Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Wanda. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Wanda, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?

When I retired from the Air Force in 2020 after 27 years of service, I thought I had a plan: become a Certified Personal Trainer and help others reach their fitness goals. Simple, right?

But the reality hit hard. COVID shut down the fitness centers, and suddenly I had to pivot from my grand vision of training in person to building a virtual platform from scratch. I was also in the middle of my own transition—not just from military life, but from a clearly defined identity to one I had to rediscover.

That year, I was pursuing a personal goal: competing in bodybuilding. But what I found in those circles was disheartening. There was constant pressure to manipulate my body at all costs—crash diets, overtraining, unrealistic expectations. It felt like health was taking a backseat to appearance. I kept asking myself, What’s the point of looking strong if I don’t feel well?

That disconnect opened my eyes. I realized that helping others build real, lasting health—especially women—was going to take more than just personal training sessions. It meant understanding hormones, mindset, nutrition, and the mental toll of constantly chasing physical perfection.

So I went deeper. I became certified in integrative health coaching and started building a practice that reflects what I wish I had: guidance that honors both the goal and the woman behind it.

What I’d Do Differently
I would’ve stopped waiting for the “perfect” launch moment. Clarity came through action—not overthinking. I wish I had started sharing my voice and building community earlier, even if my setup wasn’t polished. I also would’ve invested in mentorship sooner instead of trying to do it all alone.

Advice for New Professionals
Start with curiosity, not perfection. Your unique story is your superpower. Build from your values, not someone else’s template. And most of all—don’t compromise your well-being to prove your worth. You can serve others best when you’re aligned, healthy, and whole.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Wanda McDonald, founder of Resilience Whole Health—a coaching practice dedicated to helping strong women who’ve been putting everyone else first finally prioritize their health, goals, and dreams without guilt or shame.

Before I stepped into this work, I served 27 years in the United States Air Force. I retired in 2020 as a Lieutenant Colonel, and while I was incredibly proud of my career, retirement hit me harder than expected. I went from having a clearly defined role to navigating life on my own terms—and that shift brought on an identity crisis I didn’t see coming.

Fitness became my anchor, and I got certified as a personal trainer to stay grounded and help others stay strong. But as I worked with women, especially those navigating midlife transitions like perimenopause, I quickly realized that workouts alone weren’t enough. Many of my clients were exhausted, overwhelmed, and struggling with hormone shifts, emotional stress, and unrealistic expectations around body image.

I was experiencing it too—especially when I decided to pursue bodybuilding. I saw firsthand how easy it is to fall into unhealthy patterns, even while “doing everything right.” That experience lit a fire in me to explore deeper, more holistic approaches to wellness—ones that honored the woman as a whole person, not just a body to be sculpted or fixed.

Through that process, I also recognized something deeper: the specific challenges women face in midlife were being ignored or oversimplified in the wellness industry. I was living through these changes myself—navigating hormonal shifts, redefining identity, and rebuilding rhythms—and I knew I wasn’t alone. That realization became central to my “why.”

That’s when I pursued certification in integrative health coaching, rooted in nutrition, mindset, and behavior change. I now combine that with my leadership background and positive psychology training to offer services that support the whole woman—especially during the critical midlife years when so many feel invisible, exhausted, and unsure where to turn.

What I Offer:
1-on-1 Coaching & Group Coaching Programs for women ready to reclaim their strength

Body Composition Assessments (for local clients) to track real progress, not just scale weight

Workshops, Keynotes, and Speaking Engagements around resilience, women’s health, and lifestyle change

Whole Health Virtual Consultations to provide support beyond fitness plans—because most women don’t need another workout; they need a wellness strategy that fits their life

The Problem I Solve:
I help women stop chasing quick fixes and start creating sustainable, values-based health habits—especially those who are dealing with midlife shifts, hormone changes, or recovering from weight loss methods that have left them feeling weak, confused, or stuck.

Many of my clients have used GLP-1s or crash diets and lost weight but also lost muscle, energy, and clarity. I help them build strength—physically, mentally, and spiritually—so they feel in control again.

What Sets Me Apart:
I don’t shame quick fixes—I educate around them. I don’t push one-size-fits-all plans—I help women create their path forward. I bring lived experience, clinical knowledge, military discipline, and heartfelt compassion to every session. And I believe the woman of your dreams isn’t someone you become—she’s someone you uncover.

What I’m Most Proud Of:
I’m proud that I’ve built a business that’s not about hype, but healing. That I get to walk alongside women in some of their most vulnerable, powerful moments. And that I’ve stayed rooted in faith through every pivot, trusting that my story—every win, setback, and breakthrough—would become part of my calling.

What I Want You to Know:
Resilience Whole Health is more than a coaching business. It’s a movement. A space where women—especially in midlife—are reminded that their health matters, their dreams are still possible, and they don’t have to figure it out alone.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was that pushing harder was always the answer—that discipline alone would get me where I wanted to go. Coming from a 27-year military career, I was wired for grit, structure, and performance under pressure. That mindset served me well in uniform—but it nearly broke me when I applied it to my health goals after retirement.

After I left the Air Force in 2020, I pursued personal training and eventually set my sights on competitive bodybuilding. I thought that being stage-ready would represent the ultimate picture of strength. But what I found in that world was disheartening. I was surrounded by messaging that glorified overtraining, extreme restriction, and sacrificing well-being for aesthetics. On the outside, I looked strong—but inside, I was depleted and disconnected from the woman I truly wanted to be.

At the same time, I was going through an unexpected identity crisis. I didn’t realize until I retired that my personal identity had become wrapped up in my professional one. I was my job—an Airman, a Lieutenant Colonel, a leader. Without the uniform, titles, or structure, I had to ask myself: Who am I now?

That deconstruction was painful—but necessary. I had to unlearn the belief that my worth was tied to productivity or rank. I had to do the personal work to discover who I was outside of regulations, expectations, and performance. And in that process, I found freedom. I found me.

That journey not only healed me—it shaped the way I coach. Today, I use that experience to help other women who are transitioning into new phases of life rediscover who they are, reclaim their voice, and reconnect to their power. Whether they’re navigating perimenopause, an empty nest, or career shifts, I help them stop chasing who they used to be—and start rising into who they’ve always been.

While I didn’t realize how necessary that experience would be to shape me as a coach, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

I would choose this path again, 100 times over—but not because it’s been easy. It’s because it’s been true. This work allows me to use my story, my strengths, and my struggles to help women build lives that reflect their worth and values. No stage, medal, or title compares to the moment a woman tells me she finally feels strong again—inside and out.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wandamcdonald.com
• Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/coachwandamcdonald
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/360healthfit
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/wanda-mcdonald
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWLlldQHRMbGFgOCzfFE6EQ
• Other: LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/coachwandamcdonald

Image Credits

Professional Photos: jodyaphotography

Personal Photo: Wanda McDonald