actor. comedian. fitness pro.

"Melissa got me to reach goals I didn't think were possible! Through her I became the strongest version of myself physically and mentally. She is excellent at judging where you are at, what kind of workouts you can handle, and how to get you to the places you want to go. I never felt like I was "working out" because she made it fun!"

-Kathryn K. Miss Minnesota

 "I started working with Melissa about two years ago. Prior to meeting Melissa, I had always loved working out, but I struggled to do much beyond the elliptical. I was looking for someone that could help me define my muscles and become stronger. Melissa has done that and so much more for me. Our skype workouts are challenging AND fun. She uses things I have around my house to create body-weight workouts that kick my butt. An unexpected outcome from my workouts is the mental toughness and personal confidence I developed. Every pushup, every squat, and every ab exercise has strengthened my mind just as much as it has strengthened my body. I am confident, I am strong, and I am empowered because I have shown myself what I am capable of physically and mentally. Melissa from the Authentic You has the expertise and passion to take you to the next level."

-Carrie W. Miss South Dakota 2018

"I trained with Melissa for half a year or so and without a doubt it is one of the best decisions I have ever made! I was definitely out of shape and hoped to improve my core and gain general strength. I knew it would be hard work and take patience, but never did I imagine training would be so fun and rewarding. Melissa did a great job of meeting me where I was, adapting exercises on the fly as she assessed whether some exercises were too hard or too easy. Not to mention, she was fully and constantly engaged and is very attentive to the details. Melissa continually encouraged/pushed me to keep going, to try something harder or new but always making sure good form wasn’t being forgotten! No matter what, each time we met, I knew Melissa would come prepared with her friendly smile and a good butt-kicking-challenging-yet-fun workout for the day.Last year, I watched the runners at the Twin Cities marathon and thought, “I wish I could do that, but I know it’ll never happen for me”. But now, as I wrap up my training with Melissa to start half-marathon training (an idea she inspired!), I’m also gearing up to prepare for a full marathon in the fall.I feel great, I now actually enjoy a tough workout and it’s a nice perk that my friends have noticed the change in my physique- I definitely owe it big time to Melissa! My only regret? Not having taken a “before” picture!"

-Sara H. 

Melissa is more than just a personal trainer! She really helped transform my life!

Before I started working with Melissa, I had very little knowledge about fitness and could barely do a push up. Melissa took the time to not only teach me different exercises and proper form, but what muscles they target and how to combine exercises to get an effective workout. She made workouts fun by incorporating exercises that I enjoyed and mixing it up each session. After only a couple weeks I could feel my body getting stronger and my endurance increase. 

Like most women, I struggled with confidence. When I looked in the mirror I didn’t like the reflection staring back and didn’t believe in myself. Melissa helped increase my self-confidence through positive encouragement and pushing me to do that last set or beat my previous time. Even when I moaned and groaned because I thought it was too hard. At the end of each session I left with a sense accomplishment because, I DID IT!

Now, I love working out and it is a big part of my lifestyle. When I look in the mirror I can say “I love this girl!” because I am happy and comfortable in the healthy, beautiful body that God has given me that I’ve steward well.  This is what I love most about Melissa. She truly invests in her clients and wants to see them reach their goals and be the best version of themselves they can be.

-Mary S.

"I started working with Melissa in the fall of 2016 a couple months before my upcoming pageant. I initially started because I wanted to lose weight. I have tried multiple trainers throughout my 8 years of competing in pageants, but Melissa provides a unique approach to personal training that has kept me coming back to her. She takes a personal approach to training - each workout feels specialized to me and she understands my personal fitness goals. She has taken the time to invest in me and has been a huge support in my health journey. Plus, she documents every workout so I can see my progress. I know I've grown physically stronger since starting with Melissa, but I've also seen huge growth emotionally as she's believed in me at times when I didn't necessarily believe in myself. I would highly recommend Melissa!"

-Bailey W.

"Melissa is an outstanding personal trainer for numerous reasons but here are the top 3. First, she completely customized the workout to your strengths and weaknesses. She focuses on your strengths to give you the confidence to tackle your weaknesses. 2. She makes the workouts enjoyable because of the circuit training she gives a break in between and in the middle she’s making you feel confident by providing compliments and tips to make your next round even better. 3. She always ends with a stretch to reflect back on the workout, how could she enhance or change it. She also does Skype workouts which provides flexibility for both parties. Melissa is a strong entrepreneur with a heart of gold. She has the perfect blend of providing encouragement and challenge to each customized workout. I’d highly recommend her services if you want to transform your external figure but your internal confidence and motivation to become the most authentic you you can be."

-Tiara G.

"Melissa came to every appointment with a plan and pushed me to execute it. She helped me be patient with accomplishing my end goal, while keeping me engaged during each workout and explained HOW the exercises would help me get to the end goal.  She's the whole package and truly cares my goals."

-Chase B.

"Melissa truly gave me some of the toughest workouts I've ever had, but probably the best part of working out with her is her uplifting spirit! She has such an encouraging and positive attitude that even when I felt like giving up, I pushed through. She really helps your mental game as much as your physical game!"

-Emily S.

"Working out with Melissa was one of the best experiences! She is so positive and keeps you motivated. I highly recommend her program!"

-Libby S.