I help women create lifestyle habits for sustainable weight loss.  I’m here to share the Reader’s Digest version of my story with you to impress upon you that you can lose weight and keep it off with lifestyle habits that work for you.

My Origin Story

Frozen pizzas, canned ravioli, boxed mac-n-cheese, onion rings, tater tots, and fast food with the occasional meat and veggies were the go-to food choices when I was growing up in the 80’s and 90’s.  This is when my not-so-good eating habits began and not to the fault of my parents.  They were doing the best they could when low fat and easy-to-make processed foods were all the rage.

Thankfully as a kid and into my teens, I was very active.  I was always riding my bike, running around with the neighborhood kids, or playing softball so I never gained weight (this would come later).  In high school, I joined a women’s weight training class that changed my life.  This is when my true passion for women’s health and fitness emerged within me.

Each year we were paired up with another woman and she was our partner for the year in class.  We held each other accountable, supported each other emotionally (and sometimes literally during a back squat), and celebrated each other’s accomplishments.  I learned early on that there is something unique about women bonding over health and wellness goals that I can’t quite put into words.

I experienced first-hand how powerful (pun intended!) it was to be a woman and have the ability to lift heavy things, without getting super big.  My one rep max (the maximum amount a person can lift once) for squats in high school was 225 pounds.  When I started training with weights, I never thought I would be lifting that much weight.  This was definitely a confidence booster for me.

My Struggle and the Solution

Fast forward to my mid twenties.  My clothes were a little snug, my self-confidence took a nose dive, and I was depressed eating way too much processed and fast food in addition to drinking on the weekends.  I got to a point where I was so uncomfortable (literally and figuratively) in my own skin that I knew I needed to change my eating habits. While I was able to shed some weight by eating less calories and low-fat I quickly learned that it wasn’t sustainable.

It wasn’t until I met my husband when I was 31 that I learned how to eat mostly whole foods (there’s some wiggle room for the sweet treats I love!) and train my body to burn fat efficiently.  During this time not only did I lose fat, I learned how to accept my body at the weight it was healthiest.  Let’s be real, accepting your body as-is is not easy to do as a woman with our current society and social media.  I’m living proof that it can be done.  While I still struggle at times even now, it’s much easier for me to overcome any negative self-talk about my body.  It’s a skill I’ve learned over the years that I’m still mastering.

My Professional Training

The biggest challenge was letting go of old habits and replacing them with new ones that helped me feel comfortable in my own skin.  I was only able to do this with the support of my husband.  He was (and still is) my accountability buddy and sounding board for when I needed guidance on how to make it work for my life.

When I found out that there was such a thing as a health coach to guide you in creating new lifestyle habits, I knew it was how I wanted to help women.  When I started to make sustainable changes in 2012, health coaching was a relatively unknown industry but it’s grown exponentially since then.  So, I went through an intense and rigorous training program to become a Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach.  I was so inspired to help women on another level that I also became a certified personal trainer through ACE and a certified Girls Gone Strong Women’s Coach.

“When we give our body the appropriate input it will provide us with the optimal output.”

- Melissa King

My Mission

I’m on a mission to support women on their weight loss journey throughout the different stages of their life.  As a woman, our hormones are complex and change over a 28ish-day cycle.  Throughout each phase of this cycle your body has different nutrition, exercise, and rest needs. When we reach mid-life (40’s and 50’s) and beyond (60’s +) things change.  With each season of your life there are challenges along with rewards.

My role as your health and fitness coach is to help you better understand what your specific needs are in each season of your life so you can create lifestyle habits that you feel good about.  Having a strong support system can help you get to your health and wellness goals faster and more efficiently.

Curious about how you can benefit from health coaching?  Go here to book a free call with me and I’ll answer all your burning questions.