about mj

howdy from coach mj

introductions

I just wanted to take an opportunity to introduce myself and share a little…well, actually a lot…about me, my work, my personal weight loss struggles, and my journey to health. Hold on, while I did mention struggles, it is not all bad. In fact, it is quite good. All things happen for a reason. My story has a big silver lining which may not have been the case had my life not played out like it has so far. I am so very grateful for all that has come my way in life because it led me to my work.

what I do

I am a weight management and healthy lifestyle professional. I have been working in the industry for many years with companies such as: Weight Watchers, Kaiser Permanente, Jazzercise, Coaching by MJ and as the CEO of a franchised weight loss company. I am an ACE (American Council on Exercise) Certified Health Coach and Weight Management Specialist who is extremely passionate about helping people of all ages, sizes, and abilities achieve their health and wellness goals.

my weight loss journey

My personal journey to a healthy weight and overall health and wellness has been a long and often painful one. It began at the age 7 when my mother and I were forced to move out of my grandmother’s home. I was fine with moving. You see, my grandmother was very mean to me. She was also the person who introduced a crazy system of using food as “punishment and reward” in my life.

We lived in a small town and were able to rent a home right up the street that was owned by a very prominent and trusted person in our community. He had unlimited access to the house. He took advantage of the fact that my mother was the “bread winner” and worked out of town and that my brother who was supposed to care for me was not dependable as he was a drug addict. So, this trusted person in our lives sexually abused me for many years. And that is when I began to use food as comfort, safety, and control.

I struggled with obesity since those very early years going on my first diet when I was 9 years old. Following the strict regimen of the ‘US Ski Team Diet’, I was able to lose nine pounds. Unfortunately, while this “felt” like a huge success…it marked the beginning of an unhealthy relationship with food and decades of yo-yo dieting, most of which were met with minimal success.

fast forward to my adult life

As my career in the corporate world became overwhelmingly important, my health deteriorated dramatically along with a steady increase in my weight. My family history is riddled with serious health issues which I began to experience: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, severe sleep apnea and pre-diabetes.

In 2009, I hit rock bottom. I was burnt out from working 16-hour days, 6 days a week. I tipped the scale at 233 lbs. I wanted to get healthy, but more importantly, I wanted to begin “living!” That is when I decided that with my long history of failure on traditional diets, weight loss surgery was the only option for me. I was desperate for my weight loss struggles to “end” and at the time it felt like my only way out.

Fortunately for me, my very wise and trusted internist felt surgery was not the best fit for me and did not support my decision. She strongly encouraged me to give one more program a try. I had tremendous respect for her. So, needless to say, I was disappointed with this news.

today

I am filled with gratitude! Daily, I give back to others who struggle with health, weight, and physical activity. I have always said that if I could help even just one person move towards or regain their health, then my years of personal learning and growing was worth it.

As a Certified Health Coach and Weight Loss Specialist it brings me so much joy to encourage others to achieve their health goals and lead by example, proving that it’s never too late to change your life and encourage others to do the same.

I am also a turnaround management expert with 25+ years of executive level management experience in the private sector. As a former CEO and business owner, I bring a unique, hands-on experience to all aspects of operations. My professional style is based on excellent interpersonal, social and communication skills making me a natural and skilled leader in “the people part of business.” My passion is helping others achieve their personal and professional goals. I am married and live in Broomfield, CO. I regularly give back to my new community by volunteering my time and talent.

testimonials

“Coaching has been the essential key element for my success in making lifestyle changes. I’m happy waaayyyyy beyond the number on the scale. I feel healthy, lean and rested. I am no longer bloated and I’m off all anti-inflammatory meds. I am feeling more confident and I’m even about to wear clothes I’ve never thought I’d be able to wear. It feels great!"

"Peer counseling, motivation, encouragement, listening and teachings are all priceless components that I have received from working with Coach MJ. Knowing she shares in helping me achieve my goals and stretches me beyond my wildest dreams is a unique process. From accountability to affirmation for a job well done, Coach MJ has truly shared my journey, my tears and my delights!"

“Mary Jo is truly a trusted adviser and friend on all matters ranging from business to personal relationships to weight loss and lifestyle. She is real, she “gets it,” and her optimism always leaves you feeling empowered to take any hard situation and either change it or make the best of it. She is always the first person I turn to when I am in need of wisdom and advice or even a little smile and laughter.”

“I’ve always struggled with my weight ever since I was young. In my early 20s I grew tired of that and started exercising. I was seeing great results, but I thought my eating habits could be better. This is where Mary Jo came into the picture.

At first we started very slowly with incorporating new foods and altering the servings of carbs, proteins, and fats. This really got me to think about the food I was eating and what my body needed. I liked how my plan was individualized for myself and my needs because what works for one person might not work for someone else. That is the great thing about personalized coaching: Mary Jo tailors your program for you and only you.

Fast forward a couple years and I’ve customized my eating to be more strict for my own personal goals. I don’t feel like I am dieting and I thoroughly enjoy all the food I eat. It’s a lifestyle change, it’s not about a quick diet that performs miracles. Mary Jo opened doors that showed me I can eat healthy and still enjoy the food I eat and lose weight!

She helped me lay a solid foundation which has allowed me to change my life and my eating habits.”