Melanie’s life has changed dramatically since filming finished. You may remember that she separated from her husband on the show – they never reconciled. “My divorce was finalized in February,” she says, “I had a lot of things coming at me in life: stuff with my son came up, we sold our home and I moved too.”  

As challenging as life has been since X-Weighted, Melanie says that she is much happier now. Throughout all these changes, Melanie worked really hard to maintain her weight and go to the gym. “I feel great and I look really good,” she says, adding that she loves it when people comment on how trim, lean and athletic she looks.

“My sister was visiting from Arizona, I hadn’t seen her in a year, and she said “Oh my God, you have Hollywood arms,” and I’ve had people at work comment on how slim and toned I am,” she says with pride.

Melanie still has the goal of competing in a bodybuilding show and is sure that she’ll reach that goal at some point. “I’m someone that is pretty dedicated. When I say I’m going to take something on, I take it to fruition, I’m not a quitter,” she says.

She says that going on X-Weighted really was a positive experience for her. “I definitely learned a lot and it catapulted my life in to a whole different direction. I’m the fittest that I’ve ever been in my life, I haven’t gained a pound since the show ended in Dec 2007,” she says, “going on the show has driven me to live and dream and dare.”

Melanie says that she is having a lot of fun growing as a woman and an individual. "I think that the next time I get in to a relationship with anyone I’ll be a lot healthier in every facet of my being,” she says. Right now she is saving up to travel to Greece, which has always been a dream of hers.

She is thinking about becoming a certified fitness trainer, as she knows that her story has been very inspiring to others and would like to continue to help other people reach their fitness goals. “Hearing how I’ve helped other people move forward is very humbling and rewarding for me,” she says.

September 2009