WELCOME

When you hit rock bottom, you realise the only person who can change you, is you. 

Rock bottom is a tool. It’s a life lesson. I am grateful for mine as it taught me the discipline and drive to be better, do better, and get more out of life. I believe that discipline is an important asset because it teaches us how to never ever give up on ourselves.  Put simply, it’s the ability to give yourself a command and follow it. It builds a strong mind, and it’s your state of mind that determines the trajectory of your entire life. 

A motivated man may be strong, but a disciplined man is unstoppable. 

My passion is to inspire, empower, and support you by sharing my knowledge and vast life experience. I want to share my mistakes with you, my struggles, and what I did to overcome these so I can help you discover the secrets to a healthy, fulfilled, happy life. Just as I did. 

My story is worth telling because I know so many others who are currently in similar situations that I was. My story is worth hearing because it can inspire those who relate see a path of their own. 

Believe me when I tell you, I know what it’s like to be poor. Being the sole earner for a family of four working two jobs, looking for coins under the couch seats to pay for baby formula, I was living in survival mode trying to feed my family and make ends meet.

I was a teenage father. I was a stepfather. I was a husband, and then I was divorced under terrible circumstances. At the time I was working a job I hated, and to top it all off I had eaten my way to clinical obesity. I was having internal mental and physical health issues, alcohol dependencies, and fell into deep depression with almost fatal consequences.

I decided on my darkest day that I was going to level up, respect myself physically, mentally, and spiritually. I made a conscious decision that I was going to break the cycle of my past and devote my life towards being my absolute best version. I finally realised the importance in investing in myself through knowledge, coaching, and mentoring. I became obsessed with learning from others.

One year on from making this decision, applied furiously for new jobs, I had tripled my income, got into shape, and felt unstoppable. Over the next 8 years, I built and owned one of New Zealand’s largest Mortgage & Insurance Brokerages. With it came an incredible lifestyle. One that was once a dream, the happiest and healthiest I had ever been. During this same time, I won my first WBFF show in Gold Coast Australia, and was awarded a Pro Card as a Muscle Model.

People could not understand how I could have a successful business and take care of myself inside and out. Being in the corporate world, I constantly saw that most would prioritise their career and completely ignore their health. A common belief existed that you can’t have both.

Strength in the workplace is psychological.

The irony is - being mentally strong flows from physical strength and inner health. A strong body and mind creates confidence in the workplace. With confidence, you can move mountains, ask for the sale, apply for the new position, optimise your drive to build your career or business.

I came to understand that our internal and external health influences our thoughts and emotions. Our emotions control our decisions and our ability to be disciplined. This belief drove me to improve all aspects of wellness which comes from gradually building new habits.

“Outward change comes after we change from within”. 

Someone once told me, life is a video game with no instructions. You must go through the game gaining experience before you level up, but before you do, there is always a challenge that will be difficult or uncomfortable. I am here to tell you that in life, comfort is the enemy of progress and growth. Accepting that you need to change is uncomfortable, however, it's a decision that will positively change the course of your life.

With 26-years of experience… 

Standing tall at 6ft 5, anyone will tell you that it is extremely difficult to build muscle on to a tall frame. I spent a good 12 of my 26-year weight training experience going to the gym thinking that just lifting weights was enough, with no real training program, eating whatever I thought was appropriate for muscle growth. The truth was, I was completely guessing.

Continuing my drive to learn, I have spent tens of thousands of dollars over the years to master the art of consistent muscle gain and effective nutrition from some of the world’s best.

Weight training isn’t just about building a strong body, it’s about giving your self-worth a workout. The stronger your self-worth, the more love and respect you have for yourself, and you will deafen the old voice of self-sabotage. 

Take control and become empowered. 

After receiving counts of feedback from friends and followers I started to really understand the power in sharing my story. People telling me that I had helped change their lives just through reading my captions. I knew this was my calling, which is why I chose to leave my position in finance to pursue my passion of becoming a holistic lifestyle coach. 

You are always one decision away from a totally different life. 

I'm now here to empower you to live your best life and improve your health, wellness and fitness through our app and personalized One on One coaching. Drawing upon my own experiences to share my story, I would like to remind you that no matter where you are in life, or how challenging things may seem, you possess the strength and capability to become the best version of yourself.

Welcome to Living My Best Life. Now let’s get started! 

