name 5 “must have” foods for your home?

"Every Sunday I have to have:

1. Steamer bags (no sauce)
2. Lean protein
3. Fruit (pineapple and watermelon are my 2 fav’s)
4. Light Sarah Lee Bread
5. Crystal Light packets for a sweet drink or Sprite Zero.

Favorite guilty pleasure?

"Chipotle…which I’ve trained myself to get the salad with grilled chicken, peppers, lettuce, and lots of mild salsa. You still get the taste and it’s better for you."

What inspires/motivates you?

"My son Jacob motivates me to keep going and he makes me want to do my best. Also my friends and family have been so supportive through this process. I feel so empowered now to finish what I’ve started and that’s a lot because when you have so much to lose it’s hard to get any program started as you feel hopeless."

Tell me your story? When/Why did you decide to start this healthier lifestyle?

"I have always been big but I was active. The last several years I kept getting bigger and bigger and stopped moving. Everything became harder I felt hopeless and that weight loss surgery was the only option for me to ever really lose this much weight. After 2 unsuccessful attempts at having the surgery I realized I have to figure something else out. I have spent hours and hours of my life wondering how I was every going to be able to change my life on my own.


Things everyone takes for granted were all of a sudden very hard for me. Taking my son to the circus or Disney on Ice was painful because the seats were so tight. Riding on a plane and being asked by the flight attendant if I needed an extension was not a good moment. Walking out of a casino in Las Vegas and having some stranger say “What do you weigh 3,000 pounds?”


There were a lot of things that contributed to my weight piling on. Eating out all the time mostly fast food was terrible on my body. Eating or drinking for a bad day or a great day. It’s such a cycle that is hard to break. I still have moments I forget that I don’t do certain things anymore.


So last February I had my final “Enough is enough” moment and took my tax return money in and joined Slim4Life. That day changed my life. I was very emotional when I left that day because I knew I was ready to change and I knew with the results I was hearing about that this would be a program I could stick to and that could accommodate the amount of weight I had to lose. I love my ladies at Slim4Life. Next week when I reach 100lbs lost, I can’t wait to share it with them.


I feel like I’ve gotten my life back and even though the smallest adult weight I can remember is 220lbs (and I thought I looked good) I feel ready to continue what I started. There is really now end date or end goal. I want to get where I feel phenomenal and then I want to maintain."

What has been most “rewarding” to you on your journey?

"Everything! More energy, cute clothes, self confidence, this new found strength to improve other areas of my life. It has all been so rewarding."

Do you have any personal goals you are striving towards?

"I want to weigh under 200. Even if it’s 199 I want to get there. Basically I’m going to keep losing as long as it feels right and maintainable. I don’t have an “end” number I just want to feel good. So whether that is at 199 or 150 we’ll see when we get there."

What would you tell someone asking for advice?

"You have to be ready. Just wanted to lose weight to fit a certain outfit is not going to be enough to stick with any plan long term. Also you have to realize this is not going to happen overnight. Even after you’re at your goal, everyday you have to make the decision to eat right and exercise. Everyone is going to have a bad day or a bad week…the difference is what you do to “bounce back” from that."

Anything else? Additional comments?

"If anyone reading this can relate to the part of feeling hopeless and that there is too much weight to lose please feel free to email me. I want to help people that are like I was when I started out. I have no dietician experience and I’m not a trainer. What I do know is the struggles you face and the struggles you will continue to face as you change your life. It’s nice to have someone in the same boat. Your friends and family love you unconditionally but often times it is hard to fully open up about this terrible struggle."