Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Binns.
Hi Heather, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was a running and triathlon coach for years before officially becoming a personal trainer in 2006, but my love for movement started way earlier. I was always active growing up, riding my bike, roller skating, swimming, and skateboarding. I loved P.E. class and recess the most, competed multiple times in the Girl Scout Olympics, earned the Presidential Physical Fitness Award four years in a row, and eventually progressed into track and field and cross country in both high school and college. I even dabbled in tennis and golf for a bit.
Later on, I got into gym workouts, ran road races, played women’s professional tackle football for the Los Angeles Lasers, completed numerous triathlons (up to the half Ironman distance), and ventured into mountain biking, trail running, and obstacle course racing. One of my proudest moments was placing 25th in my age group at the 2019 Spartan Race World Championships. I also discovered fitness races like DEKA and Hyrox. I’ve always loved challenging myself with new activities.
I found joy in pushing both my body and mind. Like many people, though, life shifted over time. In the past five years, I went from being highly active to feeling stuck in my own body. This happened after surgery, multiple injuries, career changes, and personal life transitions. One of those changes even included becoming a volunteer wildland firefighter for the City of Los Angeles.
In 2008, I launched my first fitness business, Full of Life Fitness, which later evolved into Renov8 Fitness® in 2016. This was more than just a name change. It reflected my growth as a coach, a business owner, and a human being. I created The Renov8 Method®, a holistic approach that combines fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle coaching without the extremes of diet culture or toxic fitness trends. My goal is to help people feel alive again: Strong, confident, and fully capable of anything they desire.
Today, I work with adults who were once active but now feel stuck in their bodies. I help them rediscover their athletic potential and rebuild strength from the inside out. My private studio in North Hollywood is an inclusive, judgment-free space where all genders and identities are welcome. I’m also a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community and deeply committed to making fitness accessible, affirming, and sustainable.
Over the years, I’ve coached thousands of people. What I love most is witnessing that moment when someone goes from saying, “I’m not sure I can,” to realizing, “I can’t believe I just did that.” That kind of transformation never gets old.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all. It has been anything but smooth, but every struggle has shaped who I am and how I coach today.
One of the biggest turning points in my life was a near-death accident in my 20s that resulted in a traumatic brain injury and ultimately led to my diagnosis of epilepsy. I had been a vibrant, active young adult, and suddenly I found myself navigating seizures, recovery, and completely rethinking how I lived my life. That experience gave me a deep understanding of what it means to rebuild from the ground up, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
But my challenges started even earlier. I was born with metatarsus adductus, a congenital foot condition that required me to learn how to walk with braces attached to my shoes as a child. From the very beginning, I had to work harder than most to move well, and that early experience shaped my mindset. I became fiercely determined to master my body and never let limitations define me.
As an adult, I have dealt with numerous injuries over the years, but most recently a hip labral tear that required surgery, patellofemoral syndrome, chronic plantar fasciitis, and a broken toe. I had to get used to using crutches multiple times, and at one point during my recovery, I couldn’t stand and used a wheelchair for a short time. All of this marked the beginning of what I now call my Return to Strong™ journey. It has been a long, intentional process of recovery to regain strength, mobility, and confidence after feeling physically limited and out of sync with my body for years.
There are still moments when I question whether I will fully return to the level of fitness I once had. But I continue to show up and refuse to give up. Earlier this year, after only three weeks of training following a long stretch of recovery, I completed my first mountain race in over two years. It was not my fastest race, but it was deeply emotional and empowering. It reminded me of what is possible when you lead with grit, patience, and heart. I am still rebuilding, one step at a time. That ongoing journey is also why I continue to host my annual Burpee Biathlon™, a signature community event that challenges both physical endurance and mental strength. It celebrates resilience and serves as a reminder that we are all capable of more than we think.
Alongside the physical challenges, I have also navigated the emotional and financial ups and downs that come with building a business. I had to learn how to lead without burning out, how to grow while staying aligned with my values, and how to coach from a place of lived experience rather than just textbook knowledge or common ideals passed down by business coaches and mentors. I realized that in order to truly move forward, I had to look within and trust my own voice.
It has not been easy, but every challenge has made me a stronger human, a more grounded business owner, and a better coach. I do not just talk about resilience. I live it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My business, Renov8 Fitness®, is based in North Hollywood, California, and I also coach clients virtually around the world. Renov8 Fitness® is a private fitness studio that offers a deeply personalized and inclusive approach to health and performance. I specialize in helping adults who were once active but now feel stuck, disconnected from their bodies, or unsure how to move forward. My signature framework, The Renov8 Method®, helps people rebuild strength, improve mobility, and reconnect with their …
What sets us apart is the whole-person approach. While fitness is often the entry point, I also coach clients on a variety of biofeedback markers including nutrition, sleep, stress, energy, libido, hormones, recovery, mindset, supplementation, mood, and performance. The goal is to help them build sustainable routines that support long-term success. This creates lasting change that goes far beyond what happens in the gym.
