Mel is in her late 30's. Since her late teens, she battled with weight gain. The pounds seemed to pile on. Sometimes it just seemed to her that she had to look at food to gain weight.

Numerous attempts at weight loss in every conceivable way dropped the weight temporarily, but as soon as any normal sensible eating occurred, the pounds would pile back on.

One lucky day, Mel met a lady called Jen who was a Wellness and Nutrition Coach. Mel said to Jen that she needed to lose 30kg and that it was impossible. Jen not only helped Mel towards this goal in steps, Jen taught Mel what it actually takes to drop weight in a healthy and sustainable way - it was simple, easy to apply and actually worked.

Mel dropped 10kg, then another 10kg, then another 10kg and then maintained for 3 months without a problem. Mel then decided to drop 10kg more, applied the principals, dropped the weight and then switched back to maintaining. Mel is maintaining the 40kg loss and enjoys her food in a healthy way.

Mel learnt all sorts of useful everyday things - the power of protein to create a fat burning furnace, how to increase your metabolism, the importance of snacks and what to eat, types of foods, reading food labels, tips for eating out and how to maintain a weight loss.

Mel's journey had such an impact that Mel now helps others to drop weight - in a healthy sustainable way, without being hungry, and in a way that improves overall health too. Mel's weight loss battles are over!

Mel's changes impacted her family and people in the community. Mel likes the cascading effects of bringing better health to people. They can improve the health of their whole families, including the children, and make positive health waves into the community.

Mel also cares about New Zealand's finances, including local health boards. So many illnesses are directly or indirectly related to obesity and poor nutrition, that small but cascading positive changes over time can have potentially big impacts - reducing the need for medical interventions relating to potentially avoidable health conditions, freeing up those $ to be spent on other essential services.

So, Mel cares about health, for individual people because every person counts and is important, for their families, for their communities and, in time, for reducing the demand for medical services related to conditions triggered or worsened by obesity and poor nutrition.