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Meeting Your Coaches
We understand what its like to lack energy, motivation and to feel downright unhappy with life.
Read our stories below and you’ll see that we have all had our lives transformed by the one thing we love… fitness and the great outdoors! Whether its weight-loss, gaining self confidence, finding friendship, saving a marriage or learning to live life to the fullest.
Your Own it Fit coaches understand what it feels like to want to make a change and live your best life, just like you.
Mel – Founder
I was struggling with being a little over weight and I had a toxic life lifestyle and was extremely stressed. I went to the doctors for a check up and my blood pressure was high for a 20 something year and the doctor suggested putting me on blood pressure medication and I didn’t want to do that, I knew there was a way to bring it down without the use of medication. I wasn’t even 30 and it hit me hard, I was so disappointed with myself.. My blood pressure was elevated because I was living an unhealthy lifestyle and I knew I needed to turn it around and lead a healthier path. It was the wakeup call I needed however and I began to focus on improving my health, partying less and successfully underwent a transformation physically and mentally. I successfully reduced my blood pressure without medication and haven’t since had high blood pressure.
Before I knew it, I was reaching small target after target and one day I just realised I was where I wanted to be. It was a really rewarding and enjoyable journey where I got physically stronger and mentally fitter at the same time. I’m am much happier now then I have ever been and feel more confident as a person and love myself more. I had to ditch a lot of toxic things in my life including some of the people I surrounded myself and surrounded myself with a great circle of people who continually supported me.
For me it was the finding the love of exercise again that made something click. I think when you are faced with such a big task as losing 10 or more kgs, its really hard to see how you are going to do it. Those big numbers can be so overwhelming and big goals can seem like it will take forever to get to. I have known what it’s like in the past to eat for comfort which is emotional eating.
There is nothing better than the feeling of connecting with something and feeling any frustrations from the day being released from your body. There are huge benefits to training outdoors. Don’t take your daily frustrations home to your husband or family, work them out in the beautiful outdoors! I love how I can push myself harder and see the changes in my body when I do. Some days are mental training days and others are physical. But for me there is nothing better than getting a hit of endorphins in fresh air. Makes the everything happier and more positive.
To reach a goal, you should be excited about that goal and the result you are working toward. It should never feel like a task or hard work. You’ll only show up if it’s something you enjoy. I researched those that lost weight and kept it off. The common thread amongst all I interviewed was the finding of something that they enjoyed each day.
Make fitness a lifestyle not a destination. Working out outdoors is that for me. At the end of a session, I always get that deep sense of satisfaction… I feel great and I feel like I’m buzzing on a natural high. I know you’ll love our Own it Fit sessions as much as I do! We have an amazing supportive community and there’s always lots of fun, banter and diverse workouts.
Check out our classes and timetable to see what suits your schedule.
Mel xx
Brian – Operations and husband of Mel
In 2002 I had just finished Uni in Ireland. I was embarking on my first career straight out of uni and was fit and strong and hit the gym regularly. From the outside it looked like i had a promising career as a consultant. Behind the facade, I reached the heaviest I had ever been, with zero energy and dwindling motivation. I was struggling and the weight just PILED on. The structure I had in uni disappeared with life on the road as a consultant.
I changed jobs after a year and slowly dropped some of the weight i had accumulated, about 20kg all up. I’ve managed to keep it off since then. It hit me that only I could shape my future, I wasn’t a victim, I couldn’t blame my work or anyone else for my circumstances and in doing so I took responsibility for becoming the best version of me I could be.
The critical turning point however was in 2014, my wife Mel started Own it Fit 2 years earlier. I had been working for a software company in Sydney for about 5 years at that point of my Australian journey. We had always focused on delivering our clients results to their bottom line through business efficiencies but I felt empty inside. I was not getting the satisfaction I had envisaged from my career and by extension life itself. For an outsider looking in it looked like I was very successful- part owner of a successful software business and leading a relatively fit and active life but i was dying on the inside. However, I saw the results, satisfaction and supportive community that Mel had been creating at Own it Fit and I wanted IN! It may sound dramatic but that moment felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Mel had cultivatedI a community who inspired me then and continue to inspire me every day. As more client transformations started to occur, my motivation soared. I know fitness is not a destination; it is a way of life and for me continues every day (some days are harder than others). It is not just about the scales, it is about that inner confidence to become that version of ourselves we aspire to in our own secret moments.
I am immensely proud to have joined the amazing team at Own it Fit. I am one of the lucky ones to have found a new passion and direction. I love running sessions but more so i love hearing your why and watching you evolve into the fittest, happiest, most confident version of you. Together we can get there! Brian
Anelia Mintcheva
Qualifications: Certificate 3 & 4 in personal training, Punch Fit boxing & kick boxing instructor, Strength and conditioning coach, Safe return to exercise certified Pre/Post natal Trainer, Meditation facilitator, Nutrition 1 certificate, Mum and all round comedian.
I have been a personal Trainer for the past 9 years, and have been working at Own it Fit for the last 4 years, what can I say it’s a wonderful place to work, it’s a fun work place with a great community of health dedicated people and the banter is worth the early morning wake up I promise.
I have worked in various other settings over the years, one on one, groups, bootcamps, outdoors and in gyms. My personal interest in fitness are weight training, Mobility, yoga and long walks on the beach kick boxing was my first love, yoga is my second still open to a third.
I’m also a mum to a 12 year old and as challenging as being a mum sometimes is, I wouldn’t change it for the world, I have worked with many mums and have experience working with both expectant mums and post natal clients in groups and one on one, I’m a big believer in working closely with women’s health physios when it comes to post natal care, we all have different birth experiences and each woman needs to have a safe journey back to exercise after pregnancy with awareness to what her individual pelvic floor, soft tissue or birth injuries may be.
I’m also a Bulgarian at heart and genetically, also. I’ve been an aussie for almost 23 years now, but you know what they say about Bulgaria we are very well known for weight training and my absolute favorite is the Bulgarian squat..
If you don’t know how to perform this AMAZING exercise please ask me and you won’t regret it!
Marco Maria Manfredi
I’m a strength and conditioning coach and a personal trainer. I’ve been working at Own it Fit for over 1 year now.
I developed my competences attending the University of Insubria in Varese and the University of Milan, achieving a bachelor degree in Sport Science and a master degree in High Performance Sport. During those years I also specialised my coaching stye on strength training, mainly using powerlifting techniques and bodyweight basics.
I have been working with some different sport teams, basketball and volleyball especially, including one of the most competitive basketball team in the north of Italy, Robur et Fides Basketball.
I love helping people hitting their goals at Own it Fit, particularly when they involve strength and performance, but recently I’m focusing more in rehabilitation processes, to allow people go back to the physical activity after injuries.
My main hobby is playing League of Legends, a competitive videogame.
Also I love reading and watching movies at cinema.
Didem
I am a very active person. I started Taekwondo in high school and have been competing in the sport since the 9th grade. I am also a senior instructor in Taekwondo and love teaching little kids. I enjoy hiking, reading and outdoor activities.
I have been working out and dieting (due to competing) for 8 years. I started my Fitness journey at the Australian college of physical education where I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise science. I am now studying my Graduate diploma in High Performance Sport.
I believe in the philosophy that each new day is a new opportunity to improve yourself! Take it and make the most of it!
"We promise you'll always feel welcome, anytime"
