A Guide To Body Transformations- Inspired by Melissa Alacantara’s Journey!

Melissa Alcantara’s 9-year fitness journey has been nothing short of a rollercoaster, from facing body image issues and the realisation of how far away she was from her end goal to blossoming into a no-nonsense celebrity trainer to global stars like Kim Kardashian West!

Melissa is living proof of what commitment, work-ethic and dedication can do – proving that with these qualities, our achievements are truly limitless! Keep reading as we delve into her journey and look at her 5 tips for those of us who want to attack the initiative of transforming our bodies.

Overcoming Obstacles And Rising To The Top

Melissa Alcantara is a world-renowned fitness icon and trainer to the stars, but things haven’t always been so glamourous. Last year, in an Instagram post, Melissa opened up about her journey and truth behind how her transformation was made.

In previous interviews, Melissa has stated that her upbringing did not involve practicing healthy eating or lifestyle habits. As a matter fact, she’s said that she actually used to drink and smoke excessively before turning to the world of fitness to help change her life.

As mentioned in the Instagram caption above, in 2011, when reality truly hit home for Melissa, she was unable to even do a jumping jack at the time- this just goes to show how far she’s come and how far each and every one of us can go, no matter the position at which we’re starting!

For Melissa, the past 9-years have involved body image issues, depression battles, the birth of a child and being a young mother, the breaking of lifelong habits and an incredible desire and willingness to change things around for the better. Her journey has shown that long-term goals such as complete body transformations may have no timeframe, but…as shown by Melissa, with patience and consistency, we have it in us to change our lives for the better and then go on to open up new doors and reap all the rewards.

Melissa actually now trains Kim K 5-6 times a week…wow! Let’s take a look at Melissa’s 5 important tips for approaching the journey of a body transformation.

Melissa Alcantara’s 5 Tips For Body Transformers

1. Keep It Real-Be Honest With Yourself

In her book, “Fit Gurl: The Total-Body Turnaround Program” Melissa emphasises the importance of understanding the importance of solid hard work and the fact that apparent short-cuts such as supplements and waist trainers are in no way a substitute for working your ass off.

She stated that; "You have to cut out all of the BS if you want to succeed long-term. You have to take full responsibility for your own life."

Results aren’t always quick, they can take weeks, months, years….but with consistent training and a healthy nutrition, your efforts will eventually come to a destination.

2. The Long-Term Mindset

"You have to be patient and think about what you can maintain for the rest of your life."- Melissa Alcantara.

Melissa’s fitness journey has been a real rollercoaster, involving the lowest of lows to the most incredible of highs. As someone who’s really been through it all, she advises us to remember that in order to build a sustainable mentality, we need to focus on our long-term goals as opposed to seeking instant results and gratification.

Yes, we may all want to see results come through straight away, but the sooner we understand and appreciate the value of consistency and patience, the better our mentality towards our fitness approach as well as life will become!

3. Carbs Are An Ally

The common misconception is that carbs=weight gain. Though an excessive intake of carbs combined with a lack of exercise certainly makes for a unhealthy lifestyle, it’s key to remember that for those of us who exercise, carbs=workout fuel!

Melissa has highlighted that "carbs give you energy, and you want to have plenty of energy to work out and do things".

However, when it comes to processed foods, this type of food is something that Melissa has now eliminated from her life altogether!

4. Specific Goal Setting Is Key

Setting goals can give us the motivation needed to train harder and know that our efforts have a purpose.

Melissa has emphasised the benefits of setting goals that are specific, simple and attainable. This type of goal setting is a lot more realistic and effective that trying to pursue goals that are unrealistic and out of our reach.

"Instead of saying, 'I want to lose weight,' say 'I'm going to work out three times per week'.

5. Strength Training Is Your Friend

"Lifting weights has been insanely empowering for me".

It’s often underappreciated how effective strength training can be for torching those calories and blitzing that fat away! Melissa has also praised strength training for building her mental strength- “Not only am I physically stronger, but I'm mentally stronger, too. I feel like a boss bitch".

Strength training can do absolute wonders, from burning fat to sculpting our muscles and adding more definition to our physiques!

Patience Is A Virtue, As Is Consistency

Successfully completing a body transformation can be one of the most empowering journeys we ever encounter in our lifetimes. It’s super important to remember that with an end outcome that can completely change up our lives and open up new doors and chapters, comes the necessity for working our absolute asses off, building up consistency and putting clean and nutrition rich food into our bodies. 

With time and consistency, our wildest and most ambitious of dreams are within our reach.

Wishing you all love and the best of luck with your fitness journeys!