Toronto-based Alicia Bell is Puma Canada’s first EVER Training Ambassador. She’s also a Kinesiologist, Strength Coach, Fitness Model, Fitness Competitor, Track and Field Sprint Coach and Personal Trainer. Her clients have included Dwight Howard (NBA), Rashad McCants (Former NBA), Geoff Harris (Olympic 800m runner), Lil Jon and even Drake’s mom!

We found out what it’s like to have her career.

SDTC: Walk us through a day in your life.

AB: I wake up at 5:08 a.m. on most mornings and tend to hit snooze 2-3 times before forcing myself to get up. Some days are easier than others. But I am a morning person! I love starting my day early. I feel like I get so much more accomplished. I typically start my first clients by 6 a.m., so that means I rush to get out of the door before 5:30 a.m. After my first clients of the day I do my own fasted cardio. I have an amazing boyfriend who makes breakfast for me so I go home and have a high protein breakfast and get to spend time with him before heading to my afternoon clients. I try and get some work done on the computer in mid-afternoon. Answering email, creating content and working on projects.

By late afternoon it’s time for me to lift. By this time I’ve probably had about 3-4 meals (I usually eat every 2-3 hours). I lift and then eat again before my evening clients. I then finish by 9:30 p.m and either get in another cardio or head home. I usually decompress with some Netflix and have my last evening snack. I try to answer any important emails or finish any articles before spending time with my boyfriend who is an online trainer (he is very successful with competition prep clients), and I always try to be in bed by 12 the latest.

When did you know this was the career for you?

I realized when I was in University taking Kinesiology and started coaching track and field that I always wanted to share my knowledge with people and help them achieve their goals.

Best advice given to you?

The best piece of advice in relation to my career is never stop learning. The more you invest in yourself, the more you can help people achieve their goals. I try to stay humble and open-minded because the industry of fitness is forever evolving and adapting.

Tips for young women getting started in this industry?

Shadow a trainer that you know and respect. Really see how hard they work, watch their every move, ask questions and be prepared to sacrifice a lot of time. The most successful trainers and coaches work very hard to get to where they want to go. It’s not 9-5; it is 24/7.

Most challenging aspects? Most rewarding?

The most challenging thing about my work is when clients come to you for help but they don’t listen to you or are in denial about their habits. The most rewarding is working with “difficult” clients and seeing them through all of their challenges to achieve their ultimate goal. Changing someone’s life for the better is priceless and absolutely the most rewarding part of my job.

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