Today, we’d like to introduce you to Coach Melissa Cianfrini.
Hi Coach Cianfrini, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Coach Melissa Cianfrini owner of Feel Better Fitness, located in Palm Beach, Florida. Mobile in-home and online exercise and nutrition coaching program providing safe solutions for seniors, beginners, and people with joint and other health conditions to improve core, balance, mobility, joint pain, and strength. “If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.” It may be a cliché but I truly believe that it describes my career as a certified personal trainer and being an entrepreneur and business owner of Feel Better Fitness. I’m blessed to be helping clients achieve their health goals for 20 years!
My journey on the fitness road started in 2004, following my divorce. As the stay-at-home mom chapter was closing, I was entering a new life season of searching for a rewarding career that I enjoyed but would also afford me precious time at home with my sons. I lost 25 lbs. after the birth of my second child by eating healthy working out and taking fitness classes at my local gym. One of the Pilates teachers encouraged me to become a fitness instructor because she recognized my talent. I loved health and fitness and this would enable me to work for free and also have a flexible schedule. All wins!
I achieved my group and personal trainer certifications. My first job at the gym was teaching group classes – Pilates, Silver Sneakers, Kickboxing, and Stretch. Although I enjoyed teaching group classes, my preference eventually became personal training. In group classes of 20-30 people, I found it difficult to correct form (which I’m a stickler for) and build lasting relationships.
My shift in focus to senior fitness came a few years later when the gym promoted me to manager of the Senior Fitness circuit. Overseeing the seniors gave me a unique view of their issues and challenges. It upset me to witness some seniors and people who had joint and other health conditions struggle with some of the advanced group exercise classes and inexperienced trainers who were not specialized to work with this demographic.
This led them to injury, defeat and ultimately give up on their health aspirations. It broke my heart to hear these types of comments: “That Pilates class is too hard for me, I can’t do it, I felt so self-conscious”, or “I was so sore after that training session I couldn’t walk for a week.” or “My knees hurt too much after the workout.” I can’t get up and down off the floor, I’m afraid of falling or not being able to keep up”. Hearing these things made me sad. A passion was ignited for me to help encourage them in my own classes and PT training sessions.
I created a small group “Core No-Floor” method class, in addition to my other roles at the gym. Encouraging and training seniors became my favorite part of my workday. As a result of my training style, teaching proper form technique, and the confidence-boosting seated and standing core-building exercises, my classes quickly became popular and my PT schedule was fully booked. It got me thinking about my next steps to venture out on my own, away from big chain gyms. It became my mission to help solve these above-mentioned problems and start my own business.
In 2016, I accomplished my goal of becoming a small business owner of Feel Better Fitness. Along the way, I continued to gain experience and knowledge attaining Senior Fitness and Corrective Exercise Specialist certifications. My #1 mission was to provide safe solutions for seniors, beginners, and people with joint conditions to build their strength and confidence! I spent 5 years writing and developing the Feel Better Fitness StepsⓇ program and published the online course in 2019.
The program includes a certified nutrition and coaching component that helps people in all areas of health. Motivational and mental tools focus on getting the mind right and a structured plan for building lifelong healthy eating habits. The exercise Steps are customized for each individual’s fitness level and body type. Carefully designed to get clients from where they are, to where they want to be, in a gradual proven progressive process.
The weekly exercises build in difficulty from basic form to more advanced moves as the body’s alignment and strength improve, one step at a time! At the end of 12 weeks, the transformation in both mind and body is incredible! In 2019, I started the Feel Better Fitness Steps YouTube channel – providing my “Core No-floor” method workouts and tips, that are gaining subscribers and views from all over the world. It warms my heart to witness my clients feeling better, living a more active life, conquering their fears, and achieving their goals.
These client testimonial examples are in direct contrast to what I used to hear: Jean (with early-stage Parkinson’s) says “I have the stamina and balance, and am now able to walk for 2 hours shopping with my daughter,” when just 12 weeks prior she struggled to get out of the car and to be able to walk for 10 minutes. Helen, who has lost 130 lbs. (to date), has completely changed her body alignment. She can now do fun activities she hasn’t done in 30 years with her husband and family, without knee pain! Or Karen, who says, ”I feel stronger at age 75 than I did at 65.”
On hard business days, I think back on my mission and recall all the amazing transformation in people’s lives that continues to motivate me to keep going. Making a positive difference in the quality of people’s lives is unbelievably rewarding both personally and professionally. Most importantly, the development of long-lasting relationships along the way has been a blessing!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My biggest challenge is getting the online business traction. I’m not skilled in dealing with reports, numbers, and marketing. I have hired a team of SEO and marketing companies to assist me in getting the word out. Sadly, it has been difficult to find anyone to come through with what was promised and has cost me money without a return on my investment.
Right now I’ve gone back to doing everything on my own- film, edit, post all my social content, and marketing. I want to recoup the money and the confidence that was lost. In the future, I hope to find someone who can help take my online business to the next level and produce sales for my amazing program. The good news is that I do have numerous content, proven results, and testimonials of client’s experiences and transformations. I will not give up on my goal to build my online brand and course.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My specialty is body realignment and working the core stabilizer muscles in seated and standing positions. My clients learn the what, why, and how of correct form alignment and exercises specifically for their body type and posture alignment issues. They get exercises that activate and strengthen the weak sad muscles and stretch and lengthen the tight overactive bully muscles in their bodies.
The program is designed to re-train the body through corrective exercises in the first 6 weeks before adding resistance. Through the years of group and personal training, I have developed this proven method that builds strong core muscles without floor exercises. Creating instability in the seated and standing positions while performing exercises works the whole body and core muscles.
For example: a seated lateral raise with a leg extension – works the shoulder stabilizers and rotators, the entire core, quads, and knee joint. I am very proud to have developed and published this safe and effective proven online program and the FBF Steps Youtube channel featuring my Core No-floor method.
How do you define success?
Being a health and fitness Coach is a dream job, I’m blessed to have the opportunity to work in my clients’ lives to build long-lasting relationships and witness positive health and mental transformations is success to me.
Pricing:
- $1,950.oo 12-week 1-1 program (online or in-person) $650 per month
- $179.99 – 12 week online course
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.feelbetterfitnessprogram.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/feelbetterfitnessprogram
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@feelbettersteps
