Conversations with Miriam Yaoska Reyes-Ayala

Today we’d like to introduce you to Miriam Yaoska Reyes-Ayala.

Hi Miriam Yaoska, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Side by Side with Miriam: Turning a Journey of Resilience Into a Vision for Wellness
My name is Miriam, and my journey to where I am today has been anything but a straight line.
I was born in Nicaragua and grew up for the most in Pasadena, California. Family, community, movement, and helping others have always been important parts of my life. I am a wife and mother of two sons, and my family has been a major part of the person I have become.

For many years, I was simply trying to navigate life while dealing with health challenges that I didn’t always understand. What began as unexplained physical and mental symptoms eventually became a much larger journey of learning about my own body, limitations, resilience, and what wellness really means.
Learning to Understand My Body
My health journey has included many challenges, including dysautonomia, reactive hypoglycemia, low blood pressure, neurological symptoms, herniated discs, gastrointestinal complications, endometriosis, and other medical issues that have required surgeries, procedures, hospitalizations, and significant changes to how I live my daily life.

I also experienced a hysterectomy because of endometriosis, which resulted in early medical menopause. Along the way, I faced periods of depression and anxiety and was also diagnosed with ADHD-PI.
There were times when my health became so unpredictable that even basic daily activities could require careful planning. I learned that energy is not something I can simply assume I will always have. Some days my body allows me to do more, while other days I have to slow down and listen.

I have also experienced serious gastrointestinal and tumor-related health issues, including carcinoid cancer and two gastrointestinal tumors. There were hospitalizations and difficult decisions about treatment and nutrition support. At one point, I even had to make the difficult decision about whether a feeding tube was necessary.
Those experiences changed my understanding of health.
I began to realize that wellness isn’t about pushing harder, ignoring symptoms, or following a one-size-fits-all plan. Sometimes wellness means knowing when to move, when to modify, when to rest, and when to simply give your body what it needs.

Finding Community Through Dysautonomia
When I was finally diagnosed with dysautonomia, I was introduced to the Los Angeles Dysautonomia Network (LADN). Finding LADN became an important part of my journey.
Having a community that understood what it meant to live with dysautonomia helped me realize that I wasn’t alone. It also opened my eyes to how many people live with invisible and misunderstood conditions while trying to navigate everyday life.

That experience stayed with me.
It made me think about how different wellness support could feel if people were met with understanding instead of judgment.
Rediscovering Movement
Movement has always been a part of my life, but my relationship with exercise changed as I learned more about my health.
I had to learn that movement doesn’t have to mean pushing my body to exhaustion. It can mean strength, mobility, balance, stability, breathing, and finding ways to move that respect the body in front of me that day.

That perspective led me deeper into fitness education.
I became certified as a Nutrition Coach and continued my education in TRX Suspension Training, Pilates, functional mobility, and active-aging movement. I completed TRX training and continued learning how suspension-based movement and strength training can be adapted for different needs and abilities.

My education has given me knowledge, but my lived experience has given that knowledge meaning.
I understand what it feels like when your body doesn’t cooperate with the plans you made. I understand what it feels like to want to move but have to modify. And I understand how discouraging it can be when traditional fitness advice doesn’t take those realities into consideration.

Creating Side by Side with Miriam
Eventually, I began asking myself:
What if wellness education could feel more personal, practical, and compassionate?
That question became the beginning of Side by Side with Miriam.
I recently established Side by Side with Miriam as a wellness-focused venture centered around simple nutrition education, practical cooking guidance, low-impact movement, strength, mobility, and suspension-based exercise.
The name is intentional.
I don’t want to stand above someone and tell them what they should be doing. I want to meet people where they are and work side by side with them.
I also want to be transparent about where I am in this journey: I have not started teaching clients yet, and I do not have a client base at this time.
Right now, I am building and establishing the foundation of my business. I’ve developed educational materials, created a program, continuing my practice and training education, and preparing for the day I welcome my first clients.

For me, that doesn’t make the vision any less real.
In fact, this beginning is an important part of my story.
A Different Kind of Wellness
My vision for Side by Side with Miriam is to create an environment where people don’t feel judged because their health journey doesn’t look like someone else’s.
I envision helping people understand nutrition in simple, practical ways—learning about portions, macronutrients, micronutrients, balanced meals, and everyday food choices without turning food into something to fear or feel guilty about.

