My Story
Since I can remember,
I have been very active and athletic.
A native of Toronto, I spent much of my childhood playing sports. Cross-Country running. Track and Field. Long Jump. Baseball. Basketball. Gymnastics. Fueled with athletic passion, I would skip school to proudly watch our Canadian athletes compete at the Olympics.
I was mesmerized at how the world’s greatest athletes
used their physique to perform their sport.
When young, I was also shy. Sport was my outlet. It was my confidence builder. That was, until a television program changed the trajectory of my life.
I was 10 years old when I saw a TV program that featured a woman palm-reading and describing the palm’s main lines and their meaning. One of them was the “life” line and when I looked down at my hand, I noticed my “life” line was short. Really short. At the age of 10, this revelation stopped me in my tracks and I thought “Oh my God, I’m only going to live until I’m 40! What can I do to ensure I live decades longer?”
This revelation, combined with my passion for sport, was the beginning of my life-long quest for health and longevity.
My thirst for knowledge started at Branksome Hall and continued through Kings College and Dalhousie University with studies in Philosophy and Economics, followed by a year at Western University. My education followed the usual and traditional academic path but, more importantly, I was learning how to think critically; and, I was discovering myself.
A chance encounter with a well-known modeling agent, propelled me to move to Europe where I built a successful and long modeling career.
This provided me the opportunity to travel, live and work in different and beautiful countries, meet extraordinary people and experience many vibrant cultures.
On a return visit to Canada, 36 years ago, I spontaneously took an aerobics class at Body
I fell in love with the Owner and with the vibrant energy and passion that defined Body Alive. It was its own life force. Captivated, I returned home to Toronto and for the next 20 years, together with my Partner, further built the brand, expanded the business and provided programs, classes, treatments and education which helped our clients stay motivated and embrace a healthy lifestyle.
“Health is wealth.”
After two decades of dedicating my time and energy to a business I firmly believed in and relationships I cherished, I was exhausted and found myself at a crossroad. I felt as if I had reached the end of one journey, and was caught between looking backwards and looking forward.
Strangely, my self-diagnosed prophecy that I would only live until 40 was extraordinarily predictable. My life, as I knew it, concluded. My relationship with my Partner ended. Body Alive was sold. I was at the precipice of starting my life all over again.
I embarked on a journey of self-discovery that spanned three years. I allowed myself the freedom that self-awareness brings. I took time to heal. I searched within my spiritual self for meaning. I stopped and listened to what my mind and body were telling me. And, I realized that I was the only one who had the answer.
I took the time to build my resilience.
I decided to earn my Certified Coaches Federation Certificate and made a conscious choice to keep my life beautifully simple. I focussed on creating a boutique, entrepreneurial business dedicated to helping people on their journey to mental and physical wellness. My goal: to help people become the best version of themselves.
“It’s not one thing. It’s everything.”
Michelle Leman
In my role as an à la carte intuitive trainer, I take a proactive approach to health and fitness and leverage the power of the mind to empower our body’s well-being. I look beyond training and dive into the body, mind and spiritual elements of an individual.
Each body speaks to me differently. It’s not one thing, it’s everything. By understanding the mind and the body, the conscious and subconscious behavior patterns and their environments, I help individuals identify realistic fitness and wellness goals. And, design personalized, oneon-one health & exercise programs that empower change.
Ten years later, I continue to strive and live authentically, marshaling my personal strength and voice to care for and serve my clients. I live by the philosophy that everything changes when you change.
Life is cumulative and when we listen to our body, we find our authenticity that enables us to embark on a lifelong journey to mentally stretch our lifeline.
I am an ordinary woman. On an extraordinary path.