About Melissa
My own fitness journey began over 10 years ago. I understand the challenges—the frustration, uncertainty, and discomfort of trying to better yourself. From feeling lost in the gym to battling poor eating habits or struggling to find energy after long workdays, I’ve been there. Through perseverance, I’ve overcome these barriers and helped hundreds of men and women do the same.
With a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and over eight years of experience coaching clients of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities—including those with limitations or injuries—I am equipped to help you achieve your goals. My passion lies in teaching, motivating, and empowering clients to unlock their true potential.
If you’re ready to commit to a healthier, happier version of yourself, let’s work together. Message me to get started today!
Tailored Programs, Real Results
Every training program is personalized to your unique needs, goals, and preferences. Whether your focus is strength, endurance, mobility, or overall health, each session is designed to challenge you and elevate your progress.
Your sessions will include a dynamic warm-up, focused training, and a cool-down with stretches. We’ll also discuss your nutrition goals, food logs, and cardio homework to keep you on track. I provide daily food log reviews and check-ins on non-session days, ensuring accountability and progress every step of the way.
With consistency, dedication, and my guidance, your results are inevitable. Let’s make it happen!
My favorite client story
One of my favorite client stories is about Sarah, a busy mom of three who came to me feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about where to start. She hadn’t stepped into a gym in years, struggled with back pain, and was juggling work, family, and her own health. She wanted to feel stronger, have more energy, and set a positive example for her kids, but she wasn’t sure how to make it happen.
We started small—focusing on mobility exercises to ease her back pain and simple strength-training routines to rebuild her confidence. I tailored her workouts to fit into her hectic schedule and provided realistic nutrition strategies that worked for her family life.
Over six months, Sarah transformed—not just physically but mentally. She went from barely being able to squat without discomfort to deadlifting more than her body weight. Her energy skyrocketed, and she told me she felt like she could keep up with her kids better than ever. Seeing her smile and hearing her pride when she shared that she no longer had to take breaks during family hikes was an incredible moment.
Sarah’s journey reminds me why I love what I do. Helping clients like her overcome challenges, grow stronger, and reclaim their confidence is the most rewarding part of being a coach.
My favorite exercise
The squat is my favorite exercise because it’s a powerhouse movement that offers incredible benefits for strength, functionality, and overall fitness. Squats target multiple muscle groups—like the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core—while improving balance, mobility, and posture.
It’s a versatile exercise that can be adapted for any fitness level, from bodyweight squats for beginners to weighted variations like goblet squats or barbell back squats for advanced training. Plus, squats are functional, meaning they mimic real-life movements like sitting, standing, or lifting, making them essential for building strength and preventing injuries.
My training philosophy
My training philosophy is rooted in the belief that fitness is not a one-size-fits-all journey—it’s personal, empowering, and transformative. I strive to meet each client where they are, designing programs that honor their unique goals, abilities, and challenges while pushing them to achieve their full potential.
I focus on building a strong foundation through proper form, functional movements, and progressive challenges that promote long-term growth and prevent injury. My goal is not just to help clients reach their fitness targets but to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to sustain a healthy lifestyle well beyond our sessions.
As a coach, I emphasize consistency over perfection and encourage small, sustainable changes that add up to big results. I believe in celebrating progress, no matter how small, and fostering a positive mindset that fuels motivation and resilience.
Areas of Expertise
- Core and Balance
- Nutrition
- Strength Training
- Weight Loss
- Flexibility and Mobility
- Functional Training
- Cardiovascular Conditioning
- Muscle Gain
- TRX
- Injury Prevention
- Stress Reduction
- Wellness
- Corrective Exercise
NCCA Accredited Certifications
Education
BS in Kinesiology, Exercise Science
Who I Especially Like Working With
Beginners, Middle-aged, Overweight/ Obese, Women, Youth
Medical Conditions Experience
Anxiety, Arthritis, Asthma, Back Pain/Issues, Bone/Joint Injury, Depression, Diabetes, Fibromyalgia, Hip Pain/Issues, Hypertension, Knee Pain/Issues, Limited Mobility, Postural Issues, Prediabetes, Pregnancy, Rotator Cuff Issues
1900 N Tustin St, Orange, CA 92865
Orange, CA 92867
In-home or Outdoor Training
Session Surcharge: $0
Melissa is the best trainer that I have ever worked with. Methods: She is strict, but it's really the encouragement that helps me stay pumped and motivated. She is such a beast and what she does and she helps me want to become the best fit self I could be. I like how we use weights, I was at first intimidated, but I got over that quick. I'm thankful I learned the RIGHT way to lift, because it can be dangerous and she taught me the RIGHT WAY! (redundant, just wanna repeat how good she is). I like how she teaches me the right way to work out and how to use the machines. She combines work outs that I thought I would never do. Schedule: She's in high demand, but she is willing to work with your schedule. Just make sure you keep and open communication. If you can't tell already she's awesome! I've seen a big difference in my stamina after 4 months of training. I feel so good she helped me gain the confidence inside and outside of the gym. I think I'm ready for that beach body!
