How it Started

As a young girl, my mother signed me up for a gymnastics class in order to prevent me from flipping off the couch in our living room any more. I became extremely dedicated to the sport and ended up making the competition team in just 1st grade. With this sport came frequent late night practices. I would often miss dinner with the family, so Mom would stop at whatever fast food restaurant I felt like. Continuing my consistent activity level into competitive high school sports year round, my weight and performance were never really affected by my poor eating habits, until I went to college. The pounds started creeping on, and I began to feel extremely uncomfortable and self conscious. Like many other college freshman, I was uneducated when it came to proper eating habits. I began calorie counting, and obsessively tracking in order to starve myself to "skinny".

​ What Got the Wheels Turning

A few years later, I became a personal trainer at a large corporation gym, and many of the other trainers there were bodybuilders. I was fascinated by the science behind improving a person's body fat composition, rather than just losing weight on the scale. They'd toss around words such as "macros", "fasted cardio", and "intermittent fasting". Frequent debates went on in the locker room as to which tactics worked best. So I began to self educate.

​ Plan and Execute

After graduating Hofstra University Suma Cum Laude with a degree in Exercise Science, I began working as an Exercise Physiologist in a physical therapy office. It was at this time that I decided to put my knowledge to the test, and train for my first figure show. After 18 weeks of strict dedication and a long process of trial and error, I was able to place 4th overall in the USBF New Jersey Natural.

​ ​Operation: Change Lives

​It was a thrill like I have never experienced, but I had another agenda. With my degree, experience in the field and my passion for helping others, I decided to take a leap of faith and open my own fitness facility. I worked extremely hard for 5 years and helped a ton of people better their health and reach their weight loss goals (See my testimonial page), all while working towards earning my Professional Bikini Card in 2013 with the ANBF.

Call Me Dr. K!

​After many years of hard work and dedication to my clients and business, the overwhelming stress of owning a small business had taken its toll on me as a young woman. In May of 2016, I closed the doors forever and went on to be the Exercise Physiologist at MAZE Men's Health in Purchase, NY. I worked with patients on lifestyle habits, diet and exercise, as well as administering Metabolic and VO2 Max testing. I learned a tremendous amount about the medical side of this industry, which only helps me properly advise as an Exercise Physiologist, but I quickly realized that I am NOT made for a desk job.

Move to Paradise? Sign me up!

In May of 2017, I was brought to Bluffton, SC to open up a group fitness franchise location that focused on women. I was able to grow this particular franchise location to one of the largest franchises nationwide in just a few short months and quickly put myself in an unhealthy work/life balance situation. Learning that it is an absolute blessing, but also a curse that I am good at what I do, I decided to put my own well being first and leave the success of this popular franchise location behind.

Right Here. Right Now.

I am committed to continuing my passion for helping others reach their health and weight goals, and hope the efforts of kristielengel.com can allow me to continue to change lives on a daily basis!