Cookie Miller's first memory of being overweight was when she was in fifth grade.
"I would stay after school with my teachers and do a fitness DVD that
was popular at the time," she told FITNESS in an exclusive interview.
"From there, my weight fluctuated as I was in and out of sports." When
she graduated high school, Miller's weight had skyrocketed to 200
pounds. And going away for college only made it worse.
the "freshman 15" turned out to be the "freshman 30" for Miller. Her
weight got so out of hand that when she went home for breaks, her
friends had a tough time recognizing her. Not only that, but her doctor
had diagnosed her as a pre-diabetic because she was obese, but that
still wasn't enough to convince her that a lifestyle change was in
order.
as a result of her obesity, Miller was later diagnosed with Acanthosis Nigricans—a
skin condition in obese people causing dark, velvety patches to appear
in the armpits, groin, and neck. It was then that she realized her
health had to become a priority.
"When I was told the Acanthosis Nigricans that had spread from my face, to over most of my body, would not go away without weight loss. I would say that pretty much convinced me," she said.
so,Miller started exercising—doing workouts like P90X and documenting her success through a vlog.
"The videos were intended to be a diary of my 90-day fitness journey
and weight loss," she said, "But that time, I only lasted around three
weeks."
Miller fell into a deep depression after she was not able to meet her
initial goals. But in September 2012, a friend asked her to join a
running group.
While it was difficult to keep up at first, the thought of losing yet
another fight motivated Miller to keep on going. She kept coming back
to run with the group, and before she knew it, she signed up for her
first 5K. By November 2012, Miller was down 30 pounds. Exactly one year
later, she had trained for and completed about 10 races—including a
Spartan race—and lost another 40 pounds.
Today, Miller is a certified personal trainer who lives an extremely active lifestyle.
"I am that annoying friend that makes EVERYTHING a workout," she
said. "I am consistent, but I do not have a set routine. As a trainer
and instructor, much of what I 'do' is working out. I teach classes that
require me to actively participate and complete the workout with the
class."
Her inspirational journey has touched thousands of people who follow
her on Instagram and YouTube. But, most of all, her journey has helped
Miller regain a sense of self and, more importantly, given her purpose.
"I am so proud. I feel relieved because at some points, I wasn't sure
if I'd ever get here or not," she said. "So I feel like a big burden
has been lifted."
EmoticonEmoticon