Jane Mukami: Leaving Behind Abuse and Trauma to Become One of the Most Sought After Women’s Weight Loss Coach
"Beauty for ashes" is a phrase many of us have heard over the years. Some women can deeply relate to it, while others may wonder about its true meaning. It originates from the Book of Isaiah, where God’s mercy is shown in healing the brokenhearted. This phrase signifies a powerful transformation—turning pain and suffering into something beautiful and redemptive. Similarly, we are familiar with the image of a phoenix rising from the ashes, symbolizing how a broken person can struggle through their pain and emerge stronger than ever.
Jane Mukami embodies this transformation. She has traded the ashes of her past for beauty, rising like a phoenix after overcoming an abusive marriage. Today, she soars to new heights as a successful weight loss coach, helping women around the world shed pounds while enjoying carbs and without the need for intense exercise.
When Mukami first arrived in America, she lived in college housing and quickly made friends with many Kenyan students. Eventually, she married and introduced her new husband to her Kenyan friends, who welcomed him with open arms. However, some of these so-called friends were a bit too welcoming and began causing drama in her marriage. Mukami recalls feeling more betrayed than ever before. Her marriage couldn’t withstand the strain, and in 2008, she finalized her divorce. This traumatic experience led her to sever ties with those friends and start fresh.
Life is often our best teacher, and Mukami believes her divorce taught her not to trust people too easily or get too close to anyone. She explained, “Most of the people I cut off were drinkers and partiers—yes, back then, I used to turn up! (Lol)” Looking back on her decision to build new friendships, she sees how these new connections added value to her life. “I still know a lot of people (Kenyans), but I only have a handful of true friends,” she said.
Currently, Mukami chooses not to keep up with gossip or current affairs in both Kenya and America. She admitted, “I won’t even lie…I suck at this!! One of my weaknesses—or maybe strengths, depending on how you look at it—is tunnel vision. I enjoy staying focused on what I'm doing or trying to achieve. I shut down anything and everything that’s not helping me move forward in order to protect my mind. For this reason, I don’t watch the news or read newspapers. There’s too much negativity that can keep you fearful of living life. That’s why I’m blissfully ignorant. My mother is my ‘kameme,’ and she keeps me updated on what I need to know.”
For the past 22 years, Mukami has called Atlanta, Georgia, her home. She prefers the warm southern weather to the cold of the North. “My Kenyan blood runs HOT! I’m still not acclimated to cold weather,” she stated. Although she has traveled to many U.S. states and returned to Kenya in 2014, she feels that her roots are firmly planted in Georgia. One aspect of American life that has been an adjustment for her is relating to Africans born in America. She has encountered racism, but because she was raised in Kenya, it doesn’t affect her in the same way. “I think being born and raised in Kenya before coming to the U.S. does somewhat insulate us from that knee-jerk reaction when we encounter certain racial situations. We know a different culture,” she explained.
When reflecting on the most impactful decision she ever made, Mukami emphatically says it was starting her fitness and weight loss journey. She explained:
“Fourteen years ago, after my divorce, I began slipping into depression. It was from this dark place that I decided to do something about my unhappy and sad life. That ‘something’ was fitness. I had gained a lot of weight during my marriage and even more after the divorce due to stress eating.”
Her weight-loss journey began when she decided to “reclaim and reboot” her life. Prior to that, she had never exercised or cared about weight loss. Nevertheless, at 28 years old, she made the decision to take care of herself and leave behind the negative moments in her past. Her fitness journey became a passion, allowing her to leave her old career behind and create a business doing what she loved. She exclaimed, “My business has changed me and my life!”
Conflict management is an area where Mukami believes she has grown significantly over the years. She understands that conflicts take many different forms, and one needs to be equipped with problem-solving strategies for each situation. “I used to be an avoider, but over the last 10 years, I've become very comfortable with having tough conversations. My end goal is always to compromise and find common ground,” she shared.
Like many people, Mukami wishes she could go back in time to correct past mistakes. Ten years ago, she co-signed on an ex-boyfriend’s lease. She explained, “My boyfriend at the time was African-American, and when he asked for help with a three-year commercial lease, I naively agreed. This was the biggest mistake ever! After we broke up two years later, he broke the lease agreement, and I was sued for $80,000. I had to file for bankruptcy!”
If you were to ask her current friend group to describe Mukami, she believes they would use the word “disciplined.” She is not a quitter, and when she sets her mind to do something, she sees it through to the end. “My dreams excite me and motivate me to work towards them. My greatest fear is losing the vision and excitement to work on them daily. It would be a boring life and a slow death of sorts for me.”
Mukami is not an overly emotional person; however, when asked about her last cry, she explained that when she does cry, it’s usually due to a very sad situation. In 2017, when she was informed of her brother’s suicide, she couldn’t control the flood of tears.
Looking toward the future, Mukami’s wish is to have children. This often surprises her friends, as she wants to start a family in her 40s, even though she was married and divorced in her 20s. “I was pregnant in 2019 but lost the pregnancy. That was a sad time, and I did share about it on social media back then. Because I'm in the health and fitness space, people think that I will ‘ruin’ my body. (Lol) This is a non-issue. The same habits that have kept me fit would still be applicable post-baby, so I never worry about this,” she explained.
Her favorite song is "You Are My Destiny" by Lionel Richie. “It’s such a happy song, and it makes me smile,” she said.
Jane Mukami is an inspiration to women of all ages. She has turned her tragedies into triumphs, proving that the ashes of one’s life can indeed become a beautiful masterpiece. She is a true phoenix, soaring to new heights and encouraging others to do the same.