Meet Makenna Wesley, Lagree Fitness Instructor & Health Coach

Each week we highlight a member of the Locally Well San Diego Collective, our membership community for San Diego's health + wellness entrepreneurs. This week we're highlighting Makenna Wesley, who is a Lagree Fitness Instructor and Health Coach.

Growing up I was always active – I danced until I was 18 and then found an outlet in fitness. I loved the energy of taking group fitness classes and would look forward to the hours I carved out for myself before or after work. It wasn't until my mid-20s that I really started to dive deeper into health and wellness. Around that time, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called Sjrogrens Syndrome, and was experiencing brain fog, and fatigue and was developing rashes all over my body.

I remember going to countless doctors and dermatologists and walking out of my appointments with a list of prescriptions and feeling frustrated that the doctors were giving me a band-aid to mask my symptoms rather than getting to the root cause. I knew this wasn't sustainable and decided to take my health into my own hands.

I enrolled in the Institute of Integrative Nutrition where I learned about health from a holistic perspective and started seeing a functional medicine doctor. As my symptoms improved, my interest in health and wellness continued to grow. After moving to San Diego from Phoenix I discovered Lagree Fitness which was a game changer for my strength since I was able to incorporate resistance training while maintaining low stress on my joints. I eventually left my corporate job and became a level 2 certified Lagree Fitness instructor and now coach group and private lessons, along with offering virtual health coaching programs.

My approach weaves together my personal experience of living with an autoimmune condition and being a resource to those looking to live a healthy, happy life through lifestyle and mindful movement. I want health and wellness to be approachable and I offer recommendations through my blog and a monthly newsletter with products, books, podcasts, tips, small swaps, and local businesses to support in the wellness space. My goal is to provide value whether you are trying to increase energy, fill your group fitness classes, or finally dial in your sleep routine.

I will never forget an Instagram message I received from a client who would frequently take my group Lagree classes. She shared that she had been going through a phase of depression and anxiety and signed up for my class because she knew seeing me, feeling my positive energy, and taking my class would get her out of bed. She thanked me for always remembering her name, showing kindness to her, and fixing her form.

As an instructor, you never know what somebody is going through, and it's messages like these that is why I do what I do and I don't take that lightly. Being able to be a small part of someone's day whether it's helping them get out of bed, or just get a great workout is the most rewarding feeling in the world. Knowing that I made a positive impact on this person when they needed it is something I truly cherish.

A big challenge for me in both my personal and business journey is learning to say no; I can't say I'm perfect at this, but I've gotten significantly better over the last few years! I'm the type of person who wants to say yes to every opportunity or help sub every class that my colleagues need covered. Because of my autoimmune disease, I've learned that I need to schedule time for rest and if I take on too much, I pay for it by feeling extremely fatigued, burned out, and depleted.

I've learned to listen to my body, and I have a good sense of what my limits are now, but it is an ongoing practice. I'd much rather cancel a plan or reschedule a meeting so that I can fill my own cup and ultimately show up as my best self when I've taken the time to prioritize my physical and mental health.

It's easy to get caught up in the latest wellness trends on social media. At the end of the day, health is so bio-individual – meaning that what works well for me might not work well for you. I've found that for most people taking their health back to basics and focusing on the fundamentals of prioritizing sleep, eating whole foods, and finding a movement practice that you are excited about is key.

Also, give yourself some grace – your needs will change as you enter different life seasons. For a new mom, your sleep and fitness routine will look different than it did a year ago, and that's OK! How I exercise and how I eat is completely different than it looked a few years ago, and I continue to refine this as my needs change.

We are fortunate to live in San Diego which I feel is an incredible place for wellness businesses! One of the best ways that I see fitness studios and wellness businesses grow is by writing reviews or testimonials online through Google Reviews, Yelp, and directly to your practitioner's website. It's free and really does go a long way in helping support the success and spreading the word for local wellness businesses.

Look out for my monthly Women in Wellness feature on my blog which highlights different females in the wellness space. I'm also part of the event planning committee for Designing Dreams, a non-profit charity that remodels bedrooms of children actively undergoing cancer treatment. We are planning a spring fitness fundraiser in San Diego which I'm excited to be a part of and will share more details soon!

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