She Needed Training; Now, She’s a Trainer

Two hundred and thirty pounds is a great weight for a boxer like Mike Tyson.

It’s a useful weight for NFL running backs like Natrone Means.

But 230 pounds was life-threatening for a 5-foot-1-inch graphic designer named Rachel Kochackis.

Yes, at 25, I wasn’t just overweight. I was obese. I couldn’t walk half a city block without being out of breath, panting as if I had run a marathon.

I had been overweight my entire life. I never attempted weight loss. Ever. The problem was, I just didn’t care. I lived on fast food, I smoked, I drank, I did drugs. All in all, everything I did was a means to an end--my own. My journey of a thousand miles began with one step.

Accept the things I cannot change.

In doing this I found the second step:

The courage to change the things I can.

On June 10, 1996, I sought the service of a certified personal trainer, Rocco Mediate. I admit, Oprah inspired the call.

Rocco hid his skepticism well when I first walked in the door. I was relieved to find when I weighed in I was down to 215 pounds. Still, there was a long road ahead of me. Rocco pointed me in the right direction and the rest was up to me.

“You gotta walk, you gotta weight train with me three times a week, and you gotta cut out the starchy carbs. That means no rice, potatoes, bread or pasta. And of course, no sugars.”

(Having a personal trainer is no small financial endeavor, so you’re darn right I was going to stick with this man’s advice.)

Rocco told me to start with walking one hour a day, five to seven days a week. I weight trained with him three times a week. He called me every day for two months and asked, “Did you walk today? Did you eat any carbs?” (Later, he admitted he was surprised by my compliance.)

For five months I lived on proteins, vegetables and fruits. I didn’t eat a single starchy carb, not so much as a crouton.

In eight months time I had lost 80 pounds. I was still walking, still weight training.

And I had been studying since late September 1996 for my personal trainer certification test through the American Council on Exercise. As my test date approached in February 1997 I was nervous. This test is known for its difficulty. But Rocco reminded me, “Hey, you’ve been there. These questions are mostly about what you’ve already done.”

I found this to be true, and I passed.

Now Rocco and I work out of the same gym I walked into well over a year ago. As new clients meet me, I tell them the story. They find a trainer who can empathize, and they keep me in check as an example to healthier living. What a difference a year makes.

Vital Statistics

* Name: Rachel Kochackis

* Age: 27

* Occupation: Personal trainer

* Old weight: 215 pounds

* New weight: 140 pounds

* Time It Took to Get There: Eight months

Feel Like Sharing Your Success Story?

Losing weight is as individual as gaining weight. Do you have a story on how you got in shape and stayed there? If so, we’d like to hear from you with a 500-word essay listing what worked in terms of diet, exercise, encouragement / support as well as your emotional and physical changes.

We’d also like you to send us full-body color photos of you, before and after.

Send essay and photos to “How I Did It,” Health, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, and include daytime and evening phone numbers. No phone calls, please. Submissions cannot be returned.

In addition to publication, winners will receive a Los Angeles Times gym bag and a gift certificate for a free pair of athletic shoes of your choice, redeemable at any Big 5 Sporting Goods store.