Hi there! My name is Whitney Allen, and I am your BfitBwell Fall 2020 Intern! I am a senior at the Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver), studying exercise science with a minor in lifestyle medicine.

I took an interest in fitness, health, and wellness a little later in life. As a child, teenager, and up until my early 30s, I was the antithesis of health and wellness. I was completely inactive and had horrible lifestyle habits.

In my early 30s, I had shot up to about 200 lbs, which lead to a significant health scare. Because of this experience, I pulled up my bootstraps and decided to change my life.

I started my wellness journey by practicing Muay Thai, a Thai martial art, and eventually took up running. Over the years, I immersed myself in the fitness world, and now, I am a marathoner, triathlete, cross-fit competitor, and an avid weightlifter.

Exercise changed my physical and mental state, and I’ve become a much happier person. Once I recognized the profound effects of fitness, I realized I wanted to help others improve their quality of life. I wanted to learn everything about fitness – right down to the cellular level!

I began my academic career in 2016 at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, CO. After earning my associate’s degree in exercise science in 2018, I transferred to MSU Denver to earn my bachelor’s degree.

Throughout my time at MSU Denver, I was the exercise science club president and took on the role of lead teaching assistant in the lifestyle medicine department. I was part of the implementation of the Exercise is Medicine On Campus program, which is now a registered program and was honored to receive the Lawrence A. Golding scholarship award for undergraduates in 2020.

Not too long ago, I attended the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) conference. One of the keynote speakers talked about exercise oncology and explained the positive impacts of exercise during and after cancer treatment. Needless to say, I was fascinated and began looking for fitness programs that work directly with cancer patients.

I quickly found that there are not many programs out there. So, when I discovered BFitBWell, it didn’t take a lot of convincing for me to apply for the internship program. I was exhilarated when I learned I was accepted, and I didn’t even try to play it cool!

BFitBWell supports my passion for helping people through exercise. Unfortunately, because of COVID-19, my internship is virtual, so I mostly interact with clients through Zoom. Nevertheless, I look forward to each training session. It is a privilege to see clients recognize their exercise gains, and I am learning to develop my virtual trainer skills!

It’s been inspiring working alongside the exercise physiologists that run the program. They genuinely care for their clients, they are always professional, and they are great examples of leaders in this niche industry.

I am learning so much about cancer, the effects of treatments, and building individualized exercise plans for specialized clients. Being part of the BFitBwell team is an incredibly invaluable experience that I do not think I can find anywhere else.

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BfitBwell is a 3-month long individualized exercise program for individuals diagnosed with cancer who are currently going through treatment at the University of Colorado Cancer Center or no more than post 6 months treatment. Learn more about the program here.