Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Wells.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Allison. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area in a very health-conscious family and environment. I’ve always been an athlete, playing soccer through my first couple years of college and have always loved cooking. Ever since I was young, I’ve loved to get into the kitchen and make recipes healthier, but still tasty. After finishing college with a BS in Broadcast TV Journalism, I moved to L.A. to pursue a career in some kind of TV production and decided to become a personal trainer on the side.
After receiving my personal training certification, I found that I really loved working with people to help them achieve their health goals. I continued down that path and received my Nutritionist and Wellness Consultant certifications, as well.
Over the years, I’ve worked independently as a personal trainer, nutritionist and health consultant. I also spent several years working in a physical therapy clinic, facilitating the injury rehabilitation.
Now, I continue to work as an independent business owner, while also coming full circle with my passion for TV/media hosting. I love hosting live cooking events, making wellness videos and blogging about the latest trends in the health and wellness world. I look forward to continuing to expand my platform to reach as many people as possible, helping them to succeed on their path to total wellness.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Being an entrepreneur is challenging. It takes constant motivation to keep building clientele and constant innovation to keep moving forward. I’ve tried SO many different business ideas over the years. Everything from healthy cooking parties, to bootcamps, to wellness seminars and many things in between. Not everything lands perfectly. In fact, being an entrepreneur means allowing for failure, but never giving up on your ultimate goals. It can be very frustrating to put time, energy and money into your own projects, only for them to fizzle out. I’ve found that the only way to stay in a positive mindset, is to make sure you’re learning something from each experience. How would I do it differently next time? What worked and didn’t work? It’s okay to feel badly if something doesn’t work out. I like to give myself a cut-off time that I can feel sorry for myself, then it’s back to the drawing board.
The gym culture is largely dominated by men. When I was first starting my business, I found myself in several situations where I was being spoken down, taken advantage of and intimidated into situations I was not comfortable with by gym owners. Twice, I was asked to double as an administrative assistant, in addition to my personal training, even though that was the very job I left (and despised) to become a trainer!
As a young woman, I believe it’s important to be clear about what you are looking for and what you will not put up with. Set boundaries for yourself that you won’t let anyone cross and goals for yourself that you’re constantly moving toward.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Allison Wellness – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
As a health and wellness coach, I believe that there is no magic bullet, nor is there one program that works for everyone. Each person has their own story. This is rooted in emotions, injuries, behavioral patterns and a personal history of how you’ve been caring (or not caring) for yourself throughout your life. I like to take a more holistic approach to wellness. This means figuring out what is a realistic and sustainable course of action for each individual. Fitness is about more than the few hours a week we spend together, it’s about shifting to a mindset to help you incorporate more activity into everyday life. Nutrition isn’t just about how many calories you’re eating, but about the quality of those calories and the emotions behind why you’re eating what you’re eating. I recognize that everyone is starting from a different place, and we need to set goals that are realistic for the individual.
I work with people of all ages, literally 16-85. Because of my work history in physical therapy, I can work with almost anyone who might be recovering from an injury, suffering chronically or has a degenerative disease. There is always something I can do to help you move your body and start feeling better.
I also work with a lot of women who are trying to get pregnant, who are pregnant and who are have just given birth. These are important demographics to specialize in, since there are very specific exercises and diets to avoid.
In terms of nutrition, I am a big proponent of clean, simple foods, with the occasional indulgence. Personally, I’ve been a vegetarian most of my life, so I encourage a mostly plant-based diet, with some animal products added in, if necessary. I love teaching people how to make simple, flavorful, healthy dishes and meals that they can create on a regular basis. It’s about shifting to a lifestyle where you can make food choices that support your ultimate health goals, but still enjoy foods you crave every once in a while. Balance is easier to maintain than being super strict all the time. Being educated about the quality and source of your foods can help you make those educated decisions more consistently.
My favorite thing about my work is the personal connections. I’ve been working with some of my clients for nearly 13 years. When you are a part of someone’s life for that long, they become your family. I consider myself extremely grateful for the relationships I’ve developed over the years, both with my clients and with my colleagues. It’s an honor to be brought into people’s homes and lives and to be trusted with their health.
I’ve also had the pleasure of working with larger groups of people, whether for a seminar, virtual coaching or testimonial groups for fitness products. Helping people to transform their bodies and their lifestyles and building a community of support is both exciting and humbling.
I believe my growing interest in mindfulness and a more holistic, compassionate approach to health coaching, as well as experience with very specific demographics provides for a unique and complete wellness experience.
Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
There are many opportunities for women in wellness. The best thing about being a woman, is that we understand what women need and want! We are more tuned in to what changes a woman’s body goes through over the years, be it hormonal changes, pregnancy or general aging. Women understand the societal pressures that we are put under on a regular basis, so developing a wellness program that’s tailored to those needs is something men might find more difficult. It’s common to find more female group exercise instructors for more flexibility and lengthening classes, such as Pilates, yoga and barre.
Pricing:
- One-on-One Personal Training Packages of 5, 10, or 20 sessions. Starting at $80 per session (for 20 session packages)
- Initial Nutrition Consultation $140. Follow-up appointments starting at $95
Contact Info:
- Website: www.allisonwellness.com
- Phone: (310) 773-1757
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @awells_wellness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Allisonwellness/
- Twitter: @awells_wellness
Image Credit:
Cody Lewis, Freebuilt Films, Emily Sandifer Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
