Fitness
“It's the walking.” How 1 woman lost 25 lbs and transformed her mental health in 6 months
Welcome to Start TODAY. Sign up for our Start TODAY newsletter to receive daily inspiration sent to your inbox — and join us on Instagram!In late 2021, Jessica Miller, then 44, had a physical where she recalls, “Nothing was good. My cholesterol was terrible. My blood pressure was terrible. I needed to lose some weight.”
Her doctor asked if she was thinking about getting any exercise. “I said, ‘I was going to try to do something when I get older,’ and he said, ‘Older is today. It’s knocking. It’s here. Maybe you should jump in on that,’” she tells TODAY.
She says, “He wanted to put me on medication for blood pressure and cholesterol, but I don’t like taking medicine, and I’m not good at remembering to take it. So, he said, ‘Let’s try walking and see how it goes.’”
As a virtual teacher, Miller spends a lot of time sitting every day, and she needed something to counteract her inactivity. She had been what she calls a “stalker” on the Start TODAY Facebook page for a few months, and seeing how group members improved their lives through walking motivated her to give it a try.
Within six months, she:
- Saw significant drops in her blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Lost 25 pounds and has maintained that weight.
- Greatly improved her mental health.
Here’s how she did it.
She worked her way up to 10,000 steps a day
Miller was walking almost zero steps: “As many as it takes to get from my desk to the coffee machine.” When she started walking, she didn’t count her steps. She walked for 10 minutes, then 15 and then 20. After that, she started tracking her steps and worked up to 10,000 — sometimes more.
Most days, she wakes up around 5 or 5:30 a.m. and gets her steps in first thing in the morning. She uses audiobooks as motivation — she only plays them when she’s walking. “If I want to hear what happens in the book, I have to be walking to listen to it,” she says.
In the winter, when it’s cold near her Connecticut home, she switches to indoor walking at the mall. She tries to finish 10,000 steps in the morning, but if she doesn’t have time, she walks more in the afternoon or the evening with her boyfriend.
She’s also started walking to places like the grocery store, a friend’s house or a frozen yogurt shop. “I used to think, ‘I’m not walking someplace, that’s weird. I don’t want anyone to see me walking. They’re going to think I can’t drive or something,” she says. “Now I try to do it, and if I walk someplace, I have to walk home. That forces me to walk more.”
She turns to the Start TODAY group for encouragement. “If I don’t feel like doing something, I look on the Facebook page, and people are walking. They have all these other problems, but they’re still getting their steps in. If they can do it, so can I,” she says. “It’s motivating to see so many people going for walks and doing some exercise, and I have friends I’ve met through the page I keep up with.”
Miller also tries to do the Start TODAY monthly challenges, but she says walking has been the constant for her. “I know that’s what helped me,” she says. “I try to eat better, too, but I like to eat. Mostly, it’s the walking.”
In June 2022, she had the opportunity to appear on TODAY with Stephanie Mansour. “I was walking 10,000 steps a day by that time. My cholesterol had gotten better. My blood pressure was lower, and I had lost 25 pounds,” she says.
She kicked a heavy caffeine habit
Miller’s virtual teaching includes motivational classes for young girls from across the U.S. and around the world. “I have to be energetic. They want to talk and socialize. I don’t want them to be bored,” she says.
She turned to coffee for the caffeine boost. But she was overdoing it. She was starting her day with a pot of coffee, then adding mugs from her Keurig throughout the afternoon and evening — 20 cups a day.
She gradually shifted her intake down to about two cups of coffee a day. She had to take it slowly because cutting back too quickly gave her headaches.
First, she mixed regular coffee and decaf 50/50. “I had to trick myself into thinking it was regular, because I can’t tell the difference in the taste,” she says. Once she adjusted to that mix, she transitioned to only decaf in the afternoons and evenings. She also makes iced coffee, which lasts longer, since as the ice melts, it gets watered down.
She drinks a bottle of water before she has her first cup of coffee in the morning. “It’s the worst bottle of water ever, but it helps because then I don’t feel like I need to drink the whole cup of coffee really fast. When I have water first, I’m not as thirsty,” she says.
She also stopped drinking soda and alcohol. She felt like alcohol was affecting her sleep, and she didn’t want all the sugar and empty calories: “It wasn’t helping me with my stress. Exercise was doing a better job with that than sugary margaritas. It was easier to have water and go for a walk.”
Her lifestyle changes improved her mental health
I feel like all that negativity goes away when I’m walking. When I can get my steps in, I can clear my mind, and I feel better.
