This is the story of a woman who stopped letting her obesity get in
her way.
At age 30, Kara Richardson Whitely felt lost within her own body.
She dreamed of climbing mountains but the only thing that went
up was her weight -- to about 360 pounds.
During one New Year's Eve, it all changed when she wrote down
what wanted to do instead of how many pounds she wanted to
lose. She decided to look at fitness as a lifelong journey and got
moving.
It started with flat hikes around New Jersey, some bigger
mountains where she grew up in Vermont and eventually to
Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro.
As it turns out, mountain hiking and the path to wellness have a
lot in common. They require tenacity, faith and a lot of hard work.
In the meantime, Kara has inspired countless people.
Kara is working on Big (Fat) Mountain, a documentary about her
most recent trek up the mountain as a plus-size adventurer. She is
working with a production company that has done work for
Discovery, TLC and National Geographic networks to develop the
project.
Kara still struggles with her weight -- and shares her story to help
others on the same journey. She is writing her second book, The
Save the World Workout, about her initiative to take on charity
events as fitness goals. In 2009, she took on one a month -- from
5Ks to a dunk in a freezing lake.
She has been a journalist for the past decade, having written for
Self, Every Day With Rachael Ray and Runner's World magazines.
Her story has appeared on numerous television programs
including Oprah's Lifeclass and magazines including American
Hiker and Redbook. She is now a content developer for Monaco
Lange, a top branding agency in NYC.
Kara lives in Summit, New Jersey (yes, really) with her husband
and daughter.
her way.
At age 30, Kara Richardson Whitely felt lost within her own body.
She dreamed of climbing mountains but the only thing that went
up was her weight -- to about 360 pounds.
During one New Year's Eve, it all changed when she wrote down
what wanted to do instead of how many pounds she wanted to
lose. She decided to look at fitness as a lifelong journey and got
moving.
It started with flat hikes around New Jersey, some bigger
mountains where she grew up in Vermont and eventually to
Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro.
As it turns out, mountain hiking and the path to wellness have a
lot in common. They require tenacity, faith and a lot of hard work.
In the meantime, Kara has inspired countless people.
Kara is working on Big (Fat) Mountain, a documentary about her
most recent trek up the mountain as a plus-size adventurer. She is
working with a production company that has done work for
Discovery, TLC and National Geographic networks to develop the
project.
Kara still struggles with her weight -- and shares her story to help
others on the same journey. She is writing her second book, The
Save the World Workout, about her initiative to take on charity
events as fitness goals. In 2009, she took on one a month -- from
5Ks to a dunk in a freezing lake.
She has been a journalist for the past decade, having written for
Self, Every Day With Rachael Ray and Runner's World magazines.
Her story has appeared on numerous television programs
including Oprah's Lifeclass and magazines including American
Hiker and Redbook. She is now a content developer for Monaco
Lange, a top branding agency in NYC.
Kara lives in Summit, New Jersey (yes, really) with her husband
and daughter.
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not
learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
-- Henry David Thoreau
learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
-- Henry David Thoreau
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Copyright 2008 Fat Woman on the Mountain
Kara Richardson Whitely
Kara Richardson Whitely
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Oprah's Lifeclass
(Coming Soon!)
WCAX's The 30
(Burlington, VT)
NJN News
(New Jersey Public Television)
Self magazine, March 2011
"Cheating on My Husband w/ Food"
Self magazine
"Reaching My Peak"
(Coming Soon!)
WCAX's The 30
(Burlington, VT)
NJN News
(New Jersey Public Television)
Self magazine, March 2011
"Cheating on My Husband w/ Food"
Self magazine
"Reaching My Peak"
I
Kara in the News: