loving your body isn't a choice between

"body positivity" or being a gym rat.

In my decade+ as a personal trainer, mindfulness teacher, mindset coach + yoga teacher, I've found that many women are struggling to find this balance.

In fact, it's a part of why I, for several years, felt uninspired by working in the "fitness industry". While, thankfully, treating the body more kindly has become more mainstream, there's still a big gap.

It's almost as if we have to choose:

just learn to love your body as is and give the middle finger to "fitness" + "wellness" OR
end up back on the hamster wheel of body-punishing workouts + restrictive eating (under the guise of "being healthy") to hopefully one day feel good enough

But, is this cultural model really serving us or our bodies?

What if you could have both? A genuine sense of inner peace with your body, while also having a sincere love for movement + nourishing foods.

Instead of "working out" being a triggering or merely uninspiring term that feels reminiscent of obsessive fitness culture, there's a deeper desire to physically interact with your body
Instead of "eating healthy" being a pressurized chore that feels restrictive, there's an innate physical pull to simply give your body foods that make it feel good
Instead of "taking care of your body" meaning you have to become a full on yogi, eat perfectly and stretch 10x a day, there's a flexible, intuitive rhythm of working with your body

In other words....a laidback yet simultaneously powerful relationship with your body.

This all becomes possible when...you learn what it means to truly be physically present in your body.

your body is calling.

So, why are we even in this body-hating slash simultaneous body-ignoring place, anyway? How did we get here? And how do we fix it and reconnect more genuinely with the incredible machine that is our body?

Well....the thing that's been missing from this whole "fitness" and wellness industry...?

Is ironically...

...the body.

There's an ironic obsession with the body within our society, yet...we mentally think about the body, vs. being in the body.

In other words, our relationship with our body has been mental vs. physical.

This matters deeply because...

When you're not actually in your body...you don't feel the physical sensations that naturally inspire motivation to move (or rest!).
When you're not actually in your body...you don't choose what or how much food to eat based off your body's innately intelligent cues.
When you're not actually in your body...you're listening to (and believing!) all that incessant stress-inducing , self-limiting and/or self-critical brain chatter.

Yet...when get out of the mind and come back into the body, all of this naturally resolves itself:

When you're physically present in your body...it becomes impossible to hate it (or even just feel "meh" about it).
When you're physically present in your body...it becomes impossible to not want to take care of it, move it, stretch it, give it what it truly wants, trust it + know it's innate intelligence to heal/transform.
When you're physically present in your body...it becomes impossible to consistently eat foods that don't make your body feel good.

And then...?

You start to experience the natural ripple effect on your overall state of mind, body and life.

Because when you're able to turn off the mind and be physically present in the body...?

There's an inevitable dissipation of stress; physical pain; overwhelm; dullness; and lack of creativity, clarity, inspiration, intuition, etc.

Your body becomes so much more than just a thing to "sculpt", fixate on, or push to the sidelines + forget.

It becomes your source of power. So what we do is...

We reconnect + plug you back in to your body.

who this is for:

the woman who has had a tumultuous relationship with her body/food and is ready to find inner peace with it - without just opting for "self-love" that can turn into dismissal of the physical body

the woman who wants to be more active and genuinely connected with her body but doesn't resonate with gym-rat, perfectionist fitness culture

the woman desiring to see external changes in her body but doesn't want to fall into the trap of yo-yo exercising that happens when workouts are body-punishing vs. body-loving

the woman who feels like her body is "broken" and working against her no matter what she does, and would desperately love to trust her body again

the woman who has struggled to consistently take care of her body because she tends to give herself to all other areas of life and exercise/eating healthy feels like another annoying or uninspiring "to-do"

the woman who tells herself she "loves" tracking macros, weighing and/or HIIT workouts but is never happy with her body and intuitively deep down knows this isn't working

the woman who is experiencing physical pain, or has a history of injuries/body sensitivities, and would love to rebuild trust in her body and her ability to move with greater freedom, consistency + intensity

the woman who often finds herself in mental states of stress, overwhelm, dullness, perfectionism, or other not-desired internal states and hasn't considered the role of her lack of true connection to her body

a new era of the human body.

It's time for a new model - a renewed understanding of the human body and its true role in our lives.

Gone are the days of the body being demoted to a sack of muscles that defines how we're allowed to feel about ourselves.

Gone are the days of the body being pushed aside for or squeezed in amidst "more important" priorities.

Gone are the days of the body being something we don't trust, feel is broken, "against us" or a nuisance.

Gone are the days of the body being a "should" or something reserved for "fitness people".

Let's reclaim the power of the human body and its rightful place in our lives:

As our remedy and our refuge - the place we return to.

The place we go to cultivate our calm, our confidence, our joy, our strength, our literal energy, our physical healing, our creativity, our clarity, our intuition..., i.e. everything we desire.

If you're ready to step into a new era with your body and no longer participate in this outdated view of the human body...

...the body renewal program will serve as the catalyst for just that.

the "curriculum".

Over the years of coaching hundreds of people with their bodies + minds, I've learned there are simply certain steps we cannot skip.

