From teaching boot camps and CrossFit to TRX and indoor rowing, Carla Allen has been immersed in fitness for most of her adult life.
But when her young son became sick, health became more important than ever. While consulting multiple doctors and coming up short, she began her own search for solutions. “That really caused me to dig deep and start researching, really wanting to learn more on the holistic side, on the whole mind-body-spirit approach,” she explains. “So that kicked it off.”
This pursuit to help her son led Allen to examine his diet, and with a nutrition overhaul, he improved. Thus, her focus shifted, and for the past six years, she has worked as an integrative health coach, providing personalized guidance, accountability, and tools to empower women to achieve physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Throughout her years in the fitness industry, Allen noticed a pattern: Many women believed that feeling fatigued and unwell was simply a natural part of aging. “We all put ourselves in these cages as we start getting older, telling ourselves that the aches and pains are normal, that feeling lousy and tired every day is normal, and we find ourselves kind of giving up.”
It’s this mindset that she is determined to dismantle. At 61, Allen says she feels better than ever, standing as living proof of her motto: Your Age is Not Your Cage™.
With this, Allen’s mission is to help women reclaim their worth and take charge of their mind, body, and spirit in every season of life. “If you’re doing those things, you’re going to feel so much better,” she says. “For me, it’s all about helping women not give up.”
As a health coach specializing in mid-life holistic wellness, Allen works one-on-one with women, listening carefully to develop individualized plans that support both their physical and emotional well-being. She meets with clients to explore their goals, routines, and challenges, helping them create realistic action steps and strategies. “It’s about getting to know them to uncover what’s keeping them stuck,” she shares. “I think the biggest thing I do is create a relationship and trust.”
She stays connected with clients through weekly check-ins and ongoing communication, offering assessments, accountability, exercise programs, and instruction. Allen says, “When someone comes to me for better health, I walk alongside them through everything.”
This hands-on approach can include helping women feel at ease with their workouts. Allen will go to the gym with them, demonstrating equipment and basic techniques to break through the “gym intimidation” that often holds women back. On the nutrition side, Allen offers grocery store “tours” and pantry or refrigerator makeovers to teach clients how to read labels, make informed choices, and switch out products and ingredients, focusing on whole foods and protein.
When it comes to exercise, Allen helps her clients find activities they genuinely enjoy so they stay motivated and consistent: “Do what you love to do,” she says. She often recommends walking for its physical and emotional benefits, noting that being outdoors gives her both exercise and “therapy time.”
She pairs that with a firm belief in strength training, which she considers one of the most important tools for aging well. Strength work, Allen explains, builds bone and muscle, supports mobility, and helps prevent injury. It also boosts confidence. “A lot of ladies may be dissatisfied with how they look, but once they add strength training, they can see a real difference in their body composition,” she says.
In addition, Allen stresses the value of proper medical care, especially during perimenopause and menopause, urging women to advocate for themselves. “This is where a health coach can benefit women by empowering and equipping them with the tools necessary to become their own best health advocate,” she shares.
Allen notes that menopause is finally receiving the attention it deserves and acknowledges the value of hormone replacement therapy and symptom-focused care. She believes education is essential—not only for women, but also in workplaces and among men—to replace stigma with understanding and empathy.
Equally vital to overall health is emotional and social wellness. Allen highlights the power of connection and helps women cultivate meaningful relationships by offering Facebook forums and monthly gatherings where women motivate and uplift one another. She also leads two local walking groups and is building a pickleball community. “I’m a connector,” she shares. “I love connecting women and seeing friendships grow.”
Allen has found that, for many clients, mindset is the key piece in the health puzzle. “I’ve really dug into the mindset piece, because when so many women come in, they don’t believe in themselves. Maybe they’ve tried too many things and failed, but it’s so important that they feel empowered again and have hope that they can turn it around.”
To nurture a positive attitude, Allen leans into spiritual wellness, encouraging clients to draw on whatever keeps them centered. For Allen, this grounding force is her faith: “I pray for my clients,” she says. “I pray that I would be a gift and a blessing to them that day.”
With a passion for helping women, Allen considers this work her ministry. She serves the women she loves through building relationships and joining them on their health journey, helping them break free from restraints to restore their spirit and transform their lives.
“In today’s world, everything is telling women they have to be that perfect person, and so many women tear themselves apart,” she shares. “I just want them to know that they have the biggest cheerleader in their corner, helping them to love and accept who they are, where they are. It’s just something I absolutely love to do.”
CarlaAllen.com | @yourageisnotyourcage | “Your Age is Not Your Cage™” podcast
The Kidney Competition
In 2023, Allen was blessed with the opportunity to help a dear high school friend by donating one of her kidneys. More than two years after the transplant, her friend is healthy and thriving, enjoying trips with her husband and playing with her new grandbaby.
Allen is also feeling great and credits her strong recovery to the work she put into her own health before surgery. “I really did a lot to get myself in the best shape I could, both physically and mentally,” she says. “I might not have done as well if I hadn’t been taking care of myself.” While illness can’t always be avoided, proactively caring for your wellness can strengthen your body for whatever challenges may come.
Her friend affectionately named the donated kidney “Rocky,” and the two now share a lighthearted rivalry: Rocky’s lab numbers compete with the performance of Allen’s remaining kidney. It’s become a joyful reminder of the bond the women share and the health they do not take for granted.