SUCCESS STORY
MELISSA HALE-NAULIN

Hi Melissa. Thanks for taking the time to speak with us at Jamcore Training. You are quickly becoming an inspiration for many people in the health & fitness industry. It's so nice to hear some accurate information directly from you!

Thank you so much for this opportunity! I feel very honored to share my story.

One word to describe yourself?

"Dedicated". I am dedicated to everything I do; my business, my family, my fitness goals and now helping others reach their weight loss and fitness goals. I try to give 100% in all aspects of my life. I love that & find that 100% is always the best way to go!

What was your initial reason for wanting to get into shape & improve your fitness?

I have never liked my body. I've always had a little bit of weight to lose and never really knew the right way to do it for lasting results, other than fad diets and gimmicky "as seen on tv" exercise equipment. But, after I gained 40 pounds during my pregnancy, I thought NOW is the time! I owe it to my daughter, my husband, and myself to become the best "me" that I can. I wanted to set a positive example of a healthy lifestyle for my daughter. I wanted to look and feel better than I did before having a baby. I was on a mission!
Haha. Mission accomplished!

What was your motivation to keep going through the difficult times? You've made an incredible transformation!

Thank you! My biggest motivator was seeing little changes in my body after putting in so much hard work. My clothes were starting to get loose, I was becoming more self-confident, and I was proud of reaching the mini goals that I had continually set for myself. Seeing muscle definition and being able to lift heavier weight over time, looking forward to my workouts, enjoying the clean food and knowing that it contributed to the weight loss. All of these things kept me going. Results are addictive and I wanted more & more!

OK, let's go back a bit. How did you first get to hear about Jamo Nezzar & "Jamcore Training"?

I first heard about Jamo through a mutual friend several years ago. Oh, how I wish I had called him back then! But, I suppose I wasn't ready to make that kind of physical/mental/financial commitment at the time. The timing has to be right for everybody. I believe that if you're not ready to give 100%, you are setting yourself up for failure.

So finding Jamo really helped? -I've heard that many times! But I'm sure that you still had difficulties during your transformation journey? How did you overcome these?

The difficulties I experienced during my transformation wasn't necessarily from the program itself, but rather, learning how to balance life in general. Having to be a new mother, a wife, a business owner, doing meal planning, constant food preparation, sticking to a consistent workout schedule, and keeping my house from looking like a disaster was extremely challenging! But, I think I function best when I have a lot on my plate. I am a true Libra, always trying to balance everything in my life. Fortunately, I have great organizational skills. As crazy as it gets sometimes, I feel so accomplished at the end of the day when I've fulfilled all of my roles.

Nice to see you are a fellow libra! We are considered to be perfectionists! What has been your biggest accomplishment in the fitness field and life in general?

My biggest accomplishment in fitness was on December 3, 2011 when I competed in my first NPC Bikini Competition! I had not only reached my goals, but exceeded them. It was terrifying and exciting all at the same time! Although I didn't bring home a trophy, I felt like I had already won and I was proud of myself for coming this far. A moment I will never forget.
In life, definitely my biggest accomplishment was bringing a beautiful, healthy little girl into the world. She is my angel and I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family.

That's beautiful.
Now, my big interest: What's your eating plan like?

I love to cook and experiment with recipes to make them delicious and healthy! I feature many of my kitchen creations on my facebook page, Jamcore Girl Melissa Naulin.
My protein sources come from cage free egg whites, wild salmon, chicken and turkey (hormone/antibiotic-free), lentils, beans, and a combination of whey, casein and plant based protein powders depending on the time of day. Occasionally, I will have nonfat plain Greek yogurt, but I keep dairy to a minimum.
Carb sources come from oats (old fashioned, steel cut, raw oat groats and buckwheat), brown rice, sweet potatoes and quinoa. I don't include these kind of starchy carbs with dinner. I've also recently included amaranth and millet into my diet, both high protein whole grains that taste really good!
Also, tons of fruits and veggies. I do a lot of green smoothies, green juice and salads. I try to buy local and organic whenever possible.
Fats come from almonds, walnuts, nut butters, avocados, and coconut oil.

Sounds good. What food can't you go without?

Without a doubt, almond butter. I seriously have a problem. I'm considering buying the pre-measured, single serving packets so I can't overdue it. Give me a spoon and the jar and I will easily consume my weight in almond butter! If you add raw honey, then I'm done for!!

