The 120-Pound Weight Loss Comeback Story of Melissa Schloemer
After a decade of challenges and health setbacks, this mother of two rebuilt her strength, confidence, and determination—twice.
Melissa Schloemer’s health and fitness journey has been anything but simple.
Over the last nine years, she’s faced major medical complications, personal loss, and the ups and downs of life as a busy mom. And yet, through all of it, she’s done something extraordinary—losing more than 120 pounds not just once, but twice.
“I’ve been a proud member of the JYM Army since Jim’s workouts were on Bodybuilding.com,” Melissa says. “When I first started, I was overweight, a new mom of two, just trying to gain confidence in the gym, fight off genetics, and make my babies and husband proud of me.”
That was back in 2016, when she was nearly 300 pounds with a newborn and a 3-year-old at home.
Those children are now 12 and 9, and Melissa is a very different person—inside and out.
From Setback to Comeback
Melissa first lost over 120 pounds in 2016–17, only to gain much of it back due to health issues.
But she never saw that as the end. “I knew if I could do it once, I could do it again—and I did, this past year,” she says.
The turning point came in the summer of 2024. She found a doctor who helped her get her health in check and, with renewed energy, committed fully to her training again. “I always say I had to be ‘selfish’ and focus on myself,” Melissa says. “But really, it was the most selfless thing I could do. It gives my family more time with me.”
After losing her mom in December 2022, the mission became even more personal: “I didn’t want my family to suffer another loss,” she says.
The Work Behind the Weight Loss
Since that summer, Melissa has dropped more than 120 pounds—and she’s still going.
Her routine includes JimStoppani.com programs like Super Shredded 8 (SS8) , Shortcut to Size , and Full-Body F.I.R.E. , many of them done more than once. She complements her lifting with running, spinning, and Tabata-style cardio sessions .
She also sticks to the program nutrition plans, incorporates JYM supplements , and stays disciplined even when life throws obstacles in her way.
“It’s not just about the pounds I’ve lost—it’s about what I’ve gained,” she says. “I’ve regained the strength I always wished for, and that, in itself, is amazing.”
Inspiring Others Along the Way
Melissa’s story has become a beacon for others.
Friends, strangers, and even people who overhear her conversations in public reach out to ask about her journey. “Whether it’s fitness or nutrition, people know I’ve probably been through it or tried it,” she says.
Her approach is simple: Be the person she needed during her darkest times. “I want to make my former self proud and the person I am today proud,” she says. “That’s why I continue to help others however I can.”
A Motto That Still Stands
Melissa lives by a mantra she adopted on day one: Never Give Up. Never Surrender.
Through health conditions, broken bones, loss of loved ones, and economic hardships, she’s never let those words go.
“When people ask when I’ll stop losing weight, I tell them: I’ll know when I feel content with my body,” she says. “But I’ll never stop working toward greater muscle definition and better cardiovascular health. Working out will always be a part of my life.”
Her advice to anyone starting their own transformation: “It takes discipline, determination, and drive. You have to make yourself a priority—because if you don’t, you can’t truly prioritize anyone else.”
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