Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Fell.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
How I Went From Burnout to Bikini Bodybuilder to EmpowerHER Fitness Founder.
I didn’t start in the fitness world.
In fact, for more than 30 years, I lived in a completely different universe — the insurance industry. Long hours, constant pressure, and the feeling that I was always “on.” As menopause crept closer and my son grew up and prepared to leave the nest, I found myself slipping into habits that didn’t serve me.
Drinking too much. Eating whatever was convenient. Moving less.
My muscle mass declined. My blood pressure climbed. Chronic migraines became part of my weekly routine. I felt older than I was — and honestly, I felt stuck.
I kept telling myself I’d get it together “soon,” but soon never came.
Until one day, I realized I didn’t recognize the woman in the mirror anymore.
That moment changed everything.
—
The Dare That Changed My Life
I hired a coach because I knew I couldn’t keep doing it alone. I needed structure, accountability, and someone who wouldn’t let me negotiate with my excuses.
Then came the dare:
“Why don’t you compete in bikini bodybuilding?”
I laughed.
I was 48 years old, menopausal, exhausted, and rebuilding my health from the ground up. Women my age didn’t do things like that… right?
But something inside me whispered, Why not you?
So I said yes.
And at 48, I stepped onto a bodybuilding stage for the first time.
Now at 53, I’ve competed in 9 shows and earned 12 awards. Not because I was the youngest, the fittest, or the most genetically gifted — but because I refused to quit on myself.
As I transformed my own life, something surprising happened.
Women, specifically menopausal women, started approaching me.
“How are you doing this?”
“Can you help me?”
“Is it even possible for someone my age?”
At first, coaching wasn’t on my radar. I was still working full-time, still figuring out my own path. But the questions kept coming, and eventually, I took on a few online clients.
That’s when I realized something important:
Menopausal women don’t just want workouts. They want community.
They want engagement.
They want accountability.
They want to learn proper form and feel safe.
They want to be seen.
The Birth of EmpowerHER Fitness
I knew women needed a space built for them. Not a big-box gym, not a generic program, not a one-size-fits-all plan.
They needed a place where midlife wasn’t a limitation but a launching point.
Where strength training was taught with intention.
Where they could rebuild confidence, muscle, and identity — together.
So I took the leap.
I left my 30-year insurance career, stepped fully into my purpose, and opened a boutique, women-only fitness studio specializing in pre-, peri-, and post-menopause strength training.
Today, EmpowerHER Fitness is more than a studio.
It’s a community.
A safe space.
A place where women rewrite the story of aging and reclaim their power.
And it all started with burnout, a dare, and a belief that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As I mentioned I started with my concept as an online coaching business which did not help where my niche needed help. They needed and wanted more. I knew that if I opened a space for training, I didn’t want to go into debt. Finding a space that was reasonable priced too until I build my business out was an almost year long process and endeavor, then realized my physical space was not conducive if I wanted to scale my business. At that point I had to pivot for additional space to accommodate a semi Private training space for up to 3 women at one time.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I am known for menopause coaching, specialist in strength and resistance training with nutrition counseling. What sets me apart in my industry is our clients get a custom app so they can track their workouts prioritizing progressive overload. The app tracks habits and has this nutrition goals. We build a community within our app as well with quarterly themed challenges and a chat space just for women.
We offer 1:1 personal training sessions as well as small semi private sessions 3:1 coaching. This allows for optimal results because we can keep track of form properly. We use more equipment than what you will find in a big box gym class and we only cater to women in a private and safe setting. We have currently 24 classes a week for those unlimited members to pop in and soon to be 34 classes per week.
Our brand is well recognized in the community and a sought after boutique gym. We are recognized by many health practitioners as the go-to women’s fitness studio.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I lived through menopause myself and I get what women are going through ! I’ve been through the struggles of menopause, muscle weakness and also bad dieting habits. I have done all the programs out there and nothing worked. I’ve been through cardio programs, large group classes, CrossFit, big box crowded gyms. This is me being relatable to my client that can’t make progress.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.empowerher-fitnessllc.com
- Instagram: Empowerherfitness.lizfell
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/repinstyle