You sound so much like me! Almond butter is 'my' weak link!!
In your opinion, can you see & feel the benefits of getting into such great shape?

Absolutely! I feel better at 37 than I did at 17! And I know I look better. I've never had muscle definition in my life. It's a great feeling.

Totally. And it's true, you look a lot younger that 37!
What are your workouts like? Do you train pretty much 'every' day?

I train 5-6 days a week. I weight train 3 days a week (legs and glutes / back and chest / bis, tris and
shoulders), work abs 2 times a week and cardio is usually 1 day of HIIT (incline sprints), 1 day of 45-60
minute steady state cardio, and 1 day of either Bikram yoga, plyometrics, or Jamcore's famous 1 hour
lunges!

1 hour lunges are a killer! Are there any famous fitness icons you would like to have coffee or a protein shake with? (Other than Jamo)!!

Wow, there are so many people I admire in the industry… I would love to meet Kim Dolan Leto. She is such a huge inspiration to me. I feel that I can relate to her, as we both had our first child in our late 30's and she is proof that with hard work you can sculpt a beautiful body even after having a baby later in life.
Also, Jamie Eason! Who wouldn't want to hang out with her?? I recently had the pleasure of meeting her at the LA Fit Expo and she is such a sweetheart. I regularly cook the recipes that she shares. I think Jamie is awesome!

What keeps you motivated to stay in such great shape?

Weight training has become a passion for me. I love it. I get excited to learn new exercises, how to target muscles from different angles, challenge myself with heavier weight or higher reps. This passion motivates me. Seeing your body change and develop and become more conditioned over time is addictive. Also, a great motivator for me is the positive feedback that I get from other people and helping others through nutritional advice or emotional support to reach their goals.

What is the most challenging thing you deal with about consistently staying in top shape?

Currently, with a toddler, it's lack of sleep! Haha! Most nights are pretty good, but when she has a bad night, the next day is really difficult to get through, especially putting in a quality workout. I also struggle with the fear of going backwards and losing everything I've worked so hard for. Sometimes, I stress about having a cheat meal or it turning into a cheat day, or taking a few days off from the gym. The mind is our own worst enemy. So, I try to stay balanced and rest if I need to or have a dessert if I'm craving it. I just get back on track the next day. Balance is the key.

What is your own physical feature you are most proud of?

I'd have to say my arms. I used to be so embarrassed of my chubby arms! I was really surprised to see how quickly my upper body responded to weight training. Now they are my favorite body part to train!

Can you share your 3 top tips for people who want to get in shape?

1. Track your calories! Until you log everything you are eating, you have no clue how much you are really consuming. You could be sabotaging yourself and not even know it!

2. Plan out your meals and snacks and prepare as much as you can ahead of time. This takes out the guess work and makes it much easier to stay on track with proper nutrition.

3. Weight train! You can do cardio until the cows come home, but you will never tone, tighten and reshape your body without resistance training. It is such a ridiculous myth that women will "bulk up" using weights. Ladies, the more lean muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. And muscles are sexy.

That myth has annoyed me too for years, women fearful of "bulking"!
What's your favorite ab exercise?

Jamo is going to laugh at me for this because I complained SO much whenever he made me do it… Leg tucks with the TRX bands (plank position with feet in the straps, bringing your knees in to your abs). They're hard, but they work! I'm also trying to master hanging leg raises. Talk about sore the next day!

Any final words of wisdom?

If you have been struggling to lose weight and you haven't been successful doing it on your own, I would highly recommend the guidance of a professional trainer. This was the key for me. Having someone to hold you accountable is a tremendous help in reaching your goals. Having someone show you what to do, how to do it and to push you harder than you think you are capable of. Also, nutritional support is extremely important. Diet is 80% of your results and if you are not following a clean, healthy and balanced diet, you won't change your body to the level that is possible.
I have such respect for Jamo and what he has done for me, that I have decided to take my love of fitness to the next level and go for my personal training and nutritional certifications! I want to help people the way he helped me!

Fantastic! These qualifications are, in my opinion, priceless! Many thanks Melissa for taking the time to speak with me.

Thank you Keith! Again, I appreciate this opportunity and I am proud to be part of the JamCore Family!



Keith Cormican is a respected & fully qualified Sports Nutritionist, writer & Sports model with further qualifications in weight management & sports psychology. Keith studied writing at Harrow University in London, and is self-employed nutritionist, writer & model. Keith is the UK rep for JamCore Training.