Meet Amber Trejo | Registered Dietitian and Personal Trainer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amber Trejo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amber, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

There wasn’t really a  thought process behind my business, it was not on purpose, it was something that grew with me. To be honest, a decade ago when I became a personal trainer, coaching people was a way to put myself through school to become a registered dietitian. I knew I wanted to help people live healthier and stronger lives, I saw myself working in a hospital or for a doctors office, I didn’t see myself doing it as an entrepreneur. My business grew over the years by word of mouth, and at one point I was like oh, wow, I should LLC this as a business and make this a legit thing because this is getting bigger than I imagined. I decided to make the jump and take a chance on making what was my side hustle to my actual career, I saw how impactful my services were and the lives I was changing, and this how my company came to be. It was like it was meant to be and I wasn’t going to stop that flow, I went with it.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

I own and operate a fitness and nutrition coaching company, Naked Wellness LLC. I’m based in NYC but help people from all over the USA lose weight in a healthy way, learn to keep it off, build strength and have a better relationship with food and exercise. I have an unique muscle centric approach in my coaching, the focus is always lean muscle mass. I think my approach to overall wellness is unique compared to others. Most often, many weight loss programs can negatively impact someone’s relationship with food and exercise and actually cause muscle loss. I find myself coaching clients on ways to rehab their relationship with food and exercise to become a more positive relationship while still hitting their goals and building that lean muscle. I encourage and coach strength training, lifting heavy (yes girls too!), and to not be afraid of a higher protein intake. I think it helps that I have been able to combine both my expertise in nutrition as a registered dietitian and in fitness as a personal trainer to better serve my clients. This has allowed me to create well-rounded programs for them and a one-stop shop for their needs.

In my business, I am most proud of my method and capability of making people feel their best and strongest. My clients tell me all the how great they feel and when they feel good, that is what excites me the most. Another thing I am proud of is that I have worked so hard at my business that I am making the same salary now with more freedom as I did when I was working for corporate working 50+ hours a week in a “Devil Wears Prada” environment. This was not easy, this took a lot of free work, long hours, years of schooling and tears. I started my business from literally nothing. I am a second career dietitian, I had to go back to school for 7 years to get my credentials and hustled my behind off to get to where I’m at now. The fact that I was able to do this, makes me really proud and I hope others can see that they can do this too.

Each challenge I faced was a learning lesson for me. I was able to overcome these obstacles, learn from them and that made me a better person and entrepreneur.

A lesson learned along the way is, everything you do and experience, good or bad, is a lesson to learn from and grow from. Analyze all blessings and complications and take what you need from that to be better or enhance your business in some capacity.

My brand is about being honest, evidence based and gimmick free. My brand is about simplicity on your plate and in the gym. I am not afraid to call out things in the industry that is bogus and ill-advised. I want the world to know that my brand is all about transparency and being evidence-based, hence the name naked.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I live in New York City and if my best friend was coming to town for a week, she should be ready to eat, workout, and play. If it’s summertime and she’s visiting, we’d be cruising all over NYC on a bike. I love warm weather and am very active, so when the weather is warm, the bike is how I get around town daily.

On our bikes, we would head downtown. While I’m all about healthy eating, I also have a sweet tooth and enjoy sweet indulgences, because its all about balance. The first place we’d hit is the donut plant; their peanut butter and  jelly donut is a MUST! Then I would take her around central park and find a spot under a tree to just chill out for a few hours. I would uber us lunch to where we are sitting from the best burger joint in town; Bareburger. This restaurant is all organic and has the best bison burgers I’ve ever had.

Another day I would sign her up for one of my boxing classes (I’m a boxing instructor and retired fighter). After my class, we’d bike it to Friedmans for the best blueberry pancakes in the city. Afterwards we’d head back to my house and change to spend a little more time on foot taking her shopping down in Soho. At some point in the afternoon, we’d hit up the matcha bar for a delicious iced matcha latte before heading back home where I’d cook us dinner.

The other days I’d make sure to take her to a Broadway show as you can not do New York without going to Broadway once and grab tacos afterward at Los tacos in Chelsea market. We would visit the world trade center and the little big island on the hudson too. New York City is the most exciting places. There is always something to see, do and eat.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
No one does entrepreneurship alone, I certainly haven’t. The saying “it takes a village”resonates with me big time because since starting out on my own years ago, I have been mentored by so many brilliant and amazing minds in the fitness and nutrition industry. In anything that we do, a great support system is key. My years working for Work Train Fight taught me a lot about business and entrepreneurship as far as what to do, what not to do, and how to react to things as a business owner. My mentors and friends Nicole Rodriguez, Dave Callari, and Erik Bustillo have been so supportive and encouraging. I am forever grateful for their support and guidance in this industry.

Website: www.nakedwellness.us

Instagram: @_nakedwellness_

Image Credits
@tinabfoto (Tina) @iamzainmagazine (phil)