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

Kat, appreciate you joining us 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)

It isn’t advice that I gave to one client… it’s what I tell all my clients. It’s what I would scream from the rooftops if I could. It’s the basis of my entire business. And it’s the reason I’ve been successful in healing my own body from Hashimoto’s and helping hundreds of women do the same.

Get to the root.

I don’t care what it is. Whether it’s a habit you want to change, a belief that keeps sabotaging you, a symptom that won’t go away, a diagnosis you want to heal… Get to the root of it.

We live in a world of bandaids and quick fixes and its why nothing ever feels fully resolved, problems continue to resurface, and we constantly feel like we’re chasing our tail and spinning our wheels.

Is it hard? Absolutely. Anyone can take a pill, disassociate with social media, or follow a crash diet for a few weeks.

But digging into our own psyche and understanding why we do what we do and how we think what we think in order to change it? That’s work. Spending money on functional labs, peeling back complex health issues layer by layer, making slow and steady changes to your diet and lifestyle even when you don’t see fast results? That’s work.

But it’s the best work you’ll ever do, and it’s the most lasting change you’ll ever create in your life.

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 background and context?

Hi, I’m Kat. I’m a Functional Nutrition Practitioner and personal trainer with over a decade of experience helping women who feel stuck and overwhelmed finally get answers (and results) when conventional approaches have failed them.

I got into this work the way a lot of us do: out of necessity. I grew up dancing and while on the surface I seemed like the “healthy one” (I ate incredibly clean, trained every day, got good sleep) I also struggled with disordered eating, a toxic relationship, and crushing perfectionism.

Eventually, my body started breaking down. I could sleep 11 hours and still barely function. My digestion was unpredictable and embarrassing. I had 10 extra pounds on my small frame that wouldn’t budge. My face, chest, and back were covered in cystic acne. For over a decade I went from doctor to doctor, but got nowhere.

I was told my labs were “normal.” I was given pills to mask my symptoms. I was told it was all in my head. And even at a young age I remember thinking… this cannot be it.

So I started digging. And I didn’t stop.

I found out my body wasn’t randomly failing. It was battling Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, candida, sibo, leaky gut, mold, h pylori, and more.

So I dug deep into functional nutrition, gut health, hormone balance, and the psychology of behavior change. I invested in functional labs. I went through dozens of holistic protocols. I peeled back the layers. And slowly but surely, everything started to change.

That’s what I now help my clients do.

I work primarily with women dealing with things like hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, stubborn weight, fatigue, digestive issues, and hormone imbalances.

I work with women who feel like they’ve tried everything and nothing has fully worked because they’ve been given surface-level solutions for root-level problems.

My work is about identifying what’s actually driving your symptoms. Not guessing. Not throwing spaghetti at the wall. But using a strategic, root-cause approach that looks at the body as a whole.

That can include functional lab testing, gut repair, supporting detox pathways, balancing blood sugar and hormones, rebuilding metabolism, and just as importantly, addressing the behavioral patterns and beliefs that keep you stuck.

Because it’s never just about food.

What sets my work apart is that I don’t believe in extremes, unnecessary restriction, or turning your life upside down to heal. I’m not here to make you trade your ambition for bubble baths and meditation (unless you love those things). I’m here to help you become the healthiest version of yourself without losing who you are.

You can be driven, social, successful, and still heal your body.

My clients aren’t looking for another diet. They’re looking for answers. For a plan that makes sense for their body and life. For support that actually meets them where they are. And for results that last.

I offer a range of ways to work together from my monthly membership filled with education and specialized DIY protocols, to more high-touch coaching and root-cause programs where we use advanced testing to create highly personalized healing protocols.

But no matter how someone works with me, the mission is always the same: Stop guessing. Start understanding. And finally feel at home in your body again.

What I’m most proud of isn’t just the physical transformations, though those are incredible. It’s seeing them trust their bodies again. It’s watching them go from being bogged down by symptoms to living their lives fully again. It’s giving them a roadmap when they’ve felt lost for years.

If there’s one thing I want people to know about me and my work, it’s this:

You are not broken.
You are not a lost cause.
And your symptoms are not random.

Your body is communicating with you. You just need to know how to listen, and what to do next.

And that’s exactly what I’m here to help you do.

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

Compassion. Empathy. And a genuine desire to help people.

These aren’t just nice-to-haves in this field, they’re non-negotiables.

One of the things I offer that sets my work apart is unlimited messenger support between calls. And recently, a new client reached out with a long list of fears about starting this process.

She was anxious that her labs might come back “normal,” leaving her (once again) without answers. She was worried that even if we found something and addressed it, it still wouldn’t be enough.

Instead of brushing past it or saving it for our next session, I sent her a 5-minute voice note. I validated what she was feeling, gave her a few simple tools to regulate her nervous system, and reminded her that every piece of information we uncover, good or bad, is a step forward.

This was her response:

“Thank you so much. I deeply appreciate your kindness and compassion. I’ve never been treated so well by a health professional before and it means so much to me. This really is the first time anyone has truly listened to me, especially for GI issues. I’m so grateful to have your support!”

It’s easy to slip into “practitioner mode”: write the protocol, send it off, move on to the next.

But we’re not just working with symptoms. We’re working with people. People who have often been dismissed, overlooked, or made to feel like their symptoms are in their head.

Taking the time to truly listen, to validate, and to support them emotionally isn’t extra. It’s essential.

Because when someone finally feels seen and supported, that’s when real healing begins.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Relationships.

I have a solid social media following, email list, and podcast audience, but the vast majority of my clients have come through referrals.

And not just client referrals.

For years, I’ve partnered with an influencer, providing her with personal training in exchange for exposure on her social media platforms, which reach over 100,000 people. That relationship alone has brought in a steady stream of aligned clients.

More recently, I’ve also partnered with a holistic doctor who runs a wellness practice that collaborates with a wide range of practitioners: personal trainers, massage therapists, psychologists, estheticians, and physical therapists. Even in just a few months, that partnership has become a strong referral source.

At the end of the day, this business is built on trust. And strong relationships, both with clients and other professionals, have been one of the biggest drivers of my growth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.katspangler.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/follow.your.gut.nutrition
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@followyourgutnutrition?lang=en