Kim Seeley, IFBB Pro Fitness

In April of 2003, I had an article published in Muscle and Fitness Hers. The article highlighted my quest for fitness competition as a type one diabetic athlete. Shortly after that article was released; I was contacted by another athlete who also had type one diabetes. Her name was Shana Predmore. We met over the phone and shortly there after; I had the unique opportunity to travel to Oklahoma and watch her compete. Shana introduced me to her trainer Jeremy Minihan. A young, aggressive, intelligent trainer that witnessed first hand experiences with a type one diabetic athlete dieting down for competition. Shana looked fantastic at her competition which obviously sparked my curiosity. “How does she look that good with the same disease I do?” I left Oklahoma with that in the back of my mind and continued my normal path as I was preparing for my next national level fitness event.

After that national event; which proved not as successful as I wanted . . . I took a long hard look at myself. I was so frustrated. Do I quit? Do I really have what it takes? I considered myself a hard worker & I took the advice and followed the guidance of successful trainers to a “T” . . . I just couldn’t help wondering why my results never yielded the same outcome as other athletes. These trainers told me I had what it takes to be successful. So what the hell was I doing wrong? I often think they were just as puzzled. It truly hit me in the gut one day. My body works nothing like the normal persons and therefore I can’t do the same routine as the normal athletes. If a trainer isn’t completely comfortable with the physiology of diabetes then it would be quite an undertaking to master the preparation for such a demanding sport. What do I do? My mind led me back to Shana at her competition. Find someone who knows about diabetes. . . Someone that has had success with training a type one athlete. That’s exactly what I did.

From day one Jeremy’s approach was different. He dove in head first and came up with a plan for just me. A plan that would allow me to peak athletically to perform my fitness routines and a program designed to highlight my physique for its best aesthetic appearance. It was frustrating for both of us at times but very worth the effort. Oddly enough; I kind of think he enjoyed the task. Simply stated; Carb loading and depleting is a challenge with diabetes. Stress hormones and water retention is complicated if all things are not done perfectly. Preservation of lean body mass and glucose control is also a big undertaking to master. Jeremy is the first trainer to ever take an active interest in educating himself on the disease and finding out what would works for me and for my unique situation.

Getting into the daily routine of a type one athlete really isn’t the point. The point is that if you want a trainer that will take the initiative to learn about your individual genetics and design a program specifically geared to highlight those gifts and work through challenges then I just can’t say enough positive things about Jeremy. Instead of a generic piece of paper with the same plan as every other athlete; I got the “what works for Kim program”. If I had issues . . . we figured out what to do together. If he had medical questions . . . he found the answers on his own and applied his experiences with Shana. To me this was simply a priceless trait in a trainer that can’t be duplicated.

Earning my professional status in 2004 (just a year after meeting Jeremy) was one of the greatest achievements of my life. I could not have performed or looked as good as I did without his guidance and support. Over the years I have watched Jeremy’s business blossom with pro after pro rising to the top. Every one of us was different; all with unique genetics, gifts and challenges. There is such an enormous amount of gratitude and respect for Jeremy that words can’t describe. I think that his business growth is due in part to his professionalism and dedication to his clients. I am walking talking proof that with the right trainer . . .anything is possible.