Life and Work with Victoria Faling

Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Faling.

So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up, I dealt with health issues, but nothing that intervened with my life too much. I was an extremely active kid, played sports in high school, and became a Certified Personal Trainer in college. In 2012, I got very sick and was finally diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease. I endured about six years of extensive treatment for Lyme disease and am still in treatment for some other health issues. One of the hardest parts about getting sick was having to stop working out during certain periods of my journey. I knew that movement was important for the human body, though, and that there had to be ways to tailor it for those dealing with health issues.

During a particularly bad relapse. I was almost completely bed-bound. I began dealing with severe hip pain that got worse by the day. I couldn’t figure out how I had injured myself when I was barely leaving my bed. I soon realized it was the LACK OF movement that was causing the pain. Although I was extremely fatigued and hardly able to sit up in bed long enough to eat a meal, I knew that I needed to get my blood flowing to help decrease my pain levels. I slowly began stretching from bed, then the floor, then walk to the end of the driveway and back. As I progressed my movement or “exercise” routine, my pain diminished, my energy increased, and my treatments went better.

I’ve always known exercise was important for health, but most doctors and trainers have no idea how to help those with chronic fatigue, disabilities, or other chronic health conditions. Movement has been a key piece of my healing journey and given my knowledge (Degree in Exercise Science and being a Certified Personal Trainer) and experience with health issues, I knew I had to and wanted to help others learn how to incorporate movement for healing. That is why I founded The Influence Health, in order to help others with chronic illness or disabilities learn how to utilize movement to aid in their healing process.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The biggest obstacles for me have been dealing with my own health. I still am working through health struggles, am in treatment, and have bad days. I think the biggest piece of advice I have is to always listen to your own body. Work, other people, errands DON’T come before me and my health. I can’t do those other things well or be there for others if I don’t take care of myself first. Making sure your own ducks are in a row and you are taking time for yourself (whether that is self-care or getting your personal to-do list done or taking rest as needed) is of paramount importance.

Please tell us about The Influence Health.
I specialize in helping those with chronic illness and disabilities learn how to incorporate movement or exercise into their lives to aid in their healing process. I was an athlete, have been a personal trainer for over 8 years, and have dealt with chronic illness myself. I had to learn the hard way how to not overdo it with exercise and hinder my healing. I also learned how valuable movement can be in aiding my healing. I take my education and personal experiences to help others who are struggling. Virtually, no personal trainers know how to work with people who have limitations, which really sets me apart. I don’t care about weight, how much you can lift, or how far you can run. I care about how you feel on the inside- are your pain levels decreasing? is your energy improving? are you able to do things in your day that you need to do? Those are the things I measure with my clients!

What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
Make sure you’re passionate about whatever you choose. And make sure to always put yourself first- take care of yourself! You can’t be there for others if you don’t take care of yourself first.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theinfluencehealth.com
• Email: theinfluencehealth@gmail.com
• Instagram: @theinfluencehealth
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/theinfluencehealth

Image Credit:
Anne-Marie Kottenstette

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