Get Fit News
TEXTMARY ANDERSONPHOTO123RF.COM“HOW I GOT THIS
STRONG.”STRONG.”
Melissa Alcantara became superfi t as a new mom.
Now she inspires others to do the same with her real-life approach.IT’S ALL ABOUT
CONSISTENCY
“Motivation comes and
goes, but showing up
and doing the work
creates results,” says
Melissa, who as a new
mom vowed not to
miss a day of Shaun T’s
60-day Insanity program.
By week fi ve, she felt her
core strengthen, and her
love for exercise clicked.LOOK AT THE
BIG PICTURE
Whether it’s a sneaker or
a supplement, “no one
thing makes you fi t, and
there are no hacks to
get there,” she says. “It’s
about doing many small,
healthy things for posi-
tive results that build up
over time.” Eat and move
with health, not weight,
as your goal.HAVE A PLAN
“Wandering around the
gym to do a little bit of
this and that and then
grabbing a salad is not
a plan,” Melissa says.
Figure out your work-
out, prep food ahead,
and schedule tasks
to make the best use
of time. “These soon
become habits you can
maintain.”STAY POSITIVE
“Feeding your mind
negative thoughts yields
negative actions,” she
says. “The realization
that your mind can
create your reality is very
powerful.” According to
Melissa, a fi tness journey
is about your mind-set
evolving from who you
are to who you aspire
to be.THINK YEARS,
NOT WEEKS
Many people cycle through
workout programs looking
for fast results. “Instead,
commit to a more
sustainable regimen
for one year before you
entertain anything else,”
says Melissa, whose
training these days
consists mostly of lifting
and doing yoga.ONE TOUGH
MOTHER
After having her
daughter, Isabella
(now 7), Melissa
chronicled her
transformation on
Instagram. Some of
her followers turned
into clients when she
became a trainer.
58 | GET FIT | SHAPE AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2019