Stridist Stories: Carly Killen

Hello! Who are you and what do you do?

I’m a registered dietitian and strength coach helping women to live a strong and vibrant life with a focus on health and osteoporosis prevention.

What’s your backstory and how did you end up in your current position?

The first part of my professional life started out as an NHS dietitian, which I did for 10 years working predominantly in supporting individuals to eat more during times of severe illness and as I started to specialise in the Intensive Care Unit a lot of this involved artificial nutrition such as feeding through tubes (so very different from what I do now). In terms of the fitness industry you could say I was a late bloomer. I spent my earlier years struggling with my health due to severe Asthma and didn’t give much time to training due to the perception I had of myself not fitting in with the ‘fitness crowd’. All this changed as I entered my 30’s and the effects of a busy work and family life whilst not prioritising myself started to catch up with me. After reaching out to a coach and experiencing the value of training and building a healthful lifestyle I was inspired to step out into starting my own personal training business. Throughout my years working in the hospital environment I’d noticed a stark difference in the recovery rates between those who were active and strong and those who had not prioritised their health. I felt compelled to help as many people as possible understand and implement the actions needed to maximise their health through movement, connection with self and others and nourishing their body to support optimal health.

What were your first few months like in the fitness industry?

The 1st 2 months? Amazing! I was totally new to running a business and in a totally new industry I invested in a mentor (Matt Robinson who referred me to the Stridist app) as well as starting up in the local gym where I had been training for years so I got off to a flying start with being familiar with many of the members. I had the intention of doing a couple of years within the commercial gym with a plan to move online, since I was starting this new career move in my mid 30’s I knew I would want more freedom to travel from my late 40’s and beyond so it would give me a chance to hone my craft. Of course, many things don’t work out as you imagine. I made the leap from my NHS role into self employment as a personal trainer in January 2020, we know what happened in March. With having zero social media knowledge or skills, losing access the gym left me with my head in my hands. That was a tough time and I had to ask myself some serious questions about whether my business was going to survive.

What has the journey been getting from those first few months to where you are today?

I’m all for the growth mindset and drilling into my values of growth, community and authenticity so I wasn’t going to give up at the first hurdle. As much as I did not wish for the challenge of a global pandemic, it certainly showed me what I really wanted from life. Over the last few years I’ve invested in mentoring, courses on social media, marketing and levelling up my coaching skills and most of all leaning into the challenging things like putting myself out there to the public. I’ve said yes to a lot of opportunities whilst I was figuring out my place within the health and fitness industry which resulted in getting involved with a study looking into improving bone health in menopausal women at risk of osteoporosis where I was asked to write and deliver the strength and conditioning aspects. From here I knew that this is where my passion was and this work was such a good match to many of the clients I already worked with. This inspired me to develop my Strong Bones Club membership which has recently expanded to an online offering.

What’s been the hardest moment/biggest challenge of your career so far?

Being more on the introverted side, stepping out into the online space has been incredibly challenging. There were many moments of breaking into a cold sweat every time I was about to send out a post or go live. I’ve had to overcome a lot of fear and self doubt to spread the message about the benefits of developing a strong, healthy body and mind but it has also brought me more fulfilment and joy than I could ever have imagined.

What’s been your biggest win / proudest moment?

I feel so proud every time a see the penny drop with women about the value of building their strength, prioritising themselves and realising what they are really capable of. I see this manifesting in my clients and Strong Bones Club members from quitting their slimming clubs, feeling confident to take up space in the gym and putting themselves forward for promotions they wouldn’t have considered before. Every one of these stories light me up and makes every bit of hard work I put into this 100% worthwhile.

How and what are you doing today and what does the future look like?

I’m feeling so grateful for the support I’ve received from family, clients and mentors my business continues to grow thanks to all of this support. I’m currently working on building Strong Bones Club to reach more women so I can have more impact whilst giving myself and my family the time and attention we deserve. I have just launched a new podcast “The Strong Bones Coach Podcast” with a view to continue building awareness around health, strength and osteoporosis prevention.

What does a day in the life of you look like?

I’m an early riser so alarm is set for 4.30am (I know that sounds very hustle culture but I go to bed early too). I start with a few minutes of breathwork which starts me off feeling positive and alert. I have a couple of early small group coaching sessions followed by breakfast at 8am. I then complete check ins, create client resources and plan podcast episodes, all interspersed with short walks and getting in my training sessions. I make sure I find time each day for joyful moments and aim to share these with my clients and on socials, this brings me so much more connection so I’m always mindful not to forget this when I get busy on my projects.

Advice for people who are considering or have just started in the industry?

Say yes to a lot of things…then learn to say no. Getting yourself exposure to different ways of working and opportunities will help you find what truly lights you up. You’ll be surprised at how connections you make doing one thing come back around to take you off in a whole new direction, so be a nice human (which I’m sure you are if this is the right industry for you). Learn who you are and then be yourself, don’t get distracted by comparison. There’s going to be so many challenges along the way, lean into the hard stuff and you’ll do well.

What have been the key moments in your career so far what was the impact of those moments?

There have been many moments my courage has been tested, from making the jump from employment and starting my business to staying the course when it all came under threat. These moments showed me what I wanted and this has fuelled my dedication to building my coaching service. Hiring my first coach Amy Newby has been a learning curve and something that keeps me developing my own skills knowing that I can’t coast during easier times due to the impacts this would have on her income and career development.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Always happy to answer questions, feel free to reach out.

Where can people find you?

Instagram

Website

Podcast