Jessica miller
Miller didn’t realize how her lifestyle habits were fueling stress, anxiety and negativity. “I didn’t think it was all connected. I just thought I had a lot of anxiety, and I was stressed out and hyper. On top of that, my clothes weren’t fitting, and I felt like I was lazy because I wasn’t working out,” she says. “I feel like all that negativity goes away when I’m walking. When I can get my steps in, I can clear my mind, and I feel better.”
She has noticed how her healthy habits all combine. “Exercising makes me feel better about myself and improves my mood, which makes me not want to eat junk food or drink coffee. I can change my mood by walking, and it changes my whole day. It gives me a chance to expend some energy and feel good about myself. Starting my day doing something positive makes my whole day better. It all comes together in a cycle.”
Her improved mental health is also helping her come to terms with aging and the changes that it can bring: “Losing the weight helps me feel better. I feel like I have 20 pounds to go, but that’s because I’m comparing myself to Jessica in 1995. I have to remind myself that I’m not going to look like I did when I was 16. I’m almost 50, and I need to put my expectations in perspective.”
Fitness
Boutique Fitness Is Redefining How Americans Work Out. Which Drop-In Classes Are Worth Booking?
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In January 2025, I attended my first bootcamp class.
I had spent the day hunched over my laptop, anxious and craving an intense workout that would dispel my worries. I booked the class at a nearby gym, and the five-star reviews promised the all-consuming exercise I wanted: “Militant style instructor, but very motivating,” read one. Another: “Hardest workout of my life; extremely rewarding.”
The gym was no-frills – just a room with a mirror. After a standard warm-up, we did four sets of lateral shuffle push-ups across the floor, interspersed with standing, weight-bearing exercises.
When my turn came, I dropped to plank position and started doing steady, shallow reps, focusing on my form.
But caution soon fell away. Upbeat music was booming and someone was always advancing beside me. When the instructor encouraged us to lower all the way down, I obeyed, even though my form suffered. I had rarely done more than a handful of pushups at a time, and in the final set, I was exhausted, collapsing on every rep and barely prying my torso off the floor.
The rest of class was a blur. I became nauseated, told the instructor I needed to pause, and stepped outside to suck cold winter air into my lungs.
Back in the studio, I sat on the sidelines and waited for the dizziness to recede before slinking to my spot for the core section and cooldown.
Later that night, I felt what I thought was typical post-workout muscle soreness. I was satisfied; the ache was proof of a successful workout.
But the next day, lifting my arms to wash my face was exhausting. Searing pain kept me awake that night. Two days after the class, my arms were so stiff I couldn’t raise them more than a few inches, even to brush my teeth.
When I Googled my symptoms – pain, weakness and a new one, dark urine – something frightening came up: exertional rhabdomyolysis, a condition wherein extreme exercise causes muscle cell contents to flood the bloodstream, potentially overwhelming the kidneys. One article warned that debilitating pain after a new, intense activity was a sign to visit the emergency room.
I went to the ER but suspected I was overreacting. After all, the internet always offers the worst possibility.
Doctors use bloodwork to test for exertional rhabdomyolysis; typically, they diagnose it if a patient has too much of a muscle enzyme called creatine kinase (CK) in their blood – at least 1,000 units per liter, or five times the normal range. However, there is little consensus on this number, says Dr Barry Boden, an orthopaedic surgeon at The Orthopaedic Center in Maryland, who specializes in sports medicine. Some recent guidelines suggest that only higher amounts – as much as 10,000 units – warrant diagnosis and inpatient treatment.
My CK count was so high the machine in the emergency room couldn’t measure it; a nurse had to do a second blood draw and send it to a more precise lab. They put me on an IV drip and eventually reported the exact number: 57,000.
Thus began my seven-day hospital stay. My mom and sister traded shifts, acting as my arms for the week – scrubbing my teeth, feeding me, washing my face. I had never felt so helpless and irresponsible. What had I done to myself?
What is exertional rhabdomyolysis?
Normally, during exercise, muscles tear a little and then rebuild. There may be a little extra CK in a person’s blood as a result, which healthy kidneys can filter out.
But excessive exercise can harm muscle cells so much that their contents – including CK and a protein called myoglobin – overload the system. “When the cell membrane starts to break down, the chemicals within the muscle cells start to get released, which can cause damage to other organs around the body,” said Boden. “ If there’s enough of those chemicals from the muscle that reach the kidney, it can cause damage to the kidney.”
The symptoms are muscle pain (even while at rest), weakness and dark urine, though few people experience all three. Treatment involves early and aggressive administration of IV fluids to help the kidneys filter the toxins. It’s possible to manage a mild case with at-home oral hydration, but it’s always important to consult a doctor because mild symptoms don’t always mean low CK elevation, said Dr Petr Schlegel, a CrossFit trainer and professor at the department of physical education and sports at the University of Hradec Králové in the Czech Republic.
