How Mel lost weight and improved her health
At Zing Wellbeing we are passionate about women's health and being a healthy weight can be a big component to being in good health. And as part of our holistic view to health we have healthy weight loss plans you can follow.
And today Mel is sharing her own weight loss journey and shares how she lost weight and transformed her health and wellness
P.S you can join the Zing Wellbeing app and program here
Mel's weight loss journey
My journey started eight years ago. I found myself in a space where I was not comfortable and my health was at risk. I had high cholesterol and a fatty liver and I knew that it was only going to get worse.
I decided to take back control of my life and implement things like drinking more water, eating more nutritious foods like salads filled with loads of vegetables and high protein like tuna or chicken, committing to moving my body three times a week and just being more mindful of what I was eating.
I must say, though my goals have changed over the last eight years, and I’m doing things now that I never thought I would have.
My first initial goal was just to lose the weight so I could feel comfortable again in my own skin and improve my overall health.
When I first lost my weight, I dropped almost 40kg in the first year.
I then went onto yo-yo dieting a little bit and thought that I could train certain habits.
I still didn’t really have much knowledge about nutrition. I obviously knew what was healthy and what wasn’t healthy but didn’t really understand that I could still enjoy foods in balance. I had to rebuild my relationship when it came to food and how to control myself if I was going to have something that was more calorie dense.
Fast forward a couple of years I found myself about 15 kg heavier as I allowed the weight to creep on slowly, and although I was still implementing good habits into my life like consistently exercising and still eating good nutritious food, I was obviously eating more than what I thought because I wasn’t tracking my food.
I didn’t really know how to track and I didn’t really still understand macros.
It wasn’t until 2023 that I decided to become more knowledgeable and I committed to a 12 month program where I became qualified in nutrition and sports nutrition. In this time it really gave me a better understanding of what my body actually needed.
And while I was studying, I was also committing to becoming the strongest version of myself both physically and mentally. I invested in my health and committed to a strength coach who guided me through some amazing workouts and got me to the strongest point that I had ever been. In 2024 I focussed purely on my nutrition and just moving my body and I went on to drop about 15 kg and got to 61 kg. By this point I was at my strongest
And the leanest and most comfortable and confident person I had been in my adult life.
By mid 2024 I had completed and finished my studies and was a certified nutritionist.
P.S you can join the Zing Wellbeing app and program here
Mel's tips for weight loss
If there’s a couple of things that I’ve learnt along my fat loss journey these would be the tips that I would give someone who is looking at improving their health and dropping some fat.
1) Number one, stop guessing your way through nutrition, what you think you need, what you actually need is probably very far off from each other.
2) Number two, using an app (like the Zing Wellbeing app) so you know that you're giving your body exactly what it needs for optimal health. You could be depriving yourself of vitamins, minerals and macronutrients if you don’t know what you’re eating.
3) Number three, learn about balance, balance is not eating takeaway once a week and eating healthy from Monday to Friday.
For me, balance is more about understanding that you can have little treats here and there. But not overestimating those treats.
You can still enjoy the foods that you love in moderation and still reaching your goals.
I also love the Zing Wellbeing protein powder - it is organic and vegan, creamy and super clean
4) Number four, give your body a break from being in a deficit for too long. 12 weeks at a time is more than enough and you should be giving at least one to 2 weeks break after every 12 weeks that you do.
You don’t want your deficit calories turning into your maintenance calories.
So although my fat loss journey has been quite a few years, I feel as though I wasted a lot of time just guessing my way through it. If I could turn back time, I would definitely learn more about food and what the body needs to reach the goals that you want to reach.
Although this is not a rush or there’s no hurry to get to where you want to be I just know how good I feel now and wish I had been at this point sooner.
I now fuel my body for optimal functioning. The majority of the foods that I’ll eat are because I want to actually benefit my body and although I still enjoy little treats here and there 90% of the time I’m eating for a purpose.
I eat so I can fuel my body before the gym to give it as much energy as possible. I eat after the gym to help my body recover from the training that I’ve just done. So I guess you could say everything that I eat usually has a purpose.
And if there’s one thing that I can control in this crazy world we live in, it’s how I feel and how I move my body. And one saying that I love the most is that 'what you’re not changing is what you're choosing'. It is completely up to me every single day to choose what I do with my training and nutrition.
So from a girl who has tried it all and used to have the mentality of all in or nothing approach and realising that doesn’t work because you end up gaining the weight back, to now really understanding my body requires so much protein carbs fats and micro nutrients and my body requires a little bit of soul food every now and then.
I can honestly say that there is no cheat code for this process and the best way to go about this is to have patience, learn how your body is working, understand your cycle, understand your deficit calories and your maintenance calories and set yourself realistic goals.
I was a girl who struggled my whole life with her weight and continued to go around this roundabout that I just never could ever get off and it was the same vicious cycle of being uncomfortable in my skin which affected so many aspects in my life including my social life and being a mum and missing out on doing so many things with my kids because I would never wanna get in a swimming costume or be in photos because I was scared of how I was going to perceive myself.
I can honestly say I’m so happy with the place that I’m at right now both physically and internally and although it’s taking me quite a few years to get to this place I have the full knowledge now to set me up for the rest of my life. I’m confident that I will never have to deal with weight issues ever again.
And I can still enjoy food the way that food should be enjoyed.
P.S you can join the Zing Wellbeing app and program here
Mel's review of the Zing Wellbeing App
Mel says, "I don’t usually leave reviews, but the Zing Wellbeing health and wellness app absolutely deserves the spotlight.
From the moment I downloaded it, it felt like I had a personal wellness coach, nutritionist, and mental health guide all rolled into one sleek, easy-to-use platform.
The interface is clean, intuitive, and genuinely enjoyable to navigate. What impressed me the most is how personalized everything is whether it’s meal plans tailored to my dietary preferences, fitness routines that actually match my goals and skill level, or mindfulness exercises that help me reset after a long day.
The app keeps me motivated with progress tracking that’s both insightful and encouraging. It doesn’t just throw data at me, it helps me understand it. I’ve noticed real improvements in my sleep, energy levels, and overall mood since I started using it consistently. Another huge plus is the community aspect.
There’s a strong, supportive vibe that makes you feel like you’re not doing this alone. Whether it’s a quick motivational quote or a health and fitness challenge, there’s always something to keep you engaged and inspired. Bottom line:
This app isn’t just a tool—it’s a lifestyle companion. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to level up your health game, I honestly can’t recommend it enough."
Get FULL access to the app and program here