Nicole Kuka

Health Optimization Coach

My role is to guide, inspire, motivate, and teach you more about yourself. I want to create positive impact in the world, by showing you your full potential.

My story begins as a child, where I was always involved with various sports and athletics. My family was heavily involved in tennis and basketball, so this was a normal part of life for me. From a very young age I developed a hunger for competition, and a drive to succeed and better myself.

My personal journey was not linear in any way! I have experienced ups and downs, both mentally and physically. This is what I now understand to be a necessary part of life. Reflecting back now, it was my lowest points in my life that pushed me to change things that weren’t serving me.

I know what it feels like to have insecurities, I know how much it hurts when someone close to you makes a hurtful comment about your appearance. I know what it feels like to have negative internal dialogue that destroys your self-confidence. I have been there.

I was not always confident, nor did I always have the positive mindset towards health and fitness that I have now. I struggled for most of my childhood with asthma, eczema, hay fever, and chronic fatigue that progressed through to my early adult life to then involve hormone imbalances, sleep disturbances, mental health issues, depression, gut health, acne, and adverse reactions from coming off the contraceptive pill. These symptoms were never linked to a ‘root cause’ and were treated as individual issues by all General Practitioners and specialists that I had consulted with. I remember feeling so stuck and I accepted this way of life as my “normal”. 

One of the best decisions I have made in my life was joining my first gym at 17 years of age. Training gave me a sense of purpose, and although I had no idea what I was doing with my training or nutrition, I created a routine in heading to the gym after work, which became the highlight of my day.

I also took up long distance running, and completed two marathons with the goal to finish in under four hours. My first took 4:08hrs. My second 3:39hrs. Running was therapy for me as I could completely zone out from the world and listen to my favourite music. Always timing myself and finding ways to make myself faster and faster ensured I constantly felt I was bettering myself in some way.

At 20 years old a friend invited me to a CrossFit class. I fell in love with the environment, the community feel, and the constant support everyone gave each other. I learnt so much and pushed myself mentally and physically harder than I ever had before. I gained confidence, precision with my technique, and a “can-do” mindset.

I then joined the Royal New Zealand Navy at age 22. This involved incredible mental and physical strength where again, I was pushed beyond my limits and found new horizons with my abilities. I studied and worked as a Medic, learning the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Working in hospitals in both military and civilian settings is where I realized my true purpose and passion for helping others. I decided I wanted to further my studies and complete a personal training certification, with the intention to gain understanding around technique, nutrition, and to add to my knowledge within the health sector.

The next step for me was to explore my internal health with the help of psychologists, my nutritionist, sports coach, and naturopath. It was through investing in myself that I discovered health like I had never experienced before. Taking on the role of a student, I allowed myself to be vulnerable, to trust others and let them help me on my quest for health optimization. Prioritizing my health finally gave me the answers I was desperately searching for and has changed the course of my health and life.

I wanted to make a big change in my life in every aspect of wellness. Then 27, I decided to leave my career in the Navy to pursue my dream of having my own business and I began working in Les Mills, Takapuna (Auckland). The same gym where I first met Joel. The sense of fulfilment I experienced when I began working as a personal trainer was indescribable, and after three years in this field, I can safely say this is what I want to be doing for the rest of my life. What inspires me the most is working with so many people who want to invest in themselves, who see the importance in keeping fit and healthy, and care for their longevity.

In between juggling my new business, lockdowns, and moving in with Joel, I decided I wanted to challenge myself even further, and push myself outside my parameters once more. I competed in my very first fitness model show – the 2020 WBFF (World Beauty, Fashion, and Fitness) Virtual World Competition, where I was awarded first place and a Pro Card in the Diva Wellness division. I now continue to compete on the world circuit.

I have overcome eating disorders, debilitating health issues, and drug addictions. I am grateful for all of my experiences as these are what made me stronger and more resilient as a person, and who I am today.

I’m grateful to now be in a position where I can share my knowledge with even more people through the online space. Wherever your starting point, I want to show you anything is possible with the right person by your side. My coaching services, whether personalised One on One or through our amazing App, will transform your life, help you create positive habits, learn, grow, and shine bright. I want you to feel empowered, excited, and loved on your journey; it is my responsibility to assist you in the best way possible.

Welcome to Living My Best Life. Now let’s get started!