Clients come to me to lose fat, build strength, improve their relationship with movement, and feel more alive in their bodies. Many also come specifically to train for events like trail and road races, Spartan and other obstacle course races, and fitness races such as DEKA and HYROX. They want expert-level support to train smarter, stay injury-free, and perform at their best.
At Renov8 Fitness®, we offer several flexible coaching and training options to meet people where they are:
• The Renov8 Collective™ – A supportive, community-based program with self-paced workouts, expert tips, monthly group calls, and accountability
• Core Coaching – Focused solely on either fitness or nutrition and lifestyle coaching, with one-on-one support, regular check-ins, progress tracking, custom programming, and long-term strategy
• VIP Coaching – A fully integrated experience combining fitness and nutrition and lifestyle coaching, with deeper one-on-one support, regular check-ins, progress tracking, custom programming, and long-term strategy
• Return to Strong™ Academy – A self-implemented program library designed to help adults rebuild their bodies. It includes metabolic reset guidance, habit-building support, and body-part-specific blueprints to improve strength and mobility after injury or setbacks, or to prevent them in the first place
• The Renov8 Fitness Lab™ – Pay-per-class group workouts open to all fitness levels, offered both in-person and online
• Burpee Biathlon™ – A signature Renov8 Fitness® annual event that blends grit and endurance into one powerful, community-centered challenge. It is open to local and virtual participants worldwide
Renov8 Fitness® is a trauma-aware, LGBTQIA+ affirming, inclusive environment where all genders, body types, and fitness levels are welcome. I built this space to be free of judgment, pressure, and toxic fitness culture. Here, we focus on feeling strong, capable, and confident in your body again, not punishing it into submission.
As a coach, I bring a high level of attention to detail and hold myself to exceptionally high standards. I believe good form, strategic programming, and sustainable structure matter just as much as mindset and motivation. My clients know I am a bit of a perfectionist in the best way, always looking out for their safety, progress, and potential.
What I am most proud of is the long-term transformation that happens here. I have watched clients go from hesitant and hurting to energized and empowered. My tagline is Find Your Athlete Within®, because I believe everyone has that spark inside them. My role is to help them uncover it, reignite it, and keep it going for life, whether that athlete has been buried for a while or has never been found. More than anything, I want to inspire people to believe in what is possible, even when it feels out of reach.
What are your plans for the future?
At Renov8 Fitness®, I’m in a season of rebuilding, both personally and professionally. After dealing with multiple injuries, my focus right now is on continuing my own Return to Strong™ journey. I am working hard to rebuild my body with intention, so I can race competitively again in the future with a stronger foundation than ever before. This lived experience also continues to deepen my coaching approach and keeps me grounded in the work I ask my clients to do.
On the business side, I am focused on expanding the Return to Strong™ Academy, a self-implemented program library designed to help people restore strength, mobility, and confidence in their bodies. Whether someone is coming back from injury or simply wants to prevent one, the Academy offers sustainable, accessible support they can follow at their own pace.
I’m also developing more workplace wellness solutions, helping companies create new programs from scratch or improve the systems they already have. My approach focuses on realistic, inclusive strategies that actually meet the needs of real people in real work environments.
The Renov8 Fitness Lab™ is another area I’m excited to grow. These pay-per-class strength and conditioning sessions are offered both in-person and virtually, making it easier for people to experience high-quality coaching without a long-term commitment. It has become a great entry point for those interested in my coaching but not quite ready for a full program.
I also want to continue showing up in more visible ways as a leader in inclusive fitness. I am committed to creating a safe, empowering space for all bodies and all identities. As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I want to use my voice to help people feel seen, supported, and strong in every stage of their journey.
I’m looking forward to traveling more, collaborating with other wellness professionals, and returning to public speaking and events. My goal remains the same: to help people reconnect with their bodies, elevate the standard for coaching, and empower them to Find Their Athlete Within®. I also look forward to continuing to be a role model for my grandchildren, showing them what strength, perseverance, and self-belief truly look like.
At the core of Renov8 Fitness® is a bigger mission. I want to help adults who feel stuck rediscover their strength, confidence, and athletic potential. My vision is to inspire people to break through limitations, reconnect with their bodies, and embrace a more empowered, active life. Everything I do is rooted in compassion, consistency, inclusivity, and a deep commitment to real transformation.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Renov8.Fitness
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathercpt AND https://www.instagram.com/renov8.fitness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherBinns.CPT AND https://www.facebook.com/Renov8Fitness
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherbinnscpt AND https://www.linkedin.com/company/18218775/admin
- Twitter: https://x.com/HeatherBinnsCPT AND https://x.com/Renov8Fitness
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HeatherBinnsCPT AND https://www.youtube.com/@renov8fitness
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/renov8-fitness-north-hollywood
- Other: https://www.BurpeeBiathlon.com
