Bootstraps: Nursing Myself Back to Health

Welcome to Sacred Musings, a space where I share reflections from the heart on love, life, caregiving, and the lessons that shape us into who we are. My hope is that these words bring comfort, perspective, and inspiration to anyone walking their own path of healing and growth.

My visceral response to the pandemic wrecked my health. When 2019–2020 brought the world to its knees, I was in a relationship with a man I should never have been near. We weren’t compatible. He wasn’t ready for the kind of long-term, committed relationship I was ready to build, yet we dragged things out until he graduated nursing school in 2021.

By then, I had lost myself. With him, I went from healthy and vibrant to dim and sickly. I was 100 pounds overweight. I couldn’t climb the stairs to my apartment without toddling. I snored, developed sleep apnea, and, after finally going to the doctor for mental health support, learned I had hypertension, pre-diabetes, and stage 3 chronic kidney disease. To top it off, my hair was thinning.

In my youth, I was built like a machine: an athlete, a volleyball player, statuesque and strong. Now I felt more like a giant. I was tall, fat, and sick. My knees popped loudly with every shift of my weight. I didn’t recognize myself. And I knew, deep down, I could not continue living in that body.

How Are You Going to Nurse This Problem, Kimberly?

The first step was breaking up with my ex and mourning the fantasy I had created of who he was. That fantasy wasn’t his responsibility; it was mine. Once I let go, I turned my focus inward and began nursing my own body back to health.

I started with veganism, intermittent fasting, and calisthenics, losing 40 pounds. Supplements helped too, though doctors dismissed them as “just vitamins.” Still, every lab draw showed improvement in my kidney function while I was on them. Today, I no longer need the supplements; my kidneys function normally.

Of course, weight loss isn’t a straight line. I hit a long plateau, the kind that makes you question whether all your effort is worth it. But life has a way of confronting you with reality.

The Turning Point

One day my son looked down at me and saw what illness and malnutrition had done to my body. What I thought was a small bald spot was really a large, visible space. We started a photo diary, and I began using the same concoction he used for his beard. A week later, I stumbled across weight loss kits and figured; what did I have to lose besides 60 more pounds?

I began at 283 lbs. Without going into all the details, I’ll say this: no kit in the world works without real food discipline and exercise.

I also had to face a truth: I am a food addict. Left unchecked, I could eat endlessly. Medication helped tame the roar of hunger, but even then, success depended on willpower and mindful choices. Some people turn up their noses when they hear I used medication. That’s fine. Stay in your struggle. I’m down 112 pounds, and most people can’t guess my age. If I don’t tell them, they won’t know. 🤫

Finding Movement

Once the medication leveled my appetite, I knew I needed movement; something simple. I bought a walking pad and set it in front of my TV. Ten thousand steps a day, every day, while I watched movies and shows.

I didn’t notice my progress until one day I put on nursing scrub pants and they fell to the floor. My son and I laughed; we hadn’t realized how far I’d come.

Boredom eventually pushed me to increase the speed. Walking turned into jogging, then into running. That’s when the weight really melted off. Now I run 5–6 miles a day. Sometimes I skip, but I love the way running makes me feel. Running makes me feel free, strong, youthful. Every chronic health condition I carried is gone.

Lessons from the Pandemic

The pandemic stripped me bare. It exposed insecurities I had buried, and they showed up as health problems fueled by stress and isolation. Nursing myself back to health has been one of the most empowering, edifying experiences of my life.

During this journey, I connected with another runner—a wounded warrior whose resilience inspires me. I can’t match his speed, but his grit motivates me. His words, like those of David Goggins, remind me why I run:

David Goggins on the Beauty of Running

“…And if you’ve ever laced up your shoes when no one was watching, you know exactly what it means. Running doesn’t care where you start. Maybe you’re overweight, maybe you’re untrained, maybe you’ve been told you’ll never be an athlete. But each step proves those voices wrong. Every time you head out the door, you’re showing yourself that progress is possible. The road doesn’t ask about your past. It doesn’t care how much money you make, what job you have, or how many medals are on your wall. It only cares about one thing: the effort you bring today. And that’s where the power lies. You can begin with nothing—no fancy gear, no background in sports, no natural talent—and through consistency, grit, and a willingness to suffer a little, you can build yourself into something unstoppable. That’s the beauty of running. It strips away excuses. It gives back exactly what you put in. It’s a mirror that shows you who you are becoming, mile by mile.”

Closing Reflection

The road became my mirror. Every mile stripped away excuses, shame, and regret, and gave me back the version of myself I thought I had lost. Today, I stand stronger in body, mind, and spirit.

I didn’t just lose weight. I gained freedom.

Sacred Musings is my space to reflect on life, love, and the spiritual lessons that come with being human. Thank you for walking this path with me.