You Got This: Amy and Jono Castano talk fitness and reveal their next big move

Amy Castano has revealed how her husband and celebrity trainer Jono helped transform her body in the three months leading up to their wedding.

Welcome to You Got This, news.com.au’s weekly slice of fitness inspiration featuring tips and advice from real women who’ve experienced it all.

It was straight after a trip to Los Angeles when Amy Castano felt extremely uncomfortable in her body.

The 31-year-old, who runs the popular Acero gym in Sydney with celebrity trainer and husband Jono, said she remembers the moment very clearly.

“It was right before our wedding, which will be three years in October and I remember coming back from our trip and just feeling enormous,” Amy told news.com.au.

“I was not myself. I just felt heavy and sluggish all the time.”

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Amy Castano prior to her wedding in 2018. Picture: Supplied

The accountant turned beauty influencer, who boasts half a million Instagram followers, said she was training most days of the week, but her diet had slipped and needed tweaking.

“I’ve always trained my whole life, but I think you know, when you go out to eat at restaurants and then have drinks, well you just can’t out-train a poor diet and that’s what I needed to do, just clean up my diet.”

With three months to her wedding, Amy had asked herself, ‘What can I do to transform my body’ – and that’s when she turned to her now hubby, Jono, who also happens to the best in the business.

“That was the only time I ever got involved,” Jono said while laughing, as Amy joked, “I was like, ‘Help me.’”

The duo then embarked on a transformation together by making one dietary change.

They followed a high fat, high protein and low carbohydrate diet, also known as keto.

“We created that keto lifestyle and we worked together as a team to be able to cook every day,” Jono told news.com.au.

“We both did it and I also got amazing results as well.

“I’ve actually been using that technique with my own [12 week] client transformations because I feel people struggle with carbs and identifying how many calories they should be having a day [and this helps].”

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The beauty blogger who runs Acero gym with her husband Jono Castano went on the lose 15kg in the 90 days before her wedding. Picture: Instagram/AmyCastano

Amy, who is 167cm tall, went on to lose 15kg by coupling the dietary change with a mixture of strength, weights and resistance training.

Jono also looked super lean on the big day, however, as much as he believes in the diet, he said it’s not sustainable long-term.

“There’s too much fat, which leads to high cholesterol. There’s also too much protein which could lead to kidney stones and that’s why I like to use it for transformations,” he said.

“The 12-week span is awesome, but then go back into a balanced approach but still understand your calories,” he advised.

Both Amy and celebrity trainer Jono embarked on a temporary keto diet. Picture: Instagram/AmyCastano

And that’s exactly what Amy ended up doing. Today, she follows a more balanced diet of fats, carbs, protein and fibre.

“I feel incredible. I feel really good and in control of my lifestyle,” she said.

While some may find hard to believe, despite Jono being a personal trainer, he doesn’t actually train Amy.

“He’s just too busy,” the 31-year-old said.

And that he is, with an average of 80 PTs and sessions a week.

Instead, Amy follows her own program that’s a mix of cardio, weights, boxing and pilates.

The couple, however, do work together and have done so since establishing Acero 10 years ago.

“We work really well together because we have a good balance. He knows where he is and I know where I am – we don’t cross over too much.”

Amy has since gone on to maintain a balanced diet and lifestyle. Picture: Supplied

Jono, who has also reverted to a balanced nutritional approach, said keto is a helpful short-term technique. Picture: Instagram/JonoCastano

Jono, who has worked with a bunch of celebrities from Rebel Wilson to Rita Ora and more recently Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby (remotely), said the best part of what he does is being able to work with his wife.

“I think a lot of people don’t get that opportunity to be able to find someone as passionate in the same industry as you are and that has made it a lot easier for me,” Jono told news.com.au. “We both understand each other.”
Amy manages the entire Acero brand, so everything from marketing, finances and social media, while Jono looks after all things training.

Together, the power couple have built a successful empire that boasts 10 trainers and an endless database of members and social media followers.

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Both Jono and Amy have gone on to create a fitness empire with plans on expanding the Acero brand globally. Picture: Instagram/AmyCastano

Jono said training Aussie actress and Hollywood star Rebel Wilson helped give the brand more awareness in terms of being able to deal with such a high-profile celebrity.

“We’re always very thankful for that,” he said.

However, the 30-year-old has been working with big talent for some time now and with a loyal clientele he’s been able to take Acero from outdoor style sessions into a studio with a thriving community vibe.

“I think that’s been the key thing from the get-go and it’s hard to do that and it’s taken time,” he said.

But watch this space because Jono and Amy looking to expand the brand locally in Melbourne and also globally.

“Los Angeles is definitely happening at some stage for Acero. The idea came about because of the opportunity that LA offers and the passion for health and wellness over in the States is similar to us Australians,” Jono said.

If you’ve got a transformation story you’d like to share, get in touch with [e-mail]

Originally published as You Got This: Amy and Jono Castano talk fitness and reveal their next big move