Mellenie Browne is a fitness blogger who has made her life’s mission by helping people take control of their health. She has been able to share her extensive knowledge of the ketogenic diet with over 2,000 people, and have assisted in the loss of over 3,000 lbs collectively. Battling obesity and transforming lives, including her own, has been her purpose through her platform, Fluffy Ain’t Me LLC. Mellenie and I chatted about her personal weight loss journey, the Keto Diet, and what inspired her to start a business.
Tell us about your weight loss journey
MB: “I’ve been battling obesity for most of my life, especially in my adult years! You name it, I’ve tried it. In 2013, I decided to take control and apply myself 150% to my weight loss goals. I joined an 8 week weight loss challenge ran by Zakia Blain, and fell in love with the process of putting ME and my health first. I successfully lost 54 lbs naturally through clean eating and exercise, and kept it off for over 2 years!
Then life happened. I was in a motor vehicle accident in the summer of 2015, and was restricted from working out for 5 months. At the time it didn’t seem like a big deal. “That’s ok!” I told myself. “I will just keep my diet on point!” Epic fail. The more sedentary I became, the more my strict routine became derailed, and the more weight I began to gain.
By the end of 2017, I regained every pound, and then some. I was devastated, embarrassed, and discouraged. All of my hard work, down the drain!
In 2018, I decided that enough was enough. The side effects of my obesity were becoming too much to ignore. I needed to do something, but what?
I began researching the keto diet. I saw it working so well for so many, and said to myself.. just try it! What do you have to lose, but weight?
Beginning a keto journey has wound up becoming one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Not only did I lose over 50 lbs, my boyfriend lovingly joined me on this journey as well, and is down almost 100 lbs!”
What inspired Fluffy Aint For Me and how did you get started creating the company?
MB: “Women that look just like me were my inspiration for Fluffy Ain’t For Me. I’ve shared my entire weight loss journey via social media, and so many women expressed interest in my story. I was home one day, and after some research, I randomly decided to start a blog. I nervously pressed “PUBLISH” on my first post, and the response was amazing!
I used my Fluffy Ain’t For Me platform to share stories of other women who achieved amazing weight loss success, share my creative and unique recipes, and expressed my views on many weight related topics. As my audience grew, I decided to expand to selling merchandise, which has also done exceptionally well.
I also currently host events that are geared towards those that are either practicing or interested in beginning a ketogenic lifestyle. They are interactive cooking classes ran by me and my girl Della Shamar (IG @notanutrionist215). They have been extremely successful! “
What’s the best advice you have for someone wanting to lose weight or make better choices?
MB: “Remember your why. There are so many distractions that will be placed in your path to fitness, you have to block it all out and focus on your WHY. Why you started. Why it is important for you to succeed at weight loss. Why you need to live. Remembering your why, whether it’s to be around for your children, reverse your high blood pressure, or even to make an ex jealous (haha), I find that having a clearly defined purpose behind your actions and goals, helps to keep your eyes on the prize and gives you the ability to tune everything else out.
Another tip: focus on your consistency and discipline. So many people become so fixated on reaching this certain number on the scale, that it becomes overwhelming and impossible. Seeing how far you have to go can be extremely discouraging. Instead of focusing on what you can’t control, focus on what you can. Focus on making good decisions every single day. Focus on your consistency with working out and drinking water. Focus on putting yourself first. Make these efforts habit, and trust me, everything else will follow.”
What is your personal motto?
MB: “Mind Your Business.” Yeah, it’s cliche! Lol. But minding my business has been key to living a fulfilling life. I don’t worry about what others are doing. All of my energy is invested in making sure I’m becoming the best person that I can be, PERIODT!”
What is the biggest sacrifice you’ve made in starting or running a business?
MB: “The biggest sacrifice I make daily: the giving of my time. I currently run a successful 30 Day Keto Challenge, and have helped thousands of women and men reach their weight loss goals. As fulfilling as this is, it can be quite a daunting task. I am HUGE on quality customer service, so that often involves going the extra mile for multiple people every single day. Every hour of the day. I don’t ever want anyone to feel as if I am treating them as if they are a burden or nuisance, so I do as much as I can to make sure that everyone who patronizes my business leaves with a great experience. So, as tiring as it is to reply to 20 emails at 3 am and check invoices, after a full day at my 9 to 5, gym and cooking, it’s gratifying, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
What is your favorite and least favorite thing about running your business?
My favorite: Helping and deeply impacting so many people. Watching them transform both mentally and physically. One woman in particular always makes me smile. I have watched and helped her not only drop over 65 lbs via my 30 Day Keto Challenge, but I’ve also watched her regain her self-confidence and no longer hide behind her insecurities. She is literally glowing from the inside out! I’m not going to put her on the spot, lol. But you can’t put a price on that.
Least favorite: Dealing with unhappy customers. There is a saying: “You can make most people happy all of the time, and you can make all people happy most of the time. But you can never make all people happy all of the time.” No matter what I do, or how huge I am on providing amazing customer service, you will never be able to please everyone. I’ve learned to never be combative, and do the best I can to resolve unpleasant situations as they come my way. It’s not always easy! But like my boo Beyonce says: “Always stay gracious, best revenge is your paper.”
What is your food diet consist of? Any special diets?
MB: “I have been on a ketogenic diet since May of 2018. A ketogenic diet involves the elimination of sugar, processed foods, and less than 20 grams of carbs per day. It is basically a high fat, moderate protein diet. I mostly eat healthy fats (grass-fed butter, oils avocados, heavy cream, etc) seafood, grass-fed meats, and tons of veggies and water. The physical changes and mental clarity I’ve gained have made it all worth it. It’s definitely a challenge at times, because I am a recovering food addict! But worth it.”
What is your biggest goal in 2019?
MB: “My biggest goal in 2019? I would say getting our keto cooking classes on the road. I have so many cities that I want to hit!! This will soon become a reality. So be sure to check me out if I come through to your city!”
What do you like to do in your spare time?
“MB: “Spare time? What’s that? Haha. I like to spend time with my loved ones. I have an amazing man, who also happens to be my best friend. We spend lots of time together “Netflix and chilling”, watching podcasts, and educational videos. Yes, we are nerds.
I also love to read black history books, mainly autobiographies.
When I’m not being a nerd, I love to do hoodrat stuff with my friends. Haha! I love to laugh and make others laugh, so any time spent with my friends will involve plenty of that! Oh and wine, can’t forget the wine!
Traveling the world is also one of my favorite things to do. I love to explore and meet new people. I recently took a trip to Cartagena, Colombia that ended up being life changing. To know that so many people that look like me are in this world, rooted with the same richness in history and culture, is both eye opening and amazing.”
Has learning from a mistake ever led you to success?
MB: “Absolutely! I once ordered a large batch of inventory to sell a few years ago. I was fortunate enough to sell out shortly. A few people asked me to restock the same item, which I foolishly did. That item that people begged me to reorder, SAT FOR YEARS. I quickly realized, when you are new in business, you have to be versatile with the merchandise you sell. Until you have “made it” you can’t sell the same stuff over and over again. While you are young in your company, you grow by offering multiple services and products that will keep your demographic interested.
Luckily for me, my reemergence in the fitness world with keto, allowed me to sell out of that product that sat for years. Crazy, right? Funny how life works.”
More about Mellenie Brown
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This is a great read and very inspiring. God Bless you. I cant remember how I came across your page but I’m glad I did. Thank you.
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Thank you Tasha! I appreciate your kind words! ❤️
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