This week we got to catch up with this amazing woman - she is a talented hairdresser, an amazing mom, and now has more energy than ever to do the things she loves. Melissa first joined our 28-day KickStart program, and after her initial success signed up for our 6-month LIFE program to continue to achieve her goals.  By implementing a few small changes, Melissa changed her mindset and slowly shifted her habits helping her lose over 35 pounds and over 12% body fat. Here Melissa shares her story and her secrets to helping her look and feel better than she has in years. 

EF: What made you join the KickStart initially?

MP: A friend told me it was the best lifestyle “diet” to follow. It took me six months to decide to finally do it. I was feeling so disgusted with myself and didn’t want to be heavy for the rest of my life. I wanted to be a fit mom and to get my eating under control.

EF: And you definitely have. Tell us, how is your life different now?

MP: I now know what to eat and what makes me feel good.  I like that I don’t overeat now -the portions are easy to follow but yet I don’t get hungry.   It’s so easy to bounce back after a treat or indulgence where before, I would have fallen totally off the wagon. I have so many people asking me what I’m doing. I tell them all about Encompass and Balanced Habits – I make sure they know these changes are from my nutrition only and not working out.  You can go to the gym but eating like crap cancels out your gym time.  It’s all about what you eat!

(*Note from Encompass Fitness: While we advocate nutrition and fitness for overall health and body composition, Melissa has achieved her success this far from Nutrition alone and hopes to add in exercise now that she has nailed her nutrition habits). 

EF: I just love that, it's so true. You can't out exercise a poor diet. How do you feel now compared to before?

MP: I feel amazing.  There’s no comparison. I’m not nearly as tired, I’m able to keep up with my 3 year old daughter better, and I’m not lazy or wanting lay on the couch in the evenings.  I don’t crave sweets, grease, or salty food anymore.  I can go through McDonald’s to get my daughter food and don’t have any desire or cravings for it myself. I can watch someone eat chips and I don’t even want to dig in the bag, where as before I would have finished a whole bag by myself in a sitting. 

EF: What do you say to people who think that ‘following a program like that is too hard’?

MP: Honestly, If you can set aside even a little bit of time one day to meal prep, this is easy. There’s really no excuses. Sometimes I make some of the recipe’s from Encompass, but other weeks I throw my own meals together. A (healthy) muffin and a shake for breakfast – you really can’t get much easier than that.

 I’ve done every “diet” in the book but my mindset has now changed regarding weight and diets.  I’m now guilty of telling people that their “diet” isn’t going to work and that they will gain the weight back once their restrictions are over. I know that I can eat like this for the rest of my life and be happy with how I feel about myself.

EF: What do you love the most about the program?  

MP: So many things!

I love that I now know how to read labels. I can look at something and know how good or bad something is for me (especially things like dipping sauces or dressings). And even if it’s not the best option, I know how much of it I can have. I’ve learned that there are not ‘bad’ foods, but only ‘bad’ portion sizes.

I love that it is an easy lifestyle to follow; I’m not perfect, but I’ve learned that you can have an indulgence and that it doesn’t affect you as long as you get back on track.  And I love that it is easy to stay on track even though my life is busy with working and being a mom.

I love that I’m eating real food…I don’t have to cut out carbs, or fruit, or anything.   I don’t have to stress about going out to social gatherings or eating out. Anywhere that I go, I can figure out anything to eat; its just about the portions. I love that I don’t feel restricted in choices or like I’m missing out on anything.

I also love the consistency with everything. It wasn't rapid weight loss, but it's real weight loss. My weight and measurements have consistently decreased since I started 8 months ago- it wasn’t a drastic, or a quick change, but because of that I know that this is sustainable.

Melissa is an incredible example of someone who was ready to make a change, and took the step to do what she had to do to get to where she wanted to go. Visit Melissa at Studio 11 for a hair cut and to hear more about her story, or Click Here to schedule a complimentary consultation and see you you can change your LIFE today! Enter your info below to be the first to get info on our next KickStart Program.