Introduction
Cheryl A. Patella is a medical fitness specialist, life coach, and author who helps women stay strong, active, and healthy at every stage of life. She brings together medical fitness, coaching, and compassion for her clients. Her personal experience guides how she helps her clients. She understands the real struggles women face with aging, hormonal shifts, and busy schedules.
Cheryl has served as a spa director, a wellness educator, and a leader in virtual training. Her work helps women thrive through menopause and beyond. Her books, The 21st Century Woman and Menopause Mastery, show her clear voice and her honest approach. She talks openly about weight gain, fatigue, and stress. She also talks about strength, joy, and the power of daily habits. In this interview, Cheryl shares her thoughts on active longevity, staying sharp in demanding careers, and living with purpose after forty.
Q1. Cheryl, you have dedicated more than four decades to the fitness and wellness industry. Looking back, what initially drew you to this field, and what has kept you passionate through the industry’s many transformations?
Cheryl Patella: My career in fitness and wellness began with my own transformation. In my twenties, I shifted from being a flight attendant to a full-time business student and gained 30 pounds. That experience opened my eyes to the emotional and psychological impact of losing control of one’s health. Leaning on my faith, I began running to cope, then developed a strength-training and nutrition routine that launched my career and my calling.
At the same time, I pursued another path, first as a counselor, then as Chaplain of the Women’s Jail, eventually helping lead a fast-growing nonprofit for women. Those roles deepened my understanding of how physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness are inseparable.
As the wellness industry grew into a multi-trillion-dollar global movement, I grew with it, building one of South Florida’s top personal training companies, catering to owners of million-dollar corporations and those with political platforms. My “all-in” approach led me into rehabilitation, biomechanics, and medical fitness long before these were mainstream.
When COVID accelerated virtual coaching, it demanded a new level of precision and expertise. That challenge strengthened my work even further, allowing me to support clients nationwide with a detail-focused, results-driven approach.
More than forty years later, I specialize in movement, aging, and women’s issues. Faith, purpose, and the joy of seeing people reclaim their strength still drive me. That’s what brought me into this field, and what keeps me deeply committed today.
Q2. You began your career as a Fitness Trainer, later becoming a Spa Director at a time when holistic wellness was still emerging. How did that early experience shape your philosophy on movement, self-care, and sustainable health?
Cheryl Patella: Those early years shaped my belief that true wellness is never just about working out; it’s about addressing the whole person. Even in the 1990s, when aerobics classes and shiny new gyms were booming, I saw firsthand that many individuals struggled with far more than exercise. Medications, chronic conditions, limited mobility, and the emotional weight of poor health often made traditional fitness approaches incomplete.
My work with physicians, rehab specialists, and emerging research introduced me to a more integrated model of care long before “holistic wellness” became a trend. As I moved into the spa world, eventually becoming a Spa Director and consulting on building or remodeling new facilities, I had the opportunity to build environments that brought movement, education, recovery, and self-care together under one roof. It allowed me to be creative and forward-thinking, incorporating medical and therapeutic elements that are now standard in today’s wellness industry.
Ultimately, that experience reinforced what I value most: helping people make sustainable lifestyle changes through movement, knowledge, and personalized support. While I enjoyed the experience, my passion has always been working directly with individuals, guiding them toward a healthier, more empowered way of living. That whole-person approach still defines my philosophy today.
Q3. The transition from in-person training to virtual wellness coaching has redefined how people connect with fitness professionals. What inspired you to embrace the digital model, and how do you maintain personal connection and accountability online?
Cheryl Patella: My shift to virtual coaching initiated with COVID and my decision to move to the country for a change of life and focus more on my writing. Three clients made the switch to virtual training with me and successfully reached their goals. As a result, my business grew organically and expanded around the country.
What made the transition successful is the foundation I built over decades of in-person work. I was always a very hands-on trainer, and while that can be challenging online, my ability to see subtle movement patterns, imbalances, and technique errors has only sharpened. Years of studying biomechanics, paired with my psychology background, allow me to pick up on far more than just physical cues. I can sense energy shifts, motivation dips, or even frustration, and adjust sessions to support each client emotionally as well as physically.
