Meet Ella Magers

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

Hi Ella, is there something you believe many others might not?
I’ve got a complicated relationship with the old-school phrase “No pain, no gain.” I’m a Muay Thai practitioner, and let me tell you – there’s plenty of pain involved in that martial art (I’m actually currently recovering from tearing my ACL while sparring, which involves plenty of pain!)

But let’s pull back and look at the bigger picture. I believe that growth doesn’t happen in our comfort zone. We need challenge. Whether it’s pushing through the last few reps in a workout or sitting with a craving without immediately reacting, discomfort is often where the transformation starts.

But here’s where I draw the line: pain is not the goal. Pain is your body’s way of saying something’s wrong. And that’s where so many people get misled—especially in the fitness world. They think if they’re not crawling out of the gym sore and broken, it didn’t “count.” That mindset leads to burnout, injury, and disconnection from the body. It’s why so many people fall off the wagon, and get injured, again and again.

My coaching approach—both in the gym and with my clients working through emotional or disordered eating—is about helping people embrace the idea that the goal is not to feel better, it’s to get better at feeling. That means getting comfortable with discomfort, AND doing it in a way that’s intentional, not destructive.

For my food freedom clients, that might mean learning to pause and sit with a craving instead of automatically reacting to it. It’s uncomfortable at first, especially when we’ve been taught to numb or avoid feelings with food. But by learning to observe those moments instead of running from them, my clients start to build emotional strength—and that’s what sets the stage for long-term change.

In the realm of fitness, I take the same approach. My clients don’t just come to me to lose weight or build muscle—they want to feel good in their bodies for the long run. That’s why I’ve refined my training method to focus on smart, functional movement. We work on mobility, joint integrity, and creating movement patterns that support a pain-free, active life. We train with intensity, but we do it with purpose and alignment—not ego. Strength without mobility is a liability, and I’m here to help clients build a strong body that is sustainable and powerful.

So yeah, “No pain, no gain” doesn’t cut it. The truth is, discomfort with intention is where growth happens. And knowing the difference between pain and purposeful challenge? That’s the key to evolving your body, your mind, and your relationship with food—for good.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a plant-powered fitness and food freedom coach, podcaster, and speaker on a mission to help people break free from diet culture, heal their relationship with food and their bodies, and build a life that’s strong, aligned, and fiercely compassionate—toward themselves, other people, animals, and the planet.

Many of my clients have spent years stuck in self-sabotaging patterns. They’ve tried every diet, every workout program, and they’re tired of living on the edge of burnout. That’s where I come in.

What sets me apart is that I don’t just coach just for external results—I coach for a whole-person evolution, which leads to long-term body recomposition (weight loss and lean muscle gain) as well.

My programs combine mindset reprogramming, movement as medicine, plant-strong nutrition, and emotional healing. We use movement not just to sculpt bodies, but to shift energy, rewire thought patterns, and reconnect with your inner power. I pull from my background in social work, martial arts, yoga, primal movement patterns, and functional strength training to create a unique, multi-dimensional training method that evolves with each client.

And right now, I’m fired up about bringing these conversations to the public through my newest project, the Evolution of Fitness with Ella show. It’s a space where strength meets soul—where we dive into real, raw, and often hilarious conversations about movement, mindset, recovery, nutrition, injury, burnout, and what it really means to feel fit for life. I’ve always had a passion for hosting and podcasting, and this show gives me a platform to connect with brilliant minds, badass athletes, and everyday warriors who are challenging the status quo of the fitness industry.

I’m most proud of the way I’ve taken my own struggles in my “past life”— from disordered eating to debilitating depression, body dysmorphia, and toxic relationships—and turned them into fuel for purpose.

Becoming a vegetarian at the age of seven, and vegan at the age of fifteen sparked my journey, but it was going through my own darkness that truly shaped me into the coach and creator I am today.

It’s been quite an adventure, and as painful as much of my life has been, I wouldn’t change a thing. Every challenge I’ve faced has deepened my capacity to lead with fierce compassion. I’ve learned that healing isn’t linear and fitness isn’t one-size-fits-all.

The goal isn’t perfection—it’s alignment. It’s honoring your values while creating a strong, healthy, energized body you can feel at home in.

What I want the world to know is this: You’re not broken. You don’t need another diet or more willpower. You need a new framework, the right guidance, and a community that supports your evolution.

The brand, Sexy Fit Vegan®, that I created in 2013 is all about ditching shame, stepping into your power, and choosing compassion, not only for yourself, but for all life on this planet.

Whether I’m coaching one-on-one, guiding a group through my Food Freedom Blueprint, or sparking powerful conversations through my speaking or shows, my mission stays the same: to help people evolve in every sense of the word—and to have a damn good time doing it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We’d kick off the week with movement, connection, great food, and a whole lot of soul.

For mornings, we’d start strong with a 9:15 AM class at V3Perform, my home base for training—strength days on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and cardio boxing with me on Tuesday and Thursday. It’s the kind of place where you feel seen, supported, and pushed (in the best way).

After class, we’d hit Plantisserie (an award-winning vegan lunch deli-style spot)—always plant-based, always delicious.

Afternoons would be for exploring:

Bike rides up and down the Miami Beach boardwalk from South to North Beach (there’s no better way to feel the ocean breeze and get a light sweat going).

Wynwood graffiti walks, taking in the color and creativity before grabbing dinner at Love Life Café, which is about to reopen and honestly has one of the best vegan burgers around.

Saturday mornings it’s Tai Chi in the Miami Shores Memorial Park with Sifu Fred Holt—pure grounding energy to start the weekend right.

On weekend afternoons, we’d head to Dog Beach on 80th Street, where my pup Fiona lives her best life and visitors get the ultimate chill Miami energy.

For sunset magic, we’ve got some dreamy options:

Wednesday evenings at the Mondrian for free yoga, followed by sunset views over the bay.

Sundays at South Pointe Park for the Acro Yoga jam, where locals gather for movement, music, connection, and flow.

We’d definitely fit in some live music at Monty’s on Friday for happy hour, and at least one elevated dinner at Full Bloom Vegan in South Beach.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people and organizations that I have to thank for my success, but I want to dedicate this to my parents, because they gave me the love and support I needed from a young age to live my purpose and be strong in who I am and what I believe in.

Website: https://ellamagers.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sexyfitvegan

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/ellamagers

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sexyfitvegan

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Sexyfitvegan

Other: https://ellamagers.com/evolution
https://sexyfitvegan.com

Image Credits
Fred Holt
Yanni De Melo