Exertional rhabdomyolysis is dangerous and fatal in very rare cases; researchers estimate that 10% of patients develop acute kidney injury (AKI), and some suffer other serious complications.
How common is exertional rhabdomyolysis?
Before I had rhabdomyolysis, I had never heard of it; I thought the worst that could come from a workout was a broken bone or a regurgitated lunch. I now know it can happen to anyone, although people with certain conditions, such as sickle-cell trait and hypokalemia, are predisposed. Despite the common misconception that only unfit people can get it, even elite athletes are susceptible.
“Anybody can get it – anybody that’s pushed to an extreme, taking a big jump in their exercise level, or doing something they’re not used to doing,” said Boden. “Everybody has muscles, and if the muscles are damaged enough, you can develop rhabdomyolysis.”
Boden authored a study estimating there were over 40,000 exertional rhabdomyolysis cases in US hospitals from 2000 to 2019. But he said it’s impossible to get a precise count, as no organization collects the data.
This number is likely an underestimate, as the condition is probably under-reported, said Schlegel. Since the symptoms closely resemble those of delayed onset muscle soreness – the normal ache people expect after a workout – individuals may not seek care.
Data indicate exertional rhabdomyolysis is on the rise. In Norway, Australia and the US, researchers have observed an increase in hospital records between the 2000s and 2010s. This year, hospitals in a Canadian province reported a surge in cases.
Researchers suspect the popularity of high-intensity workouts is behind the rise. They are efficient and produce measurable progress, but are risky if misused, said Schlegel: “Evidence suggests that high-intensity exercise, especially when combining strength and endurance elements, carries the greatest potential to induce [exertional rhabdomyolysis].”
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Can you prevent exertional rhabdomyolysis?
Prevention guidance has been pretty consistent since the earliest studies from the 1960s: vary exercises to avoid overloading one muscle group, incorporate rest, and gradually build intensity when starting something new or after time off.
Starting low is especially important when targeting large muscle groups – such as biceps, triceps and quads. “It’s that hyperintense going from zero to 100, really intense workouts of large muscle groups, that puts people at risk,” said Dr Bryant Walrod, a sports medicine physician and the head team physician for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Weight matters, but so do reps; an outrageous number of low-weight exercises or calisthenics – hundreds of pushups or squats, for example – is the trigger in many cases. Walrod also advises doing a different kind of workout from one day to the next.
Eccentric exercises like push-ups – where muscles lengthen – are particularly likely to cause injury. In a 2024 article about how to prevent rhabdomyolysis in student athletes, the National Federation of State High School Associations called push-ups the “No 1 cause” of rhabdomyolysis. In April, Texas families filed a lawsuit against a charter school after 20 children were hospitalized after hundreds of pushups.
Walrod said collegiate sports professionals became more vigilant about prevention after University of Iowa football players were hospitalized with exertional rhabdomyolysis in 2011. “That case spurred better control of workouts, better monitoring, and better input from the trainers and strength coaches.”
“Where we see most of the cases is that athletes are being pushed or threatened or punished [contrary to industry standards],” said Dr Rebecca Stearns, COO at the Korey Stringer Institute for preventing sudden death in sports. Coaches are not exercise physiologists, and even when well-intentioned may not have adequate training to prevent overexertion, said Boden.
Similarly, there’s no guarantee fitness instructors understand the risk. “People may be going in unconditioned and doing too much too soon,” said Walrod of these classes. CrossFit incorporated prevention into its trainer curriculum after reports of severe cases among participants, but in general, class participants should self-monitor.
How do you identify overexertion?
I was discharged from the hospital with a firm instruction: no exercise except walking for a month. I had to learn what an appropriate challenge felt like – how to self-monitor, discern between safe discomfort and overexertion, and advocate for myself. But when is hard too hard?
Unfortunately, sensing that something is wrong is a subjective measure; there is no universal metric.
“I never have a very satisfying answer to that, but I do think it’s a line we need to be vigilant about always, and it changes from day to day,” said Dr Natalia Petrzela, author of Fit Nation: The Gains and Pains of America’s Exercise Obsession, longtime fitness instructor, and professor of history at The New School.
“You know your body the best, and if you feel like something isn’t right, it’s time to speak up,” said Walrod. Sports medicine physicians advise people to stop exercise immediately if unusual pain occurs; in the event that there is excessive muscle breakdown, it’s critical to stop the movement right away.
