When Melanie Morton gave birth to her first child six years ago, she suffered from the common but not as frequently discussed postpartum depression. To deal with it, she turned to her knowledge of nutrition and health, and really turned inward to heal herself from within. Now, she dedicates her life to helping women, especially mothers, kick bad habits away for good and overcome health concerns – including weight loss, nutrition, hormonal imbalances – in a realistic way.

Growing up, Melanie was always active and participated in sports. She was, however, plagued by negative thoughts and unhealthy behaviors many young women face. She studied nutrition and became a nutrition therapy consultant, while working at Equinox as a personal trainer. Discouraged by the pricey tag for personal training sessions she had to sell clients, Melanie began working on creating a brand that really helped women focus in on the true problem.

“All these programs that exist are only focused on food and workouts but they don’t really teach women what’s going on with their bodies. Women will walk around all day every day feeling like shit. They’re bloated, or they’re fatigued, or they’re constantly getting a cold.”

So she created her Lean for Life method. An eight-week group coaching program that’s especially focused on the individual. She takes into consideration “everything,” even topics we shy away from and asks difficult questions like: Does a client have fertility issues? How did her mother view herself? Does she have low libido? What’s her relationship with food?

 By finding the answers to these tough questions, she helps women get to the root of their problems. This, of course, is accompanied by realistic nutrition and exercise guidelines.

 “This is the last program they’re ever going to do because I give them the information they need about their bodies,” she explains. “Your body is so smart your body is constantly giving you these signs. We need to learn how to work with our bodies and go back to the basics.”

In a health-crazed age, many people forget to look within. We restrict ourselves from being happy through a way of thinking that stops us from progressing and making meaningful, long-lasting changes. Melanie’s program is and important addition to the health world because it forces women out of their comfort zones and aims to completely transform their thought processes.    

 “You can eat all the kale that you want, but if you’re still thinking negatively about yourself, about the people around you, you’re stuck in bad relationships, or hanging out with negative people, or you just always think the worst, you’re never going to be happy.”

 And being happy is important to Melanie. As a mother of two and wife, she utilizes time blocking with her husband to make sure that she has time for her family and her business. When she’s a mom, she’s 100% a mom. She believes in spending time with her partner and away from her children, an idea that may be controversial to others, but is nevertheless important to her.

Melanie also co-hosts a podcast, The Female Experience, in which she offers more advice for women and talks about anything from sex to mom guilt to anxiety. Check her out on Instagram @melanie_morton_.

Melanie’s three healthy tips for women:
1.     Drink more filtered water
2.     Start strength training
3.     Walk 

Author

Gosia Labno is a photographer and writer based in Chicago. She holds a B.S. in Media and Cinema Studies and an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies. She is working on a collection of short stories chronicling the lives of undocumented immigrants in the United States. Follow.