Empowering Transformation: Katy Margison & Athena Nutrition

Katy Margison’s journey is one of resilience, transformation, and a passion for helping others. As the founder of Athena Nutrition, a coaching business focused on empowering women through balanced nutrition and fitness, Katy has turned her personal challenges into a platform for positive change. With a candid presence on social media as “The Sober Weightlifter,” she shares her story of overcoming addiction, building a fitness-focused life, and creating a thriving business that prioritizes sustainable health over quick fixes.

From CrossFit to Coaching: A Fitness Evolution

Katy’s fitness journey began in 2012 when she stumbled upon Lake George CrossFit after growing bored with unstructured workouts at Planet Fitness. A humbling assessment with her coach at the time sparked a 12-year commitment to CrossFit, where she not only trained but also coached for over six years. Today, she focuses on Olympic weightlifting, competing locally and nationally, and coaches a barbell club. Her passion for fitness is evident, but she’s quick to acknowledge the challenges of aging as an athlete. At 36, she emphasizes the importance of recovery, stretching, and nutrition to maintain her performance.

Katy’s evolution didn’t stop at personal fitness. In November 2024, she launched Athena Nutrition, a business born from her own weight loss transformation and years of coaching experience. What started with a few free clients has grown to a roster of 22, with a goal to double that number. Her mission is clear: to help women, particularly those in their 30s to 50s, break free from restrictive diet cycles and embrace sustainable, balanced lifestyles.

A Personal Triumph Over Addiction

Katy’s openness about her 18-month sobriety journey sets her apart. Her struggle with alcohol and cocaine, particularly during the isolating days of COVID, reached a breaking point in 2023. By January 1, 2024, she committed to sobriety, a decision catalyzed by a desire to reclaim her life and career as a director at a healthcare nonprofit. Her transparency about this journey, shared publicly a year ago, resonates with her audience. “I want to be the person I wish I had at low points in my life,” she says, emphasizing her desire to support others facing similar struggles.

Her sobriety informs her coaching philosophy, particularly as she explores incorporating sober living into her niche. With a growing cultural shift toward moderation—evidenced by a 3% decline in total beverage alcohol volumes in 2023 and a 27% increase in non-alcoholic beverage sales in 2024—Katy sees an opportunity to connect with clients who want to navigate fitness and nutrition without alcohol’s influence.

Athena Nutrition: A Balanced Approach to Wellness

Athena Nutrition stands out for its rejection of fad diets and extreme restrictions. Katy’s coaching focuses on building awareness around eating habits, whether through tracking macros, using hand portions, or creating balanced plates. She addresses emotional eating and the all-or-nothing mindset that traps many in yo-yo dieting cycles. “Women are conditioned to think 1200-1300 calories is how to lose weight,” she notes, advocating instead for sustainable intakes of 1700-1900 calories that fuel active lifestyles.

Her approach is phased and personalized, meeting clients where they are. Some track meticulously, while others start with simple awareness of daily intake. Katy also incorporates fitness programming, emphasizing strength training to preserve lean muscle mass, particularly for aging women. She debunks myths about lifting making women “bulky,” pointing to her own decade of strength training as evidence of its empowering benefits.

Accountability is the cornerstone of her coaching. Drawing from her own need for structure, Katy provides regular check-ins and fosters a community through a free Facebook group with 175 members, where she shares educational content like “why peanut butter isn’t a protein source.” Her goal is to equip clients with non-negotiable habits they can sustain independently, reducing reliance on her over time.

Overcoming Challenges and Building a Business

Launching Athena Nutrition wasn’t without hurdles. Katy initially underestimated the challenge of attracting clients in a vulnerable space like nutrition and fitness. A business coach, James Goff, helped her grow from three to 25 clients in three months, though rapid growth led to near burnout. This prompted her to transition to part-time work at her nonprofit job, a bold step toward making Athena Nutrition her full-time focus.

Looking ahead, Katy aims to scale her business with effective marketing, streamlined systems, and potentially a virtual assistant or additional coaches. She’s candid about the learning curve of business management, from crafting ads to organizing back-end processes, but her passion for impact drives her forward. “I want to be a well-known resource locally and regionally,” she says, envisioning Athena Nutrition as a trusted name in sustainable health.

A Role Model for Resilience and Impact

Katy’s authenticity—her “sassy” yet empathetic demeanor—shines through in her coaching and social media presence. Whether addressing myths about fitness, sharing her sobriety journey, or celebrating client milestones like running a mile or fitting into old clothes, she’s committed to being a role model. “I owe it to my clients to walk the walk,” she says, emphasizing the accountability that keeps her on track.

For those inspired by Katie’s story, Athena Nutrition offers a path to sustainable health without shortcuts. Visit athena-nutrition.com to learn more, or follow her on Instagram (@thesoberweightlifter) and Facebook (@AthenaNutrition, @Katy Margison.) for insights into fitness, nutrition, and sober living. As Katie puts it, “Don’t aim for perfect. Aim for better.” Her journey and mission prove that better is more than enough.