I met Sherreth in the course of spending parts of 2 days with Roman Grandy. We gathered so much material on Roman that I knew his story would have to be told over 2 parts. The first focused on his amazing story of weight loss. The Norfolk refuse collector, who used to weigh 415 pounds, lost 170 pounds with old-fashioned way: diet and exercise. No surgery. Talk about a motivational human being. Well, the story gets even better. The former morbidly obese child/teen/adult was so motivated about his own success that he became a personal trainer to help others. And that's how I met Sherreth that unusually warm morning at Mt Trashmore park. (You as me if it's coincidental that a guy who collects trash works out at Mt Trashmore, but that's getting off the subject.)

Sherreth is one of Roman's clients and the client that was featured in the news report on how Roman is passing on what he elarned about "getting fit" to others. After seeing her segment on " Get Fit" during the news, she wrote some observations about it and herself that I just have to share. After all, her words are really for you.

Dear Kathryn,
"I hope this story will reach many people that want to lose weight and are not motivated. I would say to myself everyday, "I really need to lose weight", but I would keep eating food I should not and lack of exercise and before you know it, the weight accumulates. It is always harder to lose than it is too gain. If I can take the time out of my schedule and also not being motivated to go and exercise on my own to being a person that has changed my eating habits and waking up at 5am, 3 times a week whether I feel like it or not, then I know that there are many others that can do the same. All you have to do is try and you will feel so much better everyday you wake up, you know that you are working towards a goal.

As a country we have a terrible problem with obesity which leads to many forms of disease and these are areas of concern that should come to your mind being overweight from not exercising and not eating the proper diet.

The story on Roman, my personal trainer, will inspire others tremendously! You must have the determination to want this over anything else and regardless as to how difficult it might be, you know in the long run you have conquered a goal and come out victoriously. My career in the fashion industry is another reason I have determination to lose weight but first and foremost for my health. We all know that we live in a very superficial world and it is sad that others will judge you based on your appearance, but it counts. Roman gives me the drive every time we work out to keep going and letting me I can do this to push myself ahead. You could not ask for a better personal trainer that is willing to listen to his client to accomplish their goals and stay consistent.

Give yourself a chance to accomplish your goal and you will achieve it if you do not quit. If you are sitting at home reading this right now, give yourself a chance to make a difference and take action!"

Virginia Beach is home to many rising fashion superstars. All they have to do is look at Pharrell ( Princess Anne High School) as an example . Didn't he recently open a boutique in Japan?

Best wishes to Sherreth ( Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School). If she is halfway as motivated about Funky Flash Back as she is about her workouts on Mt Trashmore, then there's no question that she, too, will soon be on the fashion pages of the top magazines. Here's hoping she conquers her weight, that darn Mt Trashmore and the fashion industry.

You can watch Sherreth workout on the "Get Fit" page on our homepage.