We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Karina Damiani. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Karina below.

Karina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

I think we all had a defining moment in the last 2 years. Covid and the pandemic changed everyone’s lives in one way or another, or plainly is all the ways. There were several defining moments for me, but professionally speaking, once the pandemic hit and gyms started closing, I was let go of my job – a CrossFit Trainer – right away. And that is very nerve-racking, since all the places I could find another job were also closing.
After some thinking, we found that the best way to go about it was to continue offering and giving online (ZOOM) classes to the people that would want to do that, and once the pandemic was over we would reassess…
I was extremely insecure about it. I was sure no one would want to continue with me, but we opened up my LLC and made the Online Fitness Zoom Classes official – Strong by Design was born.
And to my surprise, all of my people continued showing up and supporting my business and wanting to be part of my journey. That to me was a testament to who I am as a coach, and the value I bring to these people, independently of whether we are working online or live.

Karina, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Karina, I am originally from Brazil and I came here about 10 years about, with my partner – which I am so grateful for – and started studying Sport and Exercise. I never had a Fitness background, quite on the contrary, I was an overweight kid and highly sedentary, and honestly always saw exercise as punishment. But in my teens, I had a knee scare which made me more aware of how important fitness was.
My “gateways drug” was kickboxing and that is still something I really love practicing, but as the years went by I started getting more comfortable in the gym, after kickboxing, I started running, then spend a little time without knowing what to do at the gym, and then was introduced to CrossFit. That was at the same time I started going deeper into studying Fitness, Sports ad Exercise.
That’s when I started to understand more about the human body, about movement and anatomy, about the importance of fuelling your body appropriately for your goals…

Today, almost 10 years later I have a Bachelor in Sport and Exercise, 2 AA’s in Fitness and Wellness, am a Certified CrossFit Coach, have am NASM Certified, have 2 Nutrition Coach Certifications, and continue challenging myself and learning more for my people. I have the discipline and I said it proudly that I work out at my garage, I am almost 40 years old and my body looks better than when I was 20, my health is great but I also have fun with food – eating chocolate, pizza, and drinking alcohol. I have people that I inspire to be and do better in regards to their health, and that I am blessed to help them see that it is all about their Health and then their Fitness

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I way to common of a story that we all should and probably need to unlearn… that restricting our bodies of food and overworking with exercise is the way to get to our goals. Without any shadow of a doubt, I believed that and for years acted on it. I underfed myself, I was bulimic for a short period, i ate salads only for lunch and dinner and skipped breakfast and carbs because It didn’t want to gain any weight. It wasn’t until I was ready to learn about feeding and fuelling my body to my goals and to be my healthiest version that I started to get to where I wanted.
It wasn’t until I stopped chasing my ego and started taking care of my health that I understood that eating is the base of good health and a good and strong body and I learned that nothing grows stronger when you are only taking away.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Training and knowledge is 110% necessary, but if you don’t truly care for your people there is no way you will succeed. To be a coach is to care for these people’s journey, and gains, and growth. Is wanting them to know they can and should count on you. Is helping them trust themselves and believe in them so they can believe in them. Is showing them they can absolutely do it, if they want to. Is making clear that it won’t be easy, and it probably won’t be fast, but you will be by them every step of the way to help them and it will be so worth it at the end.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wearestrongbydesign.com
• Instagram: @coachkdamiani
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karina.damiani.503
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karinadamiani/
• Twitter: @kadamiani84