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Melinda Nicci
Sport Psychology Consultant

A highly-qualified sport and exercise psychologist, Melinda helps women improve their fitness during and after pregnancy. She also gives guidance as the fitness expert for Prima Baby magazine.

Achievements

Prima Baby magazine and Supernanny fitness expert.

Masters degree in sport and exercise psychology.

Certified fitness consultant with more than 10 fitness qualifications.

Specialities

As well as being an expert on Greatvine.com, I serve as the fitness expert for Prima Baby magazine, London Lite, Mama Mio, Fitbug, Supernanny.com and Babyexpert.com. In addition to this, I help parents at consumer shows such as The Baby Show, fitness conferences and via appearances on TV and radio.

I use psychological principles to help you to set your goals and achieve them, from fitness to running a marathon, or from a new mum coming to terms with parenthood to someone going through a divorce.

I draw on my own experience as a mother, a fitness professional, and sport psychology consultant and I can help you set goals, educate you to understand your needs, motivate you to achieve them and inspire you to maintain your health and wellbeing and reach your goals, whether they are in your personal or professional life.

In her own words

I’m a qualified fitness trainer with a master’s degree in sport and exercise psychology, and am passionate about helping people to make significant behaviour changes to improve their health, fitness, performance and achievement. My work over the past 20 years has included pre- and postnatal fitness and wellbeing, helping people to redefine their boundaries and push their limits to achieve their goals, and helping teenage girls improve their motivation and fitness. I enjoy inspiring and motivating people of all ages to achieve more and live well.

I co-authored The Pregnancy Book, the definitive daily guide to pregnancy (DK 2009), and I write for a number of magazines and websites on all aspects of fitness, performance and wellbeing. I also produced a DVD baby2body workout, which appeared on GMTV.

In 1994 I successfully launched baby2body, an international fitness and lifestyle company committed to inspiring and educating women to help them live healthy lifestyles. The business was runner-up in the Barclays Bank ‘Take one small step’ competition in 2010.

I specialise in helping people achieve their goals in fitness, sport, performance and personal life. I can help you get into pre-baby shape, improve your body shape and general fitness, advise on goal setting and motivation, help teenage girls with specific teen issues and advise you on nutrition, wellbeing, performance, fitness and emotional issues.

I am also a mother of two children!

Caller feedback

"Thank you for helping me to keep my weight gain to a healthy level during my pregnancy. I quickly got back into shape and have never looked better thanks to your advice."
Fit mum, London

"Dear Melinda, I think that there must not be a month or maybe even a week (!) that goes by without me mentioning you. Mel, you have an incredible programme. Not only it works, but it is fun too. It was so addictive. I was looking forward to seeing you all the time, I was motivated and dedicated to my health, and it worked wonders! (Gaelle, mum of 2)"
Gaelle

"I have a three month old baby and I have found my sessions with Melinda to be invaluable. She is so much more than a personal trainer. Mind, body and spirit all get addressed. She know’s her subject but is extremely reaslistic and empathetic to a new mum. Most importantly the sessions are fun and I feel motivated and energised."
Tracy

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Melinda's experience

Founder and CEO
Body Club Limited (London, UK)
1996 - Present

• Body Club is a fitness and lifestyle business. Created and developed a global and highly successful fitness and lifestyle program for women: baby2body. The company provides services to fitness clubs across the United Kingdom and operates a network of Personal and group training, stroller clubs, interactive websites, DVDs, and related fitness and wellness products. • Partnered with the largest fitness franchising company in the UK: The Energie group to roll out baby2body franchises nationally and internationally. baby2body Consulting • Holmes Place Group of health clubs: focus on member retention programmes. • Esporta Health & Fitness Group : customer service and created a strategy for culture change. • The Children’s Museum (Patron - Cherie Blair wife of ex Prime Minister Tony Blair) – planned a children’s interactive museum to be built in Midlands; focused on securing sponsorship.

Marketing Manager
Sequinpark Group (London, U.K.)
1994 - 1996

Sequinpark (www.sequinpark.demon.co.uk) health and fitness clubs for women. This innovative group established in 1992 was the first to offer a dedicated fitness club for women. • Designed and implemented new brand identity, marketing strategy, advertising, promotions and publicity for the group. • Created new sales strategy and sales incentives. Grew membership 100% in 6 months. • Developed and put into operation training and incentive programs for sales and front line staff. Designed and implemented a new sales structure, member retention and customer care programs. • Developed a new revenue producing department for the clubs using barter transactions, advertising deals and began a loyalty card system, the first of its kind in the industry. • Was instrumental in achieving the successful sale of the company to a larger chain: Fitness First For Women

Marketing Manager
Virgin Active (Johannesburg, South Africa)
1993 - 1994

Virgin Active (www.virginactive.com)(Formerly Health and Racquet Club Group) one of the world’s largest health and fitness organizations with operations in the UK, Japan, USA, Australia, and Singapore. The HRCG pioneered the formalisation of the industry in Africa and remains the dominant force in South Africas fitness industry. • Responsibilities included marketing plan and budgeting for pre-opening and existing clubs. Managed each new club opening and campaign briefing advertising agency, club managers, and the board of directors. Coordinated and delivered all advertising, promotions, publicity, sponsorship and sponsorship income for the region and for the country while Director was on maternity leave. • The company grew from 5 to 67 clubs. • Arranged in house member functions and promotions, staff seminars and conferences. • Started a revenue producing department in all clubs via sponsorship deals, advertising in the clubs and sampling to our large data base. • Training delivered to staff in member retention programmes and member services.

Studio Manager
HRCG
1991 - 1992

Old Edwardians Health and Sports Club (Johannesburg, South Africa) . The flagship health, fitness and country club of The Health and Racquet Club Group. Part of the original founding management team; successfully managed pre-opening sales, initiated and delivered local marketing and PR. Achieved membership of over 35000 after the first year’s operation. • Responsible for the operations and management of the group exercise studios including hiring of instructors and ongoing training and development. • General management and operations. • Fulfilled a regional management role, focusing on strategy and policy for the regions studio departments. Developed standard operating procedures for this department, which was then used countrywide. Developed a new revenue producing department, successfully negotiating sponsorship deals for the studios and instructors and selling advertising space in the club. Promoted to head office.