Speaking up in a class setting can be difficult. Many feel self-conscious about pausing or modifying activity, especially if an instructor is singling them out. Petrzela said that she motivates participants in her class but also expresses a key caveat: “Only you know what you can do today.” She said this language “helps [them] find that very important and difficult-to-discern line”, adding that this nuance might get lost in classes with less experienced instructors who give inflexible instructions.
During that fateful class, I ignored the alarm bells. Maybe I was desperately chasing endorphins or wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t weak. Ironically, my arms atrophied to below baseline as a result.
Over a year later, I’m still building my strength back – but not at bootcamp. I opt for low-impact methods such as barre and pilates where I can modify if needed, and there is no need to keep pace with others.
Sometimes I tell instructors about my medical history, so they understand what’s happening if I pause. Verbalizing it also reminds me to be careful. Finally, I avoid anything new or especially difficult when I’m having a hard day.
Fitness culture taught me that pain is gain – but now I know that’s not always true.
10
Fitness Point gym has state of the art machines to help in health exercises.
KIGALI – There are 10,080 minutes in a week. Health experts recommend that adults spend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week in order to build a healthy body.
For those who prefer structured workouts, three one-hour gym sessions amount to just 180 minutes, less than two percent of the time available over seven days.
It is a surprisingly small investment for something associated with better heart health, stronger muscles, improved mental wellbeing and reduced risk of many chronic diseases.
That simple idea found an unlikely ambassador recently when Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana, reflected on a birthday gift he had given himself.
“Healthy habits are the best gifts we can give ourselves,” he wrote after completing a demanding hike to the summit of Karisimbi volcano.
Many people may admire the endurance behind the journey but perhaps the most powerful part is the reminder that good health is rarely built through one extraordinary achievement. It is built through habits repeated week after week.
The Growing Urban Philosophy
A lady working out at a Fitness Point gym located in Gacuriro.
Every evening across Kigali, people filter through the doors at various Fitness Point’s branches carrying laptops, gym bags and the fatigue of another workday to quietly bring that philosophy to life in a different setting.
In Remera, Gacuriro and Kimihurura, some arrive before sunrise, squeezing in a session before the office. Others come long after business hours, determined to honour a promise they made to themselves despite packed schedules.
They are not training to conquer volcanoes or prepare for competitions. Most are simply trying to become healthier than they were yesterday.
As work becomes increasingly desk-based and daily routines leave little room for movement, the challenge is not understanding that exercise is important. It is finding a way to make it part of ordinary life.
For many, that begins with putting just three appointments on the calendar each week.
Consistency Better Than Intensity
Jean Baptiste Muganza, a Kigali-based physiotherapist and frequent guest at Fitness point, says one of the biggest misconceptions he encounters even in his work is that meaningful health improvements require extreme effort.
“People often believe they have to exercise every day or spend several hours in the gym before they can see results. In reality, consistency matters much more than intensity,” he says.
A structured routine done regularly, he says, delivers far greater benefits than occasional bursts of very demanding exercise. And the benefits extend well beyond appearance.
“We see improvements in cardiovascular health, muscle strength, posture, flexibility and energy levels. Regular exercise also plays an important role in managing stress, improving sleep quality and reducing the physical effects of spending long hours sitting,” he explains.
Ironically, he says, the hardest exercise often happens before anyone touches a treadmill or lifts a weight.
“The biggest challenge isn’t completing the workout. It’s building the habit. Once exercise becomes part of your weekly routine, it stops feeling like an obligation and becomes part of your lifestyle,” Muganza says.
Leading by Example
Rwanda’s Minister of Health, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana recently took a hike to the top of Karisimbi volcano as a birthday gift to himself.
That change is becoming increasingly visible at Fitness Point, where trainers say members are arriving with goals that seem less visible but perhaps more valuable than just chasing dramatic body transformations.
Many are seeking something lower stress, better mobility, freedom from persistent back pain, improved fitness and enough energy to keep pace with demanding jobs and family life.
The gym itself has gradually evolved into more than a room filled with equipment. Before work, it offers a fresh start. After work, it becomes a place where the pressures of the day give way to movement.
Between those moments, friendships are formed, routines are strengthened and small victories accumulate, one workout at a time.
That is perhaps why Minister Nsanzimana’s message resonated with so many people. Healthy habits are gifts not because they require extraordinary effort, but because they reward ordinary consistency.
A birthday hike or a workout at the gym may inspire thousands, but the habit that made it possible was almost certainly built long before that day.
For most people, good health may begin in a neighborhood gym, during an evening workout after work, or in the simple decision to dedicate less than two percent of an entire week to taking care of the one body they have.
Sometimes, the smallest investment of time turns out to be the one with the greatest returns.
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