Thus, every single session includes coaching work AND the accompanying physical work. Non-negotiable :). This isn't just a "take you through a workout" and not actually address the deeper issues program.

Please note: The curriculum below is an extensive sample, yet not all encompassing - there's an endless reservoir of personal training, neuroscience, epigenetics, mindset, mindfulness + positive psychology I draw from. Also, depending on your goals, certain lessons may not be relevant to you and may be skipped.

Important Disclaimer: I know when it comes to struggling with your relationship with your body, specifically body image, certain terms like "working out" and "fitness" can be triggering. I don't generally use these terms, as they don't encourage a body-loving approach to movement and a genuine desire to interact with your body. However, you may see some below, for the sake of simplicity and the limitations of "marketing". Know that we discuss in depth how to deal with feeling triggered by health, fitness + wellness jargon. This is part of the work <3.

the program:

a 12 week program rooted in personal training, epigenetics, mindset + mindfulness for true, lasting change in your body, mind and life
two 60-minute sessions per week (virtual or in-person North County SD ; in-person subject to availability)
sessions include: ~30-45 mins coaching + mindfulness work + ~15-30 mins physical work (each session is unique and depends on clients goals + unique stage in their journey - some clients will do more breathwork, some clients more traditional exercises, some more coaching; it's an organic, intuitive combination of mind + body work, whatever needs to happen to get you to your desired relationship with your body)
personalized "plans" for movement, nutrition, mindfulness + mindset practices, and any and all other tools that will support your journey outside of our sessions (plans are not about rigidity, they are for structure/guidance to instill new habits, if you're looking for a "burn calories , track your macros and beat yourself up" program, this isn't it ;))
email support in between sessions - this isn't a "let's 'work out' together and not talk about what happens in between" type program

“I have had more breakthroughs working with Mel than any other practitioner I've worked with in the past, including therapists. In a mere couple of months, Mel has helped me strengthen my mind and body, repair my relationship with food, and help me step into a higher version of myself."

When I decided to invest in myself by hiring a personal trainer, I knew I was searching for a "unicorn". It was important to me to find someone who was not going to promote diet culture, but would instead take a holistic approach. I wanted someone who understood the mind/body connection and how imperative it would be to have the two work together in unity. I honestly didn't think a trainer like Mel existed. She is all of this and so much more! In fact, she is far more than a personal trainer.

I can't say enough about the value Mel provides her clients. First and foremost, she genuinely cares for her clients and takes a vested interest in them. She works to get to know you and dives deep into identifying what needs to be worked on at a core level. The vast majority of personal trainers I've come in contact with focus on the external body. Hence, results can be fleeting. This is not Mel. On the contrary, she focuses on the internal beliefs and blocks that stand in the way of achieving your goals (really on every level). She then comes up with tangible ways to create new habits, patterns and behaviors that not only lead to lasting results but more so genuine transformation.

In a mere couple of months, Mel has helped me strengthen my mind and body, repair my relationship with food, and help me step into a higher version of myself. She continues to support my healing journey overall. I guarantee you will not find another trainer/coach who is as genuine, gifted, insightful, intuitive, thoughtful and skilled as Mel.

— marisa, encinitas, ca

I feel connected to myself again, and more confident in my body - for the first time in years.

I started with Mel in hopes to love myself more and hopefully learn to live a healthier lifestyle after years of struggling with “all or nothing” mindsets, negative self talk / beliefs and struggling to stick to workout plans and meal plans.

The past few weeks with Mel have changed my mindset in ways I could have never imagined. I feel connected to myself again for the first time in years, more confident in my body, more at peace with my choices and overall happier than I was when I began only a month ago. I can already feel the changes within and can’t wait to see what the future holds. I’m so thankful for this program - it truly changed my life.

— malia, carlsbad, ca

I finally feel free.

"Working with Mel has surprised and astonished me in the best possible way.

I came to her to work on my relationship with myself, my body image, my body/food/movement, and my overall happiness in life. I have experienced a mindfulness evolution that has already – and continues to - change the way I see myself, my relationship with my body/body image, and my life in profoundly amazing ways. I finally feel free from spending almost all of my time (previously) consumed by thoughts of my body/food, which I honestly wasn't sure was possible. I am finally infusing movement into my day in a way that feels natural and enjoyable versus full of pressure/perfectionism.

If you believe in mindfulness and self-healing as I do, I can’t imagine a better practitioner and teacher than Mel. She truly puts her heart and soul into her work, and it shows; she’s authentic and hilarious and I’m so grateful to be working with her!"

