Hidden Gems: Meet Valerie Merriweather of Fitwell Training Solutions

Today we’d like to introduce you to Valerie Merriweather.

Hi Valerie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
You could say that I’m a health and wellness devotee. As far back as I can remember, I’ve been intrigued by health, the body, and the power that women have to take care of themselves. I began my journey as a ballet dancer. During those early years, I struggled with body image and not feeling thin enough. Growing up in California fueled those feelings of inadequacy because everyone seemed to have the “perfect” body. Needless to say, I pushed through those feelings and stayed active in a variety of activities such as cheerleading, badminton, and even joined my mom in her aerobics classes.

When I went to college (Howard University), I noticed that my entire dorm room hallmates had gained the freshman 15 pounds. On a mission, I and another classmate developed fitness classes to get the dorm in shape. I knew that I loved fitness when I could have an erratic student schedule and still have the energy to inspire others to exercise!

After I graduated from college, I had a variety of jobs ranging from direct patient care to healthcare consulting, and finally, working at a large HMO. I saw the impact that chronic disease had on people and really wanted to get back to the preventive side of care. During this time, I worked with a group of pediatricians who were perplexed by the number of children presenting with Type 2 Diabetes. They asked me what to do. My response? “In order to change the health of a child, you have to reach and connect with the mother.” That was my aha moment. I knew at that time that I was meant to be in the health and wellness space full-time and my target would be women, especially busy mothers due to their influence on the family.

I took a leap of faith and left my full-time job to become a personal trainer. Over the course of time, I earned my personal trainer certifications along with health coaching and several specialty certifications. I founded Fitwell Training Solutions to blend my passion for working with busy women with my experience working in the healthcare setting to guide my clients to make healthy lifestyle choices.

Today, I continue to empower busy women to make health a priority. I help them create their personalized health and wellness blueprint that compliments rather than competes with their busy schedules. Drawing from my early experience of not feeling thin enough or having the perfect body, I help women with self-acceptance and focusing on the positive aspects of their health and wellness journey. Ultimately, my goal is to give busy women the tools they need to take care of themselves and their families in order to build stronger communities. My company motto is to help women grow, thrive, and flourish!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Stepping out of a comfortable corporate job was scary because I had to figure out how I could make money doing what I loved. There were times when I had to work in a gym and I didn’t love it because I really wanted to be on my own. However, sometimes, the season of preparation in unexpected places is just what you need. I didn’t realize it at the time but working in those gyms really prepared me to be business owner. I could learn without the risks of owning a gym. I learned about customer service and how to treat people.

However, being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. There have been many struggles and it really comes down to mindset. I have to practice positive self-talk constantly and remind myself that passion does pay off! I’ve learned to be careful about what I take in especially when it comes to other entrepreneur success stories. It’s easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to others and that can really derail you.

Because the health and wellness space is cyclical, I’ve had to get creative about how I earn my income. There have been times where I had to take on additional work to offset those income dips. I’ve also had to re-imagine how I do my coaching and training. Now I offer virtual coaching and that has been a tremendous benefit to my business and allowed me to connect with people worldwide.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Fitwell Training Solutions is a health and wellness company dedicated to helping busy women prioritize their health. I am a nationally certified health and wellness coach who educates, empowers, and encourages busy women to take charge of their well-being through practice, do-able, realistic, and time-saving strategies. I’m known for helping women create a blueprint for their health and wellness that complements rather than competes with their lives. I provide unique insights, motivation, and support to time-pressed women in order to reduce and manage everyday stress. Ultimately, I guide and influence busy women as they distill what to do and how to do it as they age with confidence and purpose.

I offer the following services:
Self-discovery consultations
Health and wellness coaching
Customized seminars and workshops
Online Courses
Outdoor wellness experiences

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory was growing up in California and experiencing all of the beauty in the area such as mountains, beaches, trails, and the Hollywood landmarks. I had so much fun learning how to boogie board, windsurf, and water ski. We had a pool so our family always had people over and we’d swim, play ping pong, hula hoop, and eat. Fun times!!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.fitwellsolutions.com
• Instagram: @valeriemerriweather
• Facebook: fitwellsolutions

Image Credits
Professional Head Shot – Chioke Brown