Kelsie VanKoughnett

I'm Kelsie Vankoughnett, also known as Coach Kels, the founder of Fortalé, an online fitness and lifestyle coaching company helping ambitious, high-achieving women build bodies that perform as well as they do.

I'm a kinesiology graduate with a Bachelor of Health & Exercise Sciences (B.HES), an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer, and have over two years of coaching experience. My areas of expertise include evidence-based strength training, muscle hypertrophy, exercise biomechanics, progressive overload, nutrition, sustainable habit development, mindset, and fitness considerations related to women's health and hormonal health.

My coaching philosophy combines scientific research with practical, realistic strategies that empower women to understand their bodies, train with intention, and achieve lasting results. I believe fitness should enhance your life, not become another overwhelming responsibility on your to-do list. My approach emphasizes building sustainable routines, developing a strong mindset, and creating systems that integrate seamlessly into busy, ambitious lifestyles.

I'm passionate about helping women channel the effort they're already putting into their fitness in the right direction, focusing on evidence-based strategies that actually move them closer to their goals rather than wasting time and energy on things that don't deliver meaningful results. I translate complex exercise science into approachable, actionable advice while maintaining a supportive, encouraging, and confident coaching style.

My mission is to help high-achieving women stop guessing, start training with purpose, and build bodies that reflect the ambition and effort they bring to every other area of their lives. Because your fitness should match your ambition.