There will always be a wide range of skill levels in this industry, but the digital model doesn’t limit my ability to deliver high-quality coaching. If anything, it’s strengthened my connection with clients. Virtual training requires attention, precision, and genuine engagement, all of which help people stay accountable and deeply invested in their goals. My extensive education and experience set me apart from most other trainers. And today, that blend of personal connection, expertise, and flexibility has become a meaningful part of my work, alongside publishing my fourth book.
Q4. Over the years, fitness trends have come and gone, from aerobics and step classes to mindfulness-based training. Which approaches or principles have truly stood the test of time in your view?
Cheryl Patella: Trends will always rise and fall, from aerobics and step classes to the endless evolutions of yoga, Pilates, and mindfulness training. Every modality offers something valuable, but decades of experience have taught me that no single method works for everyone. As an integrative wellness expert, I blend approaches rather than rely on one system. I’m trained and certified across multiple disciplines, so I can select what genuinely fits each individual, their body, their goals, and their season of life. That flexibility is what creates lasting, personalized results.
What has truly stood the test of time are the fundamentals: nourishing food, quality sleep, consistent movement, and a healthy balance of mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. You can run every day or lift weights religiously, but without proper nutrition or rest, you won’t feel healthy. The same is true in reverse; you can meditate or stretch beautifully, but if your lifestyle is out of balance, your body will reflect it.
Sustainable health is not built on fads; it’s built on daily choices that support joy, vitality, and resilience. My work has always centered on helping people understand that. Choose the movement style you love. Eat in a way that supports your body. Honor your need for rest. When these pieces come together, you don’t just look better, you genuinely feel better. And that, ultimately, is the real goal.
Q5. You have developed specific programs supporting women through midlife and menopause. How has your understanding of women’s health evolved, and what misconceptions still need to be challenged in the wellness space?
Cheryl Patella: Working with women in midlife and menopause has shown me that this stage isn’t a decline, it’s a shift. Women don’t become “less” as we age; we become different, and those differences can work for us when we understand the science behind them. My programs are built on evidence-based principles and years of practical success, helping women use their strengths, resilience, body awareness, and discipline to work smarter, not harder.
The biggest misconception I still see is that aging automatically means slowing down, gaining weight, or losing capability. Another is that menopause is something to quietly “survive.” With the right tools, smart movement, balanced nutrition, stress management, and education, women can experience some of their strongest and most confident years. My goal is to replace fear and confusion with clarity and empowerment so women can thrive in every chapter.
Q6. After more than 40 years of guiding others toward strength and vitality, what’s next for you? How do you envision the future of your personal brand and the role of technology in shaping wellness for the next generation?
Cheryl Patella: After four decades in this industry, my focus is on elevating what I’ve always believed: growth happens when we push past perceived limits with intelligence, intention, and joy. The old model of endless reps and punishing workouts has evolved into functional, integrative training that challenges the whole person, mind, body, and spirit. That’s the direction I see wellness moving, and it’s where my brand is headed.
Technology will amplify this shift. With virtual coaching, wearable data, and AI-driven personalization, we can help people train smarter, stay accountable, and understand their bodies in ways we couldn’t imagine years ago. I’ll continue building programs, writing, and educating with these tools, always rooted in science, faith, and real-world experience.
Personally, I’m still living what I teach: pushing my own boundaries through writing, research, working with clients, and even tending my land. The next chapter is about expanding my reach while staying true to what has always driven me, helping people discover they are capable of far more than they realize.
Conclusion
Cheryl speaks about the future of executive wellness and why strength matters at every age. She explains how the right approach can help women stay active, sharp, and fulfilled well past midlife. Her programs combine medical understanding with practical routines that fit busy schedules. After decades in the fitness and wellness world, she has seen how women grow when they have the right support. She understands the frustration that comes with menopause, slow progress, and shifting energy levels. She also knows how quickly things change when women follow a plan that respects their bodies and goals. This is why Cheryl is many women’s first choice when it comes to guidance on health and wellness.
