Elle Nielsen: working wellness into your life

WORDS MEGAN ARKINSTALL

AT JUST 27 YEARS OF AGE, ELLE NIELSEN IS AN ENTREPRENEURIAL DYNAMO. THE PASSIONATE HEALTH AND FITNESS COACH NOT ONLY HELPS AND INSPIRES WOMEN TO MOVE AND FUEL THEIR BODIES BETTER THROUGH HER WELLNESS WARRIORS PROGRAM, SHE LIVES AND BREATHES IT. SHE IS ALSO OWNER OF THE BOWLARAMA SMOOTHIE BOWLS FRANCHISE, DEVELOPER OF FWD FORM NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS, AND MUM TO HER ALMOST TWO-YEAR-OLD SON, MAX.

I was always a happy, sporty kid. I danced, played soccer, joined nippers and was school captain in primary school. But due to years of bullying, when I reached high school my struggles with anxiety and depression began. When my parents divorced, it really felt like my life was in a constant downward spiral. I joined the gym with my mum as a form of stress relief, but I turned to food to relieve the feelings of loneliness and depression [and] my weight ballooned.

It’s a documentary about manifesting positive things in your life through the power of positive thinking. Despite my protests, I did watch it, and then even went to seminars about the laws of attraction. My mind expanded tenfold.

I started to see the world differently. I saved my money to go and see a naturopath, I lost 17 kilograms, I even joined a bodybuilding competition. I became a national bikini champion and was featured in fitness magazines. Never did I expect my life to be where it is today.

and overwhelming experience. I created Wellness Warriors [WW] to give women a comfortable space to move their bodies, build their confidence and feel supported. As part of WW, I run strength and conditioning classes at Body Movement gym in Kincumber [owned by Elle’s partner Scott Madden] and provide nutrition and supplement guidance. I also offer mums and bubs classes.

Choosing wellness is a daily practice. My ideal morning starts at 4.15am, to get in a workout before a morning of personal training clients and coaching classes. Then I love to walk into Terrigal with my partner Scott and son Max to grab a coffee from our go-to café, The Laneway. Then it’s either back to the gym for more clients or to the office to work on my businesses.

it also keeps me feeling empowered and calm. The rest of my days are filled with my other businesses Bowlarama and FWD FORM, whether that be content creation, operations, marketing,

team meetings or product development, packing and sending FWD FORM orders, or working on personal brand collaborations, my latest being a fun one with Rebel Sport.

bowls. Scott and I travelled to Bali to eat our way around town, sampling and critiquing all the smoothie bowls we could find — what worked, what didn’t, how it tasted, the thickness... Our brand is pink, bright and tropical, which instantly reminds you of summer. It’s a journey we are so proud of and never would have thought Bowlarama would turn into a franchisable company, nor lead us into formulating our very own supplement range. We now have three stores on the Coast in Kincumber, Terrigal and Long Jetty, with another coming in Newcastle this spring. We are excited to see more stores pop up around Australia.

be in my body! Scott and I launched our natural supplement range FWD FORM in early 2022 after spending our months in lockdown planning, designing and sampling it all. Our sciencebacked formulations have been created by Australia’s leading naturopaths, clinical nutritionists and formulation experts so the quality, texture and taste is premium. We like to think of FWD FORM as an extension of who we are as individuals: driven by goals, leaning into the uncomfortable and always growing. Whether you’re working out or working hard, we want our products to be a key part of your day to support your health and hustle.

and motivation through the fear of being average. While this is a big part of who I am, I have also learned over time the importance of setting clear boundaries and switching off. I like to think that having a baby has brought out a new softer version of me. My favourite moments are those at home when the candles are lit, music is playing and I’m dancing around the kitchen with my son.

Central Coast is always home. Family time on the weekends will always involve being outdoors and spending time at our beautiful beaches. We love doing the big walk around Tallows and Box Head, which is easily one of the best walks on the Coast. We also enjoy meeting friends at Terrigal Beach House for an afternoon drink or having dinner at Swells.

wellnessbyelle.com; bowlaramabowls.com; fwdformnutrition.com