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Kathy Parren

Certified Personal Trainer (ISSA)

Miss. Figure and Miss. Fitness Competitor
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Kathy is a certified Personal Trainer through International Sports Sciences Association since February of 2006. Her experience started at A Better Way of Life in Coldwater, MI then to Gold's Gym in Battle Creek, and now a successful full-time Personal Trainer, Dance Instructor, and Fitness Staff Supervisor at Bronson Athletic Club in Kalamazoo, MI. She has been a student of American Intercontinental University since July of 2005. During Kathy's career grow and experience she has accomplished achieving her Bachelor's degree in Business Administration.

Kathy is also an amateur Fitness and Figure competitor. Being involved in the dance ministry has led her to the Fitness division of these competitions. It allows Kathy to minister and witness to others through dance and movement that is glorifying to God rather than the typical sex appeal show-like routine. The hit Christian radio station, Way FM, has supplied Kathy with outstanding custom music for the mandatory routines. She is already scouted sponsors and has established professional relationships with other Professional Competitors. Her first season was has landed her national qualification in 2008. Her competitions during the summer/fall of 2007 were the following:

  • Kathy placed 2nd in NPC Jr. MI Fitness June 2, 2007 and has trained with Tracy Traskos, a local pro-fitness athlete, for the August 4th, Motor City Event.
  • On Saturday, August 4th in the Motor City competition she achieved 3rd Place Figure Middle Class. This event was an indescribable experience. Kathy acquired new coach, Remi Bruyninga, at this event.
  • Her next competition was September 22 at the NPC Western Michigan Figure and Fitness (National Qualifier) Competition held in Grandville, Michigan. Her awards were 1st in Fitness and 3rd in Figure.
  • In that same week she was off to Las Vegas Nevada to experience the 2007 Olympia Weekend, the ultimate professional world competition, September 26, 2007. She also competed in the Miss FLEX 2007 contest for the cover of FLEX magazine. Kathy plans to attend as an actual competitor in Ms. Fitness and Ms. Figure Olympia at this annual event within two years.


    My Life Experiences and Testimony

    I have been dancing since the age of three and I am now twenty-six years of age. My experience includes dance instruction at Indiana University for two years and the opportunity to perform and work with professional dancers such as; Amanda McKerrow New York City Ballet, classes with Jurgen Schneider who was previously Mikhail Baryshnikov's coach (a famous Russian dancer with the American Ballet Theatre (ABT) and New York City Ballet), classes with Audri Mendel of the NYC Ballet, classes with John Pierre Bonneafux and Patricia McBride (retired from ABT), and classes with Fred Walton at Bloomington School of Dance who choreographed for Paula Abdul and "Rhoda" on Mary Tyler Moore. I have also taught and coached at several locations.

    I am also a mother of one, a beautiful little girl, Jocelyn (7)

    You can do it too!!!
    Overcome any obstacle with God in your life! I did!!!

    No, I have not always been in shape. I have a 7-year-old little girl and we all know how pregnancy affects the body. I maintained a healthy figure until my senior year in high school when l starting lacking in dance classes. I gained a bit for a year and then started back in classes just when my husband and I began a family. After a 50 lb pregnancy weight gain, topping the scales at 178, and some ups and downs post-pregnancy I joined a national known fitness facility which features the circuit training (it was minimal cardio and hydraulic resistance for weights) . I slowly lost 15 lbs over 9 months and came to a stand still. I quit the fitness center and got back into a Jazz class and performing again and the weight came off. What I didn't realize then was that every 6-8 weeks the body needs to be shocked. Your body will adjust to the workout and calorie in-take and come to a stand still if it is not changed. The weight kept dropping as I continued to dance and purchased an elliptical machine for the house. I incorporated ½ hour sessions on the elliptical 3 times a week that began to increase to 4…5…6…7…until I had an obsession with exercise. My world began to spin out of control when the scale controlled my life. Eating disorders took over and I eventually had no energy for exercise, to raise my own daughter, to work, to keep up on homework… I was 5'6" and hit 100 lbs. I was a walking skeleton. I had to sew all my size 0 clothing, even my underclothing, to fit or it would fall off. I simply looked like death.
    That was over two years ago. I am now a very muscular 128 lbs at 5 foot 6 inches. What changed my life? Prayer. I now have a daily walk with God. He is truly a Savior. I tried everything to recover from my disorders. I tried acupuncture, partying, money, vacations, moving, men,…and nothing in this world can satisfy your soul like God can. He can help you with anything, even that empty space you can't seam to fill.