Fitness A Way of Life
Q&A with the Company's Co-founder, Noelle McKenzie
Q&A with the Company's Co-founder, Noelle McKenzie
By: Megan Paolini
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Haley Madison Magazine recently chatted with Noelle McKenzie, model and one half of Fitness A Way of Life in NYC, to find out the philosophy behind the company, future plans, how she built her client base and much more.
Why did you decide to go into fitness and health?
NM: Well, initially I had no inkling to work in fitness. When I moved to New York I was looking for something flexible with my schedule and training was something that presented that opportunity for me. In helping clients and sharing my own personal experiences, in designing my work out program and just forming those relationships, I just grew to love working in the field and that’s when I decided to start my own venture with Fitness A Way of Life.
How do you view fitness in your own life?
NM: I was an athlete in college, so I’ve always been very proactive about my own health and staying in shape and very aware of what you eat and how exercise affects your body.
What’s your workout and diet philosophy?
NM: I say more is always better. For people who are on the go, I feel that if you’re really focused, you only need 20 to 30 minutes [of workout] 3 to 4 times a week, 5 is even better to get a solid workout in. Some people will say you need to do cardio and strength training separately, but I favor doing both in a combo. I always say you shouldn’t completely cut things out of your diet. You want to eat everything in moderation. I would never say you can’t have what you crave, you just need to make sure you balance it out with a well rounded meal. Just make up for it wherever you’re cheating with healthier options to accompany that. Try to get all the colors of the rainbow in your diet. Everything you consume contributes something new and different to your overall health.
How do you share that philosophy with others?
NM: I tell my clients that you don’t need to spend hours on end to get a good workout in. As long as you are targeting your full body or you're working yourself out dynamically, with a lot of variety you can really knock out a solid workout in 20 to 30 minutes.
How do you use social media?
NM: When I started personal training on my own, I really needed to start utilizing the web. I turned to Twitter, I turned to Facebook, and I created a newsletter and a blog. I tap into the social media outlets as often as I can. I try to update daily. I also now have a YouTube channel where I log workouts for my online viewers.
Where did your initial followers come from?
NM: My clients. When I first started training I worked out of a corporate gym and I brought a few of my solid clients out with me when I left. From there, referrals were a big key thing for me. Then I started my site and blogging a lot and started getting followers that way. I try to interact as often as I can so people attach my image to my name.
How are you developing your business?
NM: I’m trying to continue to grow my online viewership and followers. I’m launching a new website this year. I am holding small group training sessions in the city with my boyfriend, who is also a trainer. This way we can give a male and female perspective. I’m not quite sure where I see the big picture. I love training people individually, but I definitely would like to get more in behind the scenes.
What’s the Corporate Wellness Program?
NM: My greatest initiative that I’m working on for 2011 is the Corporate Wellness Program. I decided I wanted to tap into wellness in the workplace. I’m just in the pitching stage. I have a couple of different program options laid out which involve a monthly health seminar- someone would come in and speak on different issues that arise in the workplace, eating well on the go, what you can cook that’s healthy, topics such as that. More elaborate plans would include doing a monthly group exercise class, and then there’s also an option of one-on-one training. It depends on the scale of the company and how much they want to invest.
How did you get from modeling to fitness?
NM: I’m still a model, that’s actually how I fell into training. I moved to New York to pursue modeling and I wanted something as backup and training was flexible. I am actually with a fitness agency now. I try to separate the two because the fashion industry is so cut-throat. I prefer to train people who are athletic, people who are looking to make a change in their life. I don’t focus on models.
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Photo Credit: Jimi Sweets