Eleven years ago Alison Palladino walked into Slim Possible in Middletown and her life was
never the same. At the time, Alison was a 6 th grade teacher, passionate about education, and
focused on becoming a school administrator. She was also battling her own wellness journey. “I
didn’t know how to eat. I’d eat the wrong things all the time. I was having heart issues. I was
having cholesterol issues,” she recalls.
That day, Alison walked into Slim Possible, an Herbalife nutrition club, and had a tea and a
shake. Every morning after that, Alison stopped by to grab another tea and shake before work.
She chatted with the club’s other customers, most of them regulars, and developed friendships
that helped spur her decision to prioritize her health. “At the time I had a 6 year old and I was
not willing to lose my life for pizza,” she said. At her doctor’s recommendation, Alison underwent
bariatric surgery.
Alison Palladino, Owner of Slim Possible in Middletown
She completed her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and accepted a position as the
assistant principal and then principal of a middle school in South County. “I loved the kids. I
loved the teachers. I love teaching and learning,” she said.
Bringing the school through COVID took its toll on Alison, however, and she started wondering
what else was out there for her. In July of 2022, she saw a Facebook post from Slim Possible
that read “Are you interested?”.
She reached out to Hannah Snow, Slim Possible’s owner at the time and also one of Alison’s
former students. Alison started working at the club on Sundays and “fell in love.” “I fell in love
with the people, the customers – they’re not customers, they’re family. I fell in love with the vibe
in here. And I already knew what the product could do, so I was already in love with that.”
Sundays weren’t enough for Alison, so when the opportunity to purchase Slim Possible
presented itself in November of that year, she didn’t hesitate. In January of 2023, Alison
became the official owner of the club and resigned as principal. As difficult as it was to leave
education behind, she hasn’t looked back. “I am happy every day, all day long. That to me is
worth everything,” she said.
Alison Palladino and Slim Possible barista, Janie Chouinard
Alison has spent the past year bringing back the energy and feeling of community that COVID
striped from Slim Possible. She hired a new staff, changed the menu, and made small tweaks to
the music and décor in the club, all of which has been well received by customers.
The club has become a place where people can go, not just for a dose of clean energy, but a
dose of serotonin, a well. “When we’re having fun behind the bar, the customers are having fun
outside the bar,” Alison shared. “People who come in and have had a bad day, they leave
happy.”
Alison Palladino with her daughter, Olivia Ernest
In addition to shakes and teas, Alison offers free fit camps on Sunday mornings and monthly
Transformation Challenges. For most people, their transformation involves losing weight, but
many people focus on other goals, such as toning up, building muscle, and some even on
gaining healthy weight.
She also meets monthly with a bariatric support group to give weight loss surgery patients an
opportunity to share their insights, experiences, and challenges with one another. A bariatric
superstar herself, Alison lost a total of 110 pounds – 60 pounds following her surgery and
another 50 pounds post recovery. She credits her success to Herbalife whose shakes give her
body the daily intake of high quality protein, calories, and carbohydrates it needs. Seven years
later Alison has not gained a single pound back, something that only 5% of bariatric patients can
say.
Now Alison has set a new goal: to grow her circle of influence through mentoring another club
owner. Her involvement with Herbalife kick started her wellness journey, but also led to success
in her financial journey. She wants to share that someone else. “So that is really what I am
working on this year – to build the team and to really just change someone else’s life the way
my life has been changed,” she stated.
Slim Possible is located at 690 Aquidneck Ave in Middletown, RI. Check out their website or
follow them on Facebook or Instagram to learn more.