From 'fat girl' to kickboxing instructor

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For Karen Lindsey-Lloyd, teaching group exercise classes is a way to give back.

The director of career services at Mississippi College teaches classes in kickboxing, spin and abs at the Baptist Healthplex on the MC campus. She’s taught group exercise classes for the past 10 years, and she’s certified nationally in the courses she teaches.

“I was a fat girl in the back of the class when I first started many years ago,” she said. “I was heavy, 200 pounds almost.”

She joined the YMCA when she lived in Milwaukee, Minn., and decided to try a few classes. She gradually moved from the back of the class to the middle, and “within a month or two, I started moving closer to the front.”

She stuck with it, and made a complete lifestyle change that incorporated exercise and a healthy diet.

“I love what (group exercise) has given to me and I want to give back to other people,” she said.

She takes great pride in what she teaches, too. Her students jokingly call her “sarge,” for her drive and attention to detail. But she encourages them to have fun while they’re at it.

“I encourage people to do it at their own fitness level,” she said.

And for each class, she encourages participants to watch for certain things, including whether their instructor is nationally certified and trained to use CPR.

“It’s a lifestyle change,” she said. “And you should have fun. Don’t just have a gym membership. Set mini-goals for yourself through the course of developing your fitness lifestyle.”