Whether she’s helping you build muscle or shake off pounds, getting you hyped at an Atlanta Hawks game or baking something that you’ll never forget, Glennise Matthews has a way of encouraging and loving others that doesn’t go unnoticed. Her radiant smile, beaming personality and unmatched work ethic reflects the love and encouragement that she’s received.
Glennise was a bigger kid growing up, but she didn’t realize it until second grade.
It was time to buy shoes and none of the fun shoes full of color or embellished with lights fit. This made her quickly transition to women’s sizes.
“From that moment on is when I knew I was different,” Glennise said.
Instead of allowing her size to define her, Glennise decided to use what some would consider a setback to fuel her. She weighed between 200-215 pounds by fifth grade, but that didn’t phase her. She ran faster, played ball better, won 50-yard dashes and proved to be more flexible in stretching competitions.
“I didn’t let anything hinder me or keep me back,” Glennise said. “I was always motivated, always wanted to be the best at everything.”
Her drive and athleticism followed her as she later participated in softball, basketball, cheerleading and track. She even placed fifth in Georgia for shot put during her senior year of high school. Glennise also made history in her immediate family by becoming the first person to attend and later graduate from college.
College was instrumental because that’s when she decided to change her lifestyle. The then 356 pound college student sat in church one Sunday as her pastor taught on temptation. He challenged the congregation to take away three things that tempted them.
She took soda, pizza and cake away for 30 days and started seeing her body transform. This showed Glennise that she was capable of having control over her weight.
“I started waking up in the morning, looking at myself in the mirror and saying ‘thank you Lord, I’m 25 pounds lighter.'”
By speaking great health into existence, Glennise saw her body change even more. Her doctor, family and peers were captivated by her weight loss.
“Do you know you lost a lot of weight?” her doctor said, “you lost 30 pounds.”
Her weight loss goal increased as time passed. She began thanking God in advance for being 50, 75 and 100 pounds lighter. Before she knew it, she was 150 pounds lighter.
“I had no diet plan,” she said. “I worked out, ate right, believed I could do it and saw myself in it.”
That experience taught Glennise the power of words and proved Proverbs 18:21. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” She also had the support of her family who would remind her to go back to her mirror if she ever felt discouraged.
Her drive has carried over into her adulthood where she holds multiple titles. She’s the founder and lead cake designer at She’s Cakin’ It, supervisor and event marketing team member with the Atlanta Hawks, production assistant at Live Nation, group fitness instructor with Onelife Fitness, guest services team member at the Mercedes Benz Stadium and operations manager at Candytopia in Atlanta.
Glennise’s schedule is packed, but that’s how she likes it. She welcomes any opportunity that allows her to grow personally while uplifting others by providing an unforgettable experience at an event or workout class or while baking them the best cake to grace their taste buds.
She’s determined to leave a mark that no one can erase and live by Philippians 4:13.
“For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.”
Caleb Britt 