Melanie Ortanez

Elsa T. (Testimonial)

Coach Melanie is da best (I live in Hawaii now)! Whether in person or virtual she is amazing! Always supporting and helping you progress to meet your fitness, health and wellness goals! She is knowledgeable, non judgmental, kind and tailors the training for me! She always takes into account my aches , pains, post surgical condition, schedule, events, nutrition - you name it - Coach Melanie has always made adjustments that help me in my journey. I am so impressed by her! I met Coach Melanie at the UCSF Bakar Fitness Center when I barely exercised after a cervical spine surgery years ago. I was having back and nerve pain and I hadn't done a triathlon or run in eons, couldn't do a push-up and didn't exercise regularly. After working with Coach Melanie I strength train consistently ( super important for us all!), completed the sprint distance Honolulu triathlon, a couple of 10k's and few metric century rides and am on my way to more! My goal is to one day complete the iron- person distance tri and if anyone can help me get there it's Coach Melanie. We talk over nutrition I even meal prep now - not something I did before. I've had a few trainers over the years but Coach Melanie is the absolute best! I also really respect her values and am impressed by her own health, wellness and fitness journey. She's a fantastic person! Start training with Coach Melanie now to progress in your journey - no matter your level. You'll not regret it

Shalini K. (Testimonial)

I started training with Melanie November of 2016. After one of previous personal trainers left Bakar Fitness I tried a few people before finding Melanie. Melanie's profile caught my eye on the website of Bakar fitness. I have always been on the petite side naturally and one of my goals was to be able to gain muscle and be strong. I never thought it was possible for me to be very strong being a 5'3 and naturally skinny person. Melanie definitely proved me wrong! My proudest moment was when I was able to deadlift 185lbs (I was myself 107lbs). While the number of pounds gained/lost definitely shows progress and reflects great milestones in one's personal health journey, training with Melanie has helped me look at health beyond numbers. Training with Melanie has had cascading positive effects in my life. I have become more disciplined when it comes to my health which in turn has improved my diet, reduced my anxiety, helped with my insomnia. Melanie is definitely unique in her approach. I have had several trainers where training means 1 hour of working out with them every week. Melanie is not your average trainer. She cares deeply about her clients and goes above and beyond for them. Outside of our 1 hour of training, to give an example of how Melanie came through as a coach for me - She gave me a nutritional program and kept me accountable. I broke my wrist from a bike ride; Mel helped me train my lower body in isolation for multiple months which helped me stay healthy physically and emotionally. I also had a shoulder surgery from a sports injury. I experienced a lot of atrophy and stiffness after the surgery. Melanie has supported me over the last 2 years to build back my strength and range of motion. I can do pull ups again! I have gained a lot of strength and muscle with her programs. Melanie is not a trainer that just cares about the number of pounds dropped/gained or to just get you high numbers for squats or deadlifts. She is very cognizant of injuries, she puts a lot of focus on conditioning and stretching and taking care of your body like it is a temple.She is extremely educated about anatomy. These qualities differentiates Melanie's programs from just another personal training experience. People often think having a personal trainer is not worth the money. Why pay someone when you can google exercises/programs. Having done my share of googling programs and investing in a personal trainer like Melanie, I can definitely say I am better off with Melanie. I look at health differently now and investing in having an expert like Melanie has definitely been the right choice and the returns have been more than worth it.

Tracy (Testimonial)

Working with Mel changed my life. When we started, I was doing physical therapy for an early frozen shoulder diagnosis. I had very limited mobility, was in pain and so weak. I had also packed on some weight that I could not get off because I couldn't move. It was a vicious cycle that I really needed help getting out of. I started working with Mel and she customized my fitness plan. She listened carefully to my concerns/discomfort and I always trusted her vision of what was possible. She had a background in physical therapy and was familiar with the issues that I had with my shoulder. It was alot of hard work but Mel has such an infectious positivity. I knew when she pushed, it was always something she knew I could do. All of the work we did really paved the way for me to have a pain-free vacation backpacking Europe for a month and a very active lifestyle when I lived in the UK recently. When I think back to how far I have come in terms of strength and mobility (probably 99% there) - I am amazed at how much we were able to accomplish together. Mel is as committed in your success as you want her to be. In our sessions, we worked hard but it was always alot of fun and filled with laughter. She is a wealth of information, a cheerleader, health and wellness guru and a gem of a human being.

Angela H. (Testimonial)

This review is for personal trainer Melanie Ortanez. Mel and I met 8 years ago when I was newly engaged. I was consistently going to the the gym and classes, but struggling to see progress. When I signed on to train with Mel, she helped me build a nutrition plan along with weekly sessions, and homework to do in my own time. She also taught me how to count macros, and ways to incorporate alcohol and cheat meals. With her guidance, after 6 months, I decreased my body fat percentage by 35% to where wanted to be for my wedding. When I was pregnant and postpartum, she helped me stay strong and consistent throughout. What I appreciated was that she understood that goals shift with our life stage changes. As a coach, Mel is very thorough and works with your lifestyle (flexibility on vacations, special occasions, etc.). She even writes me workout plans for when I go on vacation and have limited equipment. She is also my go-to person for supplement questions and is always in the know for the most delicious healthy snacks! With the continued results, I continue to train with Mel and have never felt better in my life. Highly recommend Melanie!