Fitness instructor loses nearly half of herself

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Jamie Humphries
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Keyra Donaldson was sitting on the bathroom floor while her children were taking a bath. Her back was in pain, and her patience was growing thin because they were taking too much time in the tub. This was the moment, she said, when she admitted to herself that she was severely overweight.

The year was 2000. Mrs. Donaldson was 25 years old, 5-feet 2-inches tall and weighed 250 pounds. She was new to the area, depressed and embarrassed to go to the gym.

“I was always a big kid, even in high school,” said Mrs. Donaldson, who grew up in Dillon, Mont. “I used to hate going to physical education class as a child.”

She said her family was not aware of how to live a healthy lifestyle and did not have the money to buy food needed to maintain a healthy diet. She said she had no idea how to exercise and gave little thought as to the choices needed to maintain proper eating habits.

Things were about to change.

Because she was self-conscious about going to the gym, Mrs. Donaldson said she ordered exercise videos and gradually began to lose weight.

“I remember hearing somewhere that a person needed to workout 45 minutes a day for themselves,” she said. “I didn’t know what was healthy; I cut what I ate in half, to start.” Instead of eating four Pop-Tarts, she ate only two.

As a result of working out to videos at home and cutting her diet in half, Mrs. Donaldson lost 60 pounds and had renewed confidence. She began doing research on healthy eating and joined an on-base fitness center for women.

The year was then 2003, and the fitness center had just opened and was looking for fitness instructors. The staff found just the right person.

“(They were) looking for instructors, and they noticed my motivation,” Mrs. Donaldson said. “They asked me to (become an instructor).”

Little did she know, getting hired was a perfect fit not only for her, but for the gym as well.

“(Mrs. Donaldson has) been a godsend to our gym,” said Sharon Grieve, the gym director. “She is inspiring; it’s a blessing to have her.”

Two years later and at 30 years old, Mrs. Donaldson now weighs 135 pounds. She teaches 25 classes per week, splitting time between the women’s center and the base fitness center. She averages 12 people per class. She teaches four different classes, lasting 35 to 90 minutes each. They include circuit, abdominal, weight lifting and spinning.

The circuit course focuses on endurance training that includes running, squats and jump roping. Her abdominal class works the stomach and back muscles. The toning course works to strengthen the body from head to toe, and the spin class, conducted on stationary cycles, focuses on high endurance, change of speed and resistance.

Mrs. Donaldson said she looks forward to participating in her classes and takes comfort that she is making a difference in people’s lives. While teaching classes, she regularly works with active-duty Airmen who are training for their physical fitness test.

Nobody has failed his or her physical fitness test after taking my classes regularly, she said.

One student in particular has made significant progress since taking the classes.

Master Sgt. Matthew Turcotte began attending her course in 2003 to work himself into shape for the Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy. By the time he left for school, he said he was running five miles a day, something he had not done since high school. He also went from 220 to 190 pounds.

“Here at work, the guys used to make fun of me going to this class and called it my dance class,” Sergeant Turcotte said. “I feel great about myself. I owe a lot of thanks to (Mrs. Donaldson). She puts in a lot of time and effort to help out many.”

Although the look on people’s faces is satisfying after a good workout, Mrs. Donaldson said the reaction her three children, twin 9-year-olds Alston and Taylor and 7-year-old Auriq, have to her transformation is the most rewarding of all.

“My youngest son once told me that he can now put his arms around my waist and hug me,” she said. “I never realized the difference; he now asks me what’s healthy for him.”

In a notebook she carries with her are pictures she keeps of her old self as a reminder of the days when she had 13 to 15 inches more on her waist and hips. The photos are a constant reminder of what once was and provides her with inspiration to help others who continue their struggle with weight loss, she said.

“I keep one pair of pants from when I was big that at the time could barely fit over my legs,” Ms. Donaldson said. “Now they just fall off of me; I still hope to lose 10 more pounds so I can tell people that I’ve lost half of myself.”