— vickey, san diego, ca

what to expect...

finally feel grounded in a relationship with your body that feels genuine to you + more sacred than in the past...while simultaneously being laidback + intuitive, i.e. zero elements of rigidity/fixation
release any + all negative beliefs around your body, body image, body's ability to transform and/or heal + your sense of self
feel truly at peace with your self + your body while also experiencing physical changes in your external body that leave you feeling amazing, strong and confident - inside + out
know exactly what your body wants and doesn't want on a daily basis to feel good, radiate vitality + confidence, heal/prevent pain + injury
never again doubt your body's ability to transform, develop muscle, lose weight and/or heal pain with a renewed understanding of the science of epigenetics, nutrition + fitness
experience a renewed sense of physical energy + vitality, leaving behind fatigue, dullness, pain, recurring injuries, stress/overwhelm, etc.
feel 100% confident that after this, there is no going back - you will truly have a lifelong relationship with your body - i.e. never wonder if you'll end up "falling off the bandwagon" + not taking care of yourself
fully harness the untapped role of the body in our life as a means to greater joy, calm, confidence, creativity, intuition, abundance, and literally everything we desire
and so much more...;)

FAQs

Can I do this program for less than 12 weeks?

After working with hundreds of individuals for over a decade and being certified as a behavior change specialist, I've learned a thing or two about what works and what doesn't. I used to "be nice" (lol) and do a la carte sessions for people, yet it wasn't nice in the end, because it didn't get them the results they wanted :/.

We start with 3 months because that will give us the proper amount of time for true, lasting changes to occur. I'm not going to lie to you like sleazy marketers and tell you we're going to wave a magic wand and fix all your problems in 21 days ;). This takes consistency, but as soon as you get a few sessions in, the momentum starts building upon itself and you'll feel the magic starting to settle in - in mind and body.

Tell me more about what sessions are like.

Sessions are a combination of mind + body work, as this is what creates deep change. You can expect starting off the session with some coaching and/or mindfulness work and an introduction to the fundamental "lesson" of the day, followed by physical work. The whole point of this program is to connect you more deeply to your body, and the way we do that is by getting out of the mind and into the body, so we have to start with the mind first as our access point ;).

The physical work varies depending on each clients' goal and unique stage in their journey. Some clients will do more breathwork + meditation, some clients will do more traditional physical exercises and muscle activation techniques, and some clients will do more coaching + mindfulness work. It's an organic, intuitive combination of mind + body work, whatever needs to to happen to get you to your desired relationship with your body.

For the physical work, no equipment is needed. I bring any equipment that may enhance our work together, yet a core philosophy is simplicity. Having a genuine, dedicated relationship with your body means there is consistency, and consistency comes from simplicity ;).

With physical exercises, we are primarily working with your own body weight and ensuring there is a true neuromuscular, physical, present connection between brain + body. This serves the purpose of enhancing the effectiveness of the exercises and increasing deep enjoyment + presence, which all leads to a more sustainable, self-loving relationship with your body and movement. Down the line, basic equipment like resistance bands + weights can be helpful once proper progression has been made.

I just want to hire a personal trainer to take me through workouts and I like your vibe - is this okay?

You can if you want! My program costs are what they are because I've gone through extensive training + research to bring my clients deeply healing and transformative work. Thus, to work with me only on the physical side without ever discussing anything related to mindset, mindfulness, epigenetics, etc would be a bit remiss!

With that being said, I have definitely worked with clients before who just wanted me to take them through workouts, which can be fun and definitely has its benefits! Overall, my clients typically tend to want to go deeper, even if its not necessarily because they have "problems to fix" but they just love to learn more and go down more fun rabbit holes of self-expansion.

What do I do after the 12 weeks?

Most clients go "month to month" after the initial 12 weeks and continue working together in some capacity, as they are enjoying exploring new depths within their mind, body and soul. After the 12 weeks, you can expect to feel significantly different in relationship to your body, while also seeing physical transformation. At the same time, most clients want to continue to see what else is possible for themselves - in their body, in their mind, and in their lives as a whole - by continuing the work. Some clients continue at the same frequency of sessions while others may scale down, as they are in more of a "maintenance" phase but still want to seek benefits of our work together, just with greater "independence".

Can we do an intro call or session?

I love to do intro calls and/or sessions (complimentary) whenever possible, so you can get a deeper sense of what working together is like and make sure this is the right fit for you! Intro calls/sessions are subject to availability, so simply email me at melanieddaly@gmail.com or fill out the website contact form and we'll see if we can get one scheduled! If there is no current availability for intro sessions, if after our first session you don't want to continue, I'll simply refund you ;). I believe wholeheartedly in the power of this work, yet if it's not what you're looking for after all, it's not a problem at all :). You can also always simply email me with any last burning questions before getting started!

Do you have payment plans?

Yes! I love to make this work as accessible as possible, while honoring it's depth and power to truly transform every single area of your life. Every single woman that goes through this program starts to notice the ripple effect or "domino effect" this has on areas of their life they were not expecting transformation in - overall life happiness, enhanced relationships or readiness to date, doing more things they want to do, living life the way they want to, and so much more.

So, long story short, lol, yes - we do payment plans so that as many women as possible can experience this for themselves. Please simply fill out my contact form on the website or email me at melanieddaly@gmail.com and we can set up an intro call if you'd like to chat personally before getting started and I can send you the payment plan info directly :).

Let's just do this, I'm in. What are next steps?

I am soooo beyond excited for you and honored to be a part of your journey! Truly, when you deepen your relationship with your body, every single area of your life changes. Get ready for some magic!

Simply fill out the information below and I'll email you back ASAP to get our first session on the books! I cannot wait to connect with you!