Rising Stars: Meet Abby Bell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby Bell.

 

Hi Abby, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hi, my name is Abby, and I am a health & fitness coach/personal trainer! My overall health & fitness story starts back in high school and college. I was never happy in my skin; I hid in the background so no one would see me (i was that super tall girl in high school) and never wore shorts because I hated my legs. I was obsessed with being skinny and what the scale was telling me. 

I knew I wanted to make a change because I hated my body, so I started running. I trained myself to run, and running was all I did. I thought running and eating less would help me reach my goals faster. Once I started to see results, I thought something was finally working, but I didn’t realize until over a year into it that I was depleting my body of nutrients by working out more and eating less.

I thought carbs were bad and avoided eating fatty foods (like cheese), which left me with no energy to take on my day; I was missing out on life because I was obsessed with getting results. I once again had a reality check and knew this wasn’t the way I wanted to live my life, so I decided to commit to another change. This involved less working out for 3 weeks (only 30 minutes a day from home) and focused more on fueling my body right without cutting out food groups.

I didn’t believe this was going to work, but I trusted the process because I couldn’t live this deprived lifestyle anymore. That three weeks changed my whole perspective on health & fitness! I felt better than ever and got results in 3 weeks that I hadn’t seen in years, I was never going back to my old ways. After my struggling journey, I had to share this with other women because i knew this could change their lives too! This is when I dove in and became a virtual health & fitness coach. I had a deep passion for helping other women discover there was a solution for them too and it was a healthy lifestyle that they could sustain for life with nutrition, fitness, and mindset work that allowed them to still enjoy life. 

This then led to me creating my virtual personal training business and putting my workouts on an app, in addition to my virtual health & fitness coaching. I started creating personalized workout plans for busy women who wanted to make time for themselves and feel energized, strong and confident again! I knew quick & effective workouts would get them there and I knew my personalized plans would help them stick to it for longer by starting at the appropriate level and addressing any specific needs they had. Today, I continue to share my story and passion, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to change women’s lives by helping them find a health & fitness plan to live a life they only dreamed of.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not always been a smooth road. I worked a full-time corporate job 9+ hours a day with a total of a 1-hour commute.

I had anxiety and was overstressed from my corporate job, but I knew if I wanted to see a change in my life, I had to continue working my health & fitness business in the pockets of time I had (mornings before work and evenings). This wasn’t always easy, and I made sacrifices like waking up at 4 AM for over a year. I knew the struggle would be worth it if I could slowly, day by day, build my business.

I also went through many life changes in 2020 that brought me to North Carolina. I went through a divorce, sold my home in Pennsylvania, and moved to a new state with my dog. This was the hardest point in my life, trying to re-discover myself and my life, but once again, I never gave up on my true passion for health & fitness and helping other women change their lives.

Today, I am happily married to an amazing man, pursuing my dreams with my businesses, and we are expecting our first baby. Being a new military spouse and a new momma is a whole new challenge I am ready to take on in this season of life. I will continue to share my journey with women and show them it is so possible to focus on your own health & fitness while pursuing your dreams, even in the craziest seasons of our lives. We are capable of anything we set our minds to; have faith, show up consistently and know you are worth it.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Virtual Health & Fitness Coach and personal trainer! I help women, especially busy women, who do not have much time in the day (working full time, raising babies, etc.), make themselves a priority through health and fitness.

This looks like fitness programs they can do from anywhere, with little equipment, little space, and little time. The workouts are quick and effective and made for them based on their goals and any precautions we have to take. For example, I work with many ladies who have bad knees, focusing on lower impact moves and inner thigh strength.

I also work with perfectly healthy women, with no injuries, who need a routine that fits into their busy lives. In addition to fitness, we focus on healthy habits and mindset. I help support them with healthy nutrition habits, if that is something they need, along with practices to create consistent habits so they realize they CAN do this even when it is hard!

Finally, I also have new workouts go on my app each week. This is less personalized workouts, but still a great variety to workout from anywhere and choose a program that sounds like a good fit for the day. I add about 2 new workouts a week to this app and if you sign up you get all the content I have uploaded in the past and every new one as well. 

In the end, I am there each step of the way with these women that i work with, through each season of life, because I know it is so worth it. I look back at my old self who was struggling so hard and remind them each day that they truly deserve this no matter how hard it gets. I see myself in them and I want them to know I am never going to give up on them and they shouldn’t give up on theirselves either. 

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I think risks make us stronger. They are so scary, and we often doubt ourselves, but I have to say every time I took a chance, had faith, and went for the big scary thing that set my soul on fire, it turned out to be even better than I imagined.

My advice: Take that scary risk because it is worse to sit and wonder what could have been all these years! Give it your best shot, see what it can be, and see your full potential in life! Yes, you will “fail” at times because we are human, but those failures are more like learning lessons that get you prepared for the next challenge you take on. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abby_schon_fit/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abby.schon/
• My App: https://abbyschonfit.app/