Balance Life is expanding — both in size and in services offered.

The fitness and wellness center at 12 W. Willow Grove Ave. in Chestnut Hill recently grew its footprint by two-and-a-half times its previous size and added a new in-house physician, Dr. Matt Watto.

These changes reflect Balance’s goal of providing “a new model of proactive health” in which a multidisciplinary team covers fitness, health, and wellness, according to the company’s website.

Amy Carolla, owner of Balance, believes the hard work of the expansion will pay off.

“I’m not going to say it wasn’t overwhelming at all, but it is definitely exciting,” Carolla told the Local. “It’s a very cool thing we have here and I just want more people to know about it because it’s so special and we have such great energy.”

Expanding the space

Balance first operated out of a small space on Highland Avenue from 2008 to 2011. Recognizing the need for more space, Carolla moved the business to its current location in 2011.

In May, the Local reported that Balance purchased the rest of the building at 12 W. Willow Grove Ave., and Kismet Cowork and Vitality Studio closed. According to Carolla, the remodeling began in June and continued into the fall.

“We’ve been in Chestnut Hill for a long time, and finally feel like we have the space we need to do what our original mission was: offer a little bit of everything health and fitness,” Carolla said.

The new facility is 14,000 square feet, including a new yoga and Pilates studio, training floors with equipment for self-directed workouts, and a dedicated recovery area. There are also private spaces for physician consultations, physical therapy, acupuncture, and massage services.

An in-house physician

In September 2024, Balance began discussions with Watto to bring him on as an in-house physician. He said he was interested in the idea of having “360-degree health and wellness” under one roof.

Balance “already had nutrition programming, physical therapy, and acupuncture, but they didn’t have a way to prescribe medications. They didn’t have someone who could order blood work and keep everything in house,” Watto said. “Bringing me in was meant to make it so we could provide a full complement of services for people. …There really hasn’t been anything like that in Philadelphia, and that’s where I thought it was exciting to join and have the opportunity to put this program together.”

Watto graduated from medical school at Boston University in 2010 before doing a residency at Temple University. For four years, he was on active duty in the Air Force, working in internal medicine. Watto also started a popular podcast called “The Curbsiders,” which provides medical education for physicians. Through his experience interviewing experts and researching the cutting edge of medicine, Watto said he became more interested in holistic plans for health and wellness.

“I have a lot more time at [Balance] to spend with my patients than I did at previous jobs,” Watto said. “Most people have some sort of health care relationship, but they don’t have one like this where there’s a team that is there to support them in the way they want for their health.”

At Balance, Watto focuses on five pillars for a healthy life: fitness, sleep, nutrition, metabolic health, and emotional health. These pillars have been the focus of monthly workshops hosted by Watto. These free events are held in person and on Zoom, with the aim of informing the community about health, fitness, and Watto’s new role.

A balanced approach

Going to a gym or wellness center can be overwhelming at first. Watto said Balance is committed to making the starting process easy.

“If somebody is intimidated about walking into a fitness center — which is a really common thing — this is a great place to start,” Watto said. “There’s people of all different levels here working out and there’s lots of great ways to get into it and be introduced to it in a way that’s safe and effective.”

For Carolla, having the new space and Watto’s presence at Balance is an exciting moment for the business.

“We have multiple generations that are coming into this business,” Carolla said. “I’ve been in fitness now for so long that I’ve never seen anything like it. …We’re able to offer all of these things and it attracts generations that come in and approach fitness in the way we think is best, and that’s balance.”

To showcase the new space and introduce Watto to the community, Balance will be hosting an open house on Nov. 14 and 15, featuring free fitness classes, demonstrations, and workshops. Learn more at balance.life.

Maggie Dougherty can be reached at Margaret@chestnuthilllocal.com.