Melissa is an excellent trainer and very friendly. She is very good with client services. She knew what is best for her client.
Melissa is beyond awesome! She is the total package in what you want in a trainer. She focuses on form then strength. She punctual, encouraging, positive and I always made me feel comfortable. She's my favorite!
Melissa is an excellent trainer with great communication skills. She was always punctual and on time and really held me accountable. I lost fat and gained muscle with Mel and I can finally see my abs, I look great, feel great and have my confidence back. I owe it all to Mel and her awesome workouts she put me through.
Melissa is a wonderful trainer! She took care to not hurt my overweight 53 year-old body but yet still push me to do accomplish more than I ever thought I could. My knees have always been a challenge because they just can't take over-straining. She took care to push me while taking care of my traitor body. There were many times that I left sore, but I am always able to come back for more! I can't remember ever working with a better trainer!
I trained with Melissa for nearly 10 months. I really appreciated the time and effort she put into developing my workouts. She was flexible and worked with me when I was having pain flare ups. What I really loved was that Melissa pushed me exactly as hard as I needed to be pushed and was flexible when I needed her to flexible. I'm definitely happy with the results.
Melissa is an awesome PT, she is one of a kind I definitely recommend her, always willing to help, her workouts are amazing, you will never get bored. Thanks Melissa!
Not only will you get the best trainer ever, but you will also gain a good friend. Melissa knew exactly what I needed to reach my fitness goals. She was fast to accommodate any workouts while at the same time challenging me to work my hardest. Even though I left each session sore, I would always come back excited because each time we met, we did something new! Shes so fun and easy to talk to, and is not intimidating at all. If I could, I would have her be my trainer for life in a heart beat.
Melissa is an amazing personal trainer! I was struggling at first to find someone who I felt comfortable with and could fit my personal fitness goals. From the first session I had with her, I was very pleased and knew it would be a good fit. She's very personable and her sessions were high intensity. Not only is she a great trainer, she's a good person and I would highly recommend her!
Melissa is the best trainer I've worked with! She is so caring and truly took an interest in my goals. I personally have had a hard time loosing weight but my work outs with Melissa were fun, hard work and effective! I really started to see changes in my body, my weight, and my attitude. Melissa is dedicated and always goes the extra mile! Highly highly recommended!
First to Review Mel is the best trainer that I have ever worked with. Methods: She is strict, but it's really the encouragement that helps me stay pumped and motivated. She is such a beast and what she does and she helps me want to become the best fit self I could be. I like how we use weights, I was at first intimidated, but I got over that quick. I'm thankful I learned the RIGHT way to lift, because it can be dangerous and she taught me the RIGHT WAY! (redundant, just wanna repeat how good she is). I like how she teaches me the right way to work out and how to use the machines. She combines work outs that I thought I would never do. Schedule: She's in high demand, but she is willing to work with your schedule. Just make sure you keep and open communication. If you can't tell already she's awesome! I've seen a difference in my stamina after 4 months of training with Mel. I feel so good she helped me gain the confidence in the gym and I think I'm ready for that beach body lol! Love you Mel!!!!!!
Melissa trained me for about a year. She was nothing short of amazing and motivating. Before her I dreaded going to the gym but she really pushed me to be the best that I could be and really made a work out regiment that catered to me and my goals. When I was doubting myself she'd be there to lift me up and remind me why I was there. I'd recommend her to everybody that is looking to start their fitness journey. I'm really bummed that she can no longer train me she's definitely missed. You won't regret choosing her to help you be the best you can be.
Melissa is a professional she really knows her stuff. I'm serious about my workouts but Melissa took it to another level she raised the bar. Her workouts are challenging and come with results. She's amazing!!! Thank you Melissa.
I have trained with Melissa for a full year and it was an experience that exceeded every expectation I could have had. I was nervous to begin training as Ive never been physically fit or athletic, but Melissa made everything feel simple and achievable, and pushed me to work hard. She really tailored the experience for my strength and physical stamina, and I saw my strength and abilities greatly increase over the months. Her knowledge of kinesiology is really apparent. She would always coach me on my technique, help me fully understand the concepts, and and gave plenty of positive reinforcement. Aside from her ability to create a great workout routine and build a body -- she's also just a friggin' delight. It was a highlight of my week to see Melissa and catch up a little about life. It's brief, since I was out of breath most of the time, but I was always looking forward to chatting with her and getting her opinion on things. It's been a life changing experience working with Melissa. It's been amazing to make changes to my body. I highly suggest her above anyone else you could consider.
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