Hello!
Hi friend! My name is Melanie and I am the founder of BeneFIT Pro. At the unripe age of 23 years old, in an era before social media, Instagram or websites (I know…WOW!), I had the crazy idea of starting my own company and brand - with ZERO experience or idea of even how to do so!
Fourteen [plus] years later, after one loud voice and one passionate mission came together in perfect harmony, BeneFIT Pro has become a go-to resource for reputable fitness advice, real food, simple recipes and information to help you achieve optimal health + happiness. I hope for this blog to be a place where I can debunk nutrition myths, bring down diet culture, shed light on the science behind exercise and how you can move your body in an individualized/unique way, that is just right for you. I hope to inspire you to look at health as something beyond just the way you look, but also the way you feel. The lifestyle of wellness. A place where I can share resources that will help you to look and feel your best.
Sooooooo…as this introductory blog post and in honor of a recent birthday of my beloved home country (Canada), I thought it would be a good chance to introduce myself and share a bit about the girl behind #BeneFITPro and hopefully a few fun facts that you didn’t already know:
I have 3 siblings and am the middle of three girls. I suffer from COMPLETE middle child syndrome, if that’s even a real thing...
My favourite sports in high school were field hockey (because we got to wear skirts, duh), rugby and badminton and I was also involved in gymnastics and dance outside of school teams. I loved gymnastics so much that it led me to a 12-year long career coaching competitive gymnastics.
I am half Finnish and have had a sauna (pronounced SOW-NA, “sow” like “cow”) in every home I have ever lived in. 🇫🇮
I originally wanted to be a gym teacher, so somehow landing on personal trainer, Kinesiologist and nutrition coach, was not too far off. And now, I cannot even imagine my life any other way!
My favourite foods include mashed potatoes, tacos, strawberries, bacon, salad, gnocchi, butter tarts, cabbage rolls, pirogies and skor anything. I LOVE potato chips (salt and vinegar is LIFE) or any salty/crunchy snacks and don’t restrict myself from much of anything, because I believe that all things can be enjoyed in moderation.
I went through post-secondary education for over 8 years, earning two college diplomas, a degree in Kinesiology and a masters in Nutrition. I love diving into the science behind ANY fad exercise technique or diet and DEBUNKING diet culture and mentality!
I MUST have an extra large black tea every morning and can often be found sipping a room temperature Tim Hortons steeped tea throughout an entire 8-hour work day.
My husband Luca is my favourite person in the world and makes me laugh every single day.👫
I am OBSESSED with cleaning and especially love washing my floors. Yup. Cleaning. It is so relaxing and I find it helps relieve stress.
And there you have it! Just a few little tidbits about me and what I bring to the world. So let me know in the comments below - what type of information do you want me to share? Anything from healthy eats, fitness, meal planning, lifestyle tips, recipe development, running, training… let me know!
Until next time…cheers!
xx Melanie