I also envision movement being approachable.
That could mean Pilates, suspension training, strength work, mobility, or simply finding a few minutes of intentional movement that fits someone’s current abilities and energy.
Especially as we move through different stages of life, our bodies and circumstances can change. I believe our approach to wellness should be able to change with us.

My goal is not perfection.
My goal is progress that feels realistic.
Building Something From My Experiences
I am still at the beginning of building this business.
But I am not at the beginning of my story.
Everything I have experienced has helped shape what I want Side by Side with Miriam to become. My health challenges taught me compassion. My diagnosis taught me patience. My education gave me tools. My family continues to give me purpose. And my experiences with movement and nutrition have helped me understand that wellness can look different for every person.

I don’t want people to believe they have to completely transform themselves overnight.
Sometimes the first step is simply learning one thing.
Preparing one meal differently.
Finding one movement that feels good.
Taking a break without feeling guilty.
Learning to listen to your body.
And then taking the next step when you’re ready.
That is the kind of wellness journey I hope to support.

Looking Ahead
I don’t know exactly what every part of this next chapter will look like, but I know what I want it to feel like.
I want Side by Side with Miriam to be built on compassion, education, movement, accessibility, and real-life understanding.
I want people to know that they don’t have to be perfect to begin.
And I want my story to remind others that a difficult chapter doesn’t mean the story is over.
I may be at the beginning of my business journey, but I am not at the beginning of my story.
I am taking everything I have lived through, everything I have learned, and everything I continue to learn—and building something meaningful, one step at a time, side by side.
— Miriam

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Building Side by Side with Miriam has not been a completely smooth road, but every challenge has helped shape the vision behind my business. One of the biggest challenges has been building something new while navigating my own health limitations and learning how to create a business that works with my energy rather than against it.

I have also had to learn the business side of turning an idea into something real—from completing certifications and continuing my education, to creating my programs, developing educational materials, establishing partnerships, figuring out pricing, creating forms and policies, and building an online presence.

Because I am still in the early stages, I have not yet begun working with clients. Right now, I am laying the foundation carefully so that when I do begin, I can provide an experience that feels safe, supportive, personal, and realistic for people living with chronic health challenges.

There have been moments when the process has felt overwhelming, but I remind myself that I don’t have to build everything overnight. My journey has taught me patience, adaptability, and the importance of creating something that genuinely reflects my purpose.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work is centered around Side by Side with Miriam, a wellness and education vision I created from my own journey of learning how to care for my body while living with chronic health challenges. I focus on making nutrition and movement feel approachable, realistic, and less overwhelming—especially for people who may have limitations, fluctuating energy, or feel like traditional fitness and nutrition programs were not designed with them in mind.

I specialize in nutrition education, healthy habit building, and low-impact functional movement, incorporating Pilates, suspension-based training, mobility, and strength work. My approach is not about perfection, restriction, or pushing someone beyond their limits. It is about meeting people where they are and helping them build sustainable habits one step at a time.

I am especially proud of turning something that began as a personal vision into an established business. I have invested in my education and certifications in nutrition coaching, TRX, Pilates, suspension training, and active aging, while continuing to build partnerships and opportunities within my community. I am currently in the early stages of bringing my vision to life and preparing to begin working with clients.

What sets me apart is the “side by side” philosophy behind my work. I don’t want people to feel judged, lectured, or left to figure everything out on their own. I want to be beside them—educating, encouraging, listening, and helping them find realistic ways to nourish and move their bodies. My goal is to create a welcoming space where people can feel seen, supported, and capable of making meaningful changes at their own pace.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
I don’t have one specific childhood memory that I can easily pinpoint as my favorite. I have more of a collection of little moments that I remember fondly. Some of my happiest memories were the playful times I spent pretending to teach my little brother. I would make up little lessons, play teacher, and create my own little classroom as we played.

Looking back, it’s funny to think that even as a child, I enjoyed teaching, encouraging, and helping someone else learn. Those simple moments were filled with imagination, laughter, and connection, and they are the kind of memories that still make me smile.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sites.google.com/view/sidebysidewithmiriam/home
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sidebysidewithmiriam?stkn=MWJydjBpMjR2NjA4