We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amanda Casillo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Amanda, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the best advice you ever gave to a client? How did they benefit / what was the result? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)

Each client comes with their own personal challenge associated with their body image, nutrition behaviors, and societal support and influence. As someone who did not invest in a coach for far too long, I always encourage those who are considering entering the fitness space, those who are lost in it, or those who have cycled through it time and time again, to invest in yourself. Skip the line and grant the luxury of prioritizing you. Once the client has chosen to admit their shortcomings, we can proceed with finding what is realistic for them in their life as it stands. We know extreme measures of health and fitness are not sustainable long term, so we assess your day to day and how small behavior changes can be made over time.
My simplest form of advice: eat. Most clients (and I mean 90% of them) are not eating enough. I know, this is illogical to most of you reading this. Each generation I work with has had some influence, whether that was their mother, magazines, or social media, of the “eat less” moto. When we continually eat less, our body adapts to this and doesn’t allow for weight loss, muscle building, appropriate hormone levels, adequate energy availability, and decreased sleep performance – to name a few.
Every day I have a client who assures me that they are eating more than they thought they could without substantial weight gain. She’ll say things like she cannot believe the difference in her mood, energy levels, and overall body composition eating more has provided her. My clients have been able to achieve their desired body type, without referencing the scale and eating more, while focusing on long term health and longevity of exercise and nutrition.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I felt a lot of insecurity when I first launched Fit By Amanda. Sure, I had been a participant in the exercise and nutrition world for over 10 years, but to implement my knowledge and experience with the hope that others had buy in? That was a tough start mentally for me. I was (and still am) an audiologist, which is a specialized doctorate degree for hearing and balance disorders, and didn’t quite see how those two worlds could combine yet. However, I had the opportunity to explore a field I was passionate in, educate and guide other women through their health journey, and to use my prior professional experience to create connections with medical providers. I had the goal of creating a niche in my education, which started with general personal trainer and nutrition coaching certifications through National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), then lead to pre- and postnatal coaching specialist with Girls Gone Strong and pregnancy and postpartum corrective exercise specialist through Core Exercise Solutions.
I sought out medical providers who work with women, such as pelvic floor physical therapists, chiropractors, naturopathic physicians, licensed mental health professionals, and the likes to create a referral network for my clients and their patients. I wanted to establish myself as a cerebral coach who thrived on interdisciplanery collaborations. The ultimate result for my clients is longevity in their health, improved body image and eating behaviors, as well as support.
I am most proud to be a resistant and resilient force in my industry. I challenge the headlines by guiding women in nutrition foundations, such as focusing on protein; ensuring women they don’t have to do endless bouts of cardio and can achieve a toned look through strength training; and confronting the value systems women have placed on themselves, such as using the scale as an indicator of how worthy they are. A client’s work with me is not a quick solution and will take time. However, the investment you make today for yourself will create a confident woman through all phases of your life.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

It is not Instagram, TikTok, NextDoor, or any social media platform. Client growth has been through word of mouth with existing clients or referrals from medical providers. The gift of a client recommending my services to other women because they have benefitted from our time assures me that what I do is significant in the health space. If a medical provider is working with a client, I request that a release of information document be signed so that we can collaborate on her care. This gives the client the best opportunity to succeed and, most importantly, know we are there to support her. These are the most gratifying ways to sustain my business.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

The most helpful action I did and continue to do in order to succeed in my field is networking. Broadly speaking, personal training does not have the highest regards. Compound that with the cost barrier and an industry based on aesthetics, I have an uphill battle. However, I have engaged and collaborated with like-minded professionals who see the woman as a whole being, not just a portion of a human related to their knowledge. Was it intimidating to email medical providers out of the blue? Absolutely. But, if I didn’t reach out, then I told myself no before someone else did. The beautiful part of that was most of them were open to meeting me, supported me throughout my growth, and continue to engage in my business.

Contact Info:

• Website: fitbyamanda.com
• Instagram: fitbyamanda.az
• Facebook: fitbyamanda.az
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fitbyamandaaz/

Image Credits
Nicole Londot Photography