| Kathy Smith | |
| Birth Date: | 11 December 1951 |
| Birth Place: | Arizona, U.S.[1] |
| Occupation: | Personal trainer |
Kathy Smith (born December 11, 1951)[2] is an American personal trainer who became well known for her workout videos during the late 1980s and 1990s. She has sold over 16 million workout videos since 1980.[3] Her exercise and nutrition program Project:You! Type 2 was created in association with the American Diabetes Association as a complete lifestyle system to help manage Type 2 diabetes.[4]
Smith was born in Arizona.[1] She is the daughter of an Air Force pilot, and grew up in Brazil, Alabama, Hawaii, Texas and Illinois. When Smith was 17, her father died of a heart attack, and a year and a half later her mother died in a plane crash. Following the loss of her parents, Smith began exercising to combat depression. Smith enrolled at the University of Hawaii, and graduated with a degree in business administration.[5]
Smith's fitness videos made her a multi-millionaire by her mid-thirties. She is an inductee to the Video Hall of Fame.[6] In 1993, Kathy Smith moved her videos from Media Home Entertainment to A*Vision Entertainment's startup label BodyVision.[7]
Smith has two daughters, Perrie and Kate.[8] Kate is a professional runner who made the final in the 800-metre event at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio.