Melissa Wood-Tepperberg Says This Wellness Practice Transformed Her

The wellness leader is a big proponent of “turn[ing] within.”

Melissa Wood-Tepperberg was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

As a fitness and wellness leader, Melissa Wood-Tepperberg is dedicated to the betterment of herself and her following. She preaches practices that are guaranteed to bolster both mental and physical health—and she takes those same practices to heart, too.

For the Melissa Wood Health founder, wellness isn’t simply a matter of movement. That’s an important piece, of course, but it’s not the only consideration. Holistic wellness concerns mental health, too, and Wood-Tepperberg gives particular attention to that on her digital platform.

When it comes to mental health, there is one practice that has truly transformed her life: meditation. Since making it a consistent part of her life, the 41-year-old has come to know herself better than ever before.

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“I would not be who I am today without my never ending commitment to my meditation practice. When I was at the lowest point in my life, I decided to no longer look outside of myself for all the answers and for once...turn within,” she revealed on Instagram, alongside a clip from the latest episode of her podcast, Move With Heart. “It’s helped me see myself, my flaws and my strengths and learn to embrace all of me with true love and acceptance. Something that took me a very long time to shift.”

Her biggest takeaway is this: “If you don’t like where you are in life, there’s only one person who can change that,” she said. “And when you change your habits, you have the ability to change your entire life. The power of meditation is so real.”

She’s learned it all through personal experience, and through her digital platform, she takes the opportunity to share that knowledge with her following. For meditations and other wellness and fitness classes, head to Melissa Wood Health. Wood-Tepperberg isn't the only SI Swimsuit model who preaches the benefits of meditation. 2024 rookie Penny Lane is a certified holistic health coach who uses breathing techniques for stress relief, while fellow rookie Sharina Gutierrez leads a whole series on mantras and meditations. For some of our additional favorite meditation focused apps check out our complete list.