After losing 110 pounds, Crown Point woman now operates her own fitness studio
Jennifer Kimble struggled with her weight her entire life.
The Crown Point woman had lap band surgery in 2012 to try to help treat her obesity, but after her son was born two years later, she gained the weight back. At her highest weight, the 5-foot-3-inch woman weighed 268 pounds.
“I was pre-diabetic, had high blood pressure,” she said. “My bones hurt when I walked. It was awful.”
In 2018, Kimble had a consultation with Franciscan Physician Network Bariatric Surgeon Gerard Cahill, MD in his Dyer office to discuss gastric bypass surgery. Dr. Cahill recommended she have her lap band removed and undergo a gastric bypass surgery.
“It was the best decision I could have made,” Kimble said. “It was life changing.”
Kimble has now lost 110 pounds through a comprehensive program offered by the Franciscan Midwest Bariatric Institute Dyer. She was assigned a nutritionist and encouraged to attend support group meetings, where she now serves as a motivational speaker.
“It’s important for me to keep going and be involved,” she said. “That’s part of my journey.”
When Kimble started gaining some weight back, Dr. Cahill prescribed a weight loss drug to help her get back on track.
“If I’m having a problem or I’m at a standstill, they help me find a solution,” she said. “Before I went to Dr. Cahill, I felt like I was in an assembly line. Here it’s different. It’s like a family.”
Dr. Cahill is a strong proponent of the multi-faceted approach to weight loss.
“The operation resets the clock and will put you down 100 pounds, but durability is different,” Cahill said. “Attending support group meetings, seeing providers, taking (weight loss) drugs, it’s all a marriage.”
When Kimble, who spent her career in education, began going to a gym to help her maintain her weight loss, she noticed fitness coaches encouraging clients and thought she could do that, too.
“I’d never done this in my life, but I knew I could motivate kids and staff at a school so I drew on that,” Kimble said.
She soon started fitness coaching part time and enjoyed it so much, she set her sights on doing it full time. Her dream became a reality when she opened Barbells Fitness Studio in Merrillville in May 2024.
“It made me so happy,” Kimble said. “It wasn’t just the business aspects, it was the joy I received in helping others.”
Bariatric Nurse Practitioner Rebecca Kray said Kimble is an inspiration.
“She has had setbacks during her weight loss journey, as many do, but she has always remained focused and positive,” Kray said. “Most inspiring to me is that she is willing to share her journey and inspire others to be the best version of themselves.”
Kimble said she would encourage anyone interested in bariatric surgery to schedule a consultation with Dr. Cahill and his team.
“Doing something new can be scary, but you always have to think about the benefits,” Kimble said. “What is on the other side of that fear is better than what you are feeling now.”
For more information about bariatric surgery or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Cahill at Franciscan Midwest Bariatric Institute Dyer, call (219) 852-2518. Dr. Cahill also sees patients at the Franciscan Health Center for Bariatric Surgery in Olympia Fields. To schedule a consultation in Olympia Fields, call (708) 679-2518.
