Choosing a wellness and health coaching college - the chocolate made me do it!

Graduate and fabulously fabulous, Ally McDonald-Bull tells us what led her on the wellness coaching journey.

Most people come to health coaching because they want a life embedded with helping others. We are regularly asked about our students and graduates, so when we have the chance to share a Well College Graduate story we jump at it.

​Paris dwelling, Ally McDonald-Bull is a recent Nutrition & Health Coach Graduate and soon to be Certified Women's Health Coach shares what brought her to Well College Global and her 'why' that kept her focused throughout her studies. 
 

I left NZ (where I had lived for the past 16 years) in the middle of 2018 for an adventure and ended up settling (for the time being) in Paris where I continue to work as a Pilates and Barre instructor as well as teaching my own signature class Triple Threat Pilates. I also set up and have started creating online content and classes so that clients can still workout with me no matter where they are in the world.  

I am driven (and kept disciplined) by positive energy. I have designed my own lifestyle around feeling good in order to deliver the best quality service as an instructor for the people attending my classes. When you discover a good thing and see how it positively impacts people I think it is natural to want to build and develop it further so that you can then reach more people. To do this I want to be living each day with that type of positive energy that motivates people to want to better themselves and to wake up each day excited to be living their lives. After years of trial and error I now really understand what allows me to perform to the best of my ability; I believe it is my responsibility to turn up everyday as my best self and that's what helps to keep me in check. 

Image: allymcdonaldbull.com

After I became a Pilates instructor I realised that there was so much more that I wanted to learn about when it came to understanding what makes a healthy lifestyle for both the mind and the body. I did a lot of research and found that the course content that Well College Global offered as part of their 'Nutrition & Health Coaching' certificate was exactly the type of evidence-based program that I was looking for; focusing on non-diet based healthy living principles that were both relevant and sustainable.

I didn't want to just be another instructor going through the motions. I wanted to give people a real experience therefore understanding what made them click was (and still is) very important to me. ​

I learnt a lot about psychology and behaviour change through my Well College Global course which I found absolutely fascinating and 100% relevant to my own life. Implementing sustainable lifestyle changes that are aligned with my personal values as well as gaining a better understanding of the differences between motivation and discipline have helped me to rebuild the daily routines in my life in Paris that really served me back in NZ. I have to say lots of them aren't very French but they work for me and the way that I want to live my life again so that I can consistently turn up everyday as my best self.

​In the first few years after I graduated I spent some time experimenting trying to figure out what exactly my 'thing' was. Even though this was quite a challenging process at the time (there was no rulebook or manual) I'm really pleased that I allowed myself to do to this as I now really understand where my strengths and weakness lie as well as what I can offer clients that really has value. In the end I realised that what clients found valuable and what I had originally thought was my best offering wasn't necessarily the same thing. Once I understood this everything started to fall into place. Being self employed I think it can be challenging trying to figure out everything by yourself which is why I am always asking for feedback from clients (and even from my social media followers). 

Ally - Graduate and Coach

Knowing your target market and how to communicate with them is so vital - I want to know what they want so I can deliver the goods! I absolutely love what I do for work, I get such a buzz out of teaching and I am very grateful for all the awesome opportunities that my line of work has given me so far. When I look to the future I just want to keep growing as both a person and as an instructor and be able to meet and connect with even more people. I've recently decided to complete the Certified Women's Health & Wellness Coaching Program with Well College as supporting women to find their Well Woman is one of my passions.

One of my current business goals? To teach a Triple Threat Pilates classes on the rooftops of Paris! 
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• ​Did we mention Ally is a self confused chocoholic, she has travelled the globe learning about and tasting chocolate. From Mexico to Europe, France and New Zealand and created her own 'hot chocolate hub'. Check out our Cocao & Quinoa Bites recipe. 

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Image: Cacao ceremonies... it's true, check out Ally's website for more

Author

Born in France and raised in both England and New Zealand, Ally now calls all 3 countries ‘home’ whilst basing herself once again in Paris.

​Ally combines her various personal and professional passions together to guide and support women on their own unique journeys to improved health alongside greater acceptance and love for who they are.

BCom BMus DipABRSM ATCL (Dist.)
Cert. Women’s Health Coach, Lifestyle, Food and Wellness Coach, Menu and Menu Planner - Well College Global.
Courses: Positive Psychology, Human Design, Herbal Medicine, Cacao Ceremony Facilitator.