Most fitness plans fail because they only work in perfect conditions.
In this episode of The Unfiltered Fit Life, I share how traveling made me a better fitness coach and why women with busy, dynamic lives struggle to stay consistent with fitness and nutrition.
Most fitness advice assumes the same grocery stores, the same gyms, and the same routines at all times. Traveling exposes how unrealistic that expectation really is.
In this episode, I break down five ways travel has shaped how I coach women who want sustainable fat loss and consistency:
• understanding food availability while traveling
• adapting workouts when gym access is limited
• navigating different gym cultures and schedules
• managing social and cultural expectations around food
• recognizing how portion sizes vary globally
“If your fitness plan only works at home, it’s not a real plan." - Nathalia
The common thread is simple. Real consistency does not come from perfection. It comes from flexibility, education, and knowing how to adapt.
If traveling is part of your life, your fitness plan should be built for it. Not something you abandon every time you leave home.
This episode is for women who want results without needing a perfectly controlled environment to achieve them.
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More about the Unfiltered Fit Life podcast
Ever wish you had a fit and straightforward BFF with over 15 years of experience to help you filter through all the information regarding fitness, nutrition, and life?
That’s exactly what you’ll get when you listen to the Unfiltered Fit Life Podcast.
Join Former Bikini Olympia Champion, mom of 2, and fitness coach Nathalia Melo each week as she shares fitness, nutrition, and life tips to help busy working moms simplify their fitness journey so they can learn easy and simple strategies on how to lose weight and feel sexy AF.
After helping over 5000 busy working moms, Nathalia has found the blueprint to fitness, nutrition, and life success, which she will be sharing in this podcast: actionable tips that will help busy working moms be more present at work and at home.
This show is for you if you realize that nothing good comes from your comfort zone and are ready to challenge yourself to achieve great things. Follow Unfiltered Fit Life wherever you are listening to join us each week for a splash of sass, humor, and a whole lotta truth.
How Traveling Made Me a Better Fitness Coach
Introduction
Nathalia Melo:
Nathalia opens the episode by welcoming listeners back to the Unfiltered Fitlife Podcast and thanking them for their continued support, reviews, and messages. She shares how challenging it can be to stay consistent with podcasting and explains that listener feedback is what motivates her to keep going. She introduces the topic of the episode, explaining that traveling has deeply shaped her perspective as a fitness coach. She explains that much of the fitness advice given to women assumes a perfectly controlled environment, which does not reflect real life, especially for women who travel or live dynamic lifestyles.
Lesson #1: Understanding Food Availability in Different Countries
Nathalia Melo:
Nathalia explains how traveling and living in multiple countries has expanded her understanding of food availability, substitutions, and grocery store access. She shares examples of how foods commonly available in the US and Canada are not always accessible elsewhere. She explains how this has influenced how she coaches women to make decisions rather than follow rigid food rules. Nathalia emphasizes that plans only work long term when women understand how to navigate what is actually in front of them, not just what is listed on a meal plan.
Lesson #2: Equipment Availability and Gym Hours
Nathalia Melo:
Nathalia discusses how traveling exposes the reality of limited gym equipment, small hotel gyms, broken machines, and restricted gym hours. She shares personal stories of training in hotel gyms with minimal resources and explains how this has made her more creative as a coach. She emphasizes that consistency is not about perfect equipment, but about knowing how to adapt workouts when options are limited. She explains how this experience helps her program more realistic workouts for women who travel.
Lesson #3: Gym Culture Around the World
Nathalia Melo:
Nathalia explains that gym culture varies significantly by country and that access to gyms is not always guaranteed. She shares examples of different rules and expectations, including footwear requirements, tattoo policies, and gym access systems. She explains how these experiences highlight the importance of flexibility and problem solving. Nathalia emphasizes that fitness strategies should not depend on guaranteed access and that women need plans that work even when gyms are unavailable.
Lesson #4: Cultural Expectations Around Food
Nathalia Melo:
Nathalia discusses how food culture differs across countries and how meals are often longer, more social, and shared. She explains how these cultural norms can make traditional tracking or rigid rules unrealistic. She emphasizes that success in these environments is not about willpower, but about learning how to navigate social eating without guilt, restriction, or regret. She explains how her lived experience allows her to better support women who struggle with food during travel and social situations.
Lesson #5: Understanding Portion Sizes Around the World
Nathalia Melo:
Nathalia explains that portion sizes vary widely across countries and that what is considered a normal serving in one place may be very different elsewhere. She shares how seeing this firsthand has helped her develop a more accurate understanding of appropriate portions. She emphasizes that fat loss does not require perfection or avoidance while traveling, but rather awareness and consistency. Nathalia explains that traveling often highlights why long term success depends on flexibility, not rigid expectations.
Why This Matters for Women With Dynamic Lives
Nathalia Melo:
Nathalia explains that all five lessons share one core theme. Most women do not live narrow, perfectly controlled lives. She explains how fitness plans that require perfection fall apart the moment life changes. Nathalia emphasizes that women who travel for work or leisure need strategies designed for movement, unpredictability, and real life, not plans that must be paused every time they leave home.
Real Results While Traveling
Nathalia Melo:
Nathalia shares real examples of members who travel frequently and are still making progress. She explains that sustainable results while traveling may look different, but they are absolutely achievable. She emphasizes that expectations, patience, and consistency matter more than chasing perfect conditions.
Final Thoughts and Listener Invitation
Nathalia Melo:
Nathalia closes the episode by emphasizing that traveling has made her a more empathetic and effective coach. She explains that lived experience allows her to better support women in real world situations. She invites listeners who travel frequently to share what they have learned along the way and encourages messages and fan mail. She closes by thanking listeners and expressing excitement for future episodes.
