Meet Glayol Kashani of Built By G Personal Training

Today we’d like to introduce you to Glayol Kashani.

Hi Glayol, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m a UCLA alumna, nutrition and lifestyle transformation specialist, coach with a passion for behavior change, health, and wellness. Over my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with more than 1,500 clients, supporting goals ranging from major weight loss and injury rehabilitation to muscle gain, eating disorder recovery, powerlifting competition, and police academy preparation. I’m certified through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and have been mentored by physical therapists specializing in spinal and extremity musculoskeletal disorders.

But my journey began long before the certifications and successes. Growing up, I felt out of place in the fitness world. not athletic, struggling with health, and unsure how to care for my body. Finding strength training transformed my life. What started as a means of survival soon became a source of confidence, resilience, and empowerment.

With the guidance of a dedicated personal trainer, I learned to build not just muscle but grit and self-belief. Inspired, I began coaching others: in parks, on Zoom, and in college gyms—helping people reclaim control over their health and wellness.

Eventually, that passion led me to launch Built by G Personal Training, with a mission to make fitness accessible and inclusive. I help clients rebuild trust with their bodies, advocate for their health, and develop lasting habits whether they are navigating menopause, recovering postpartum, wanting to feel good in a bikini again, want to learn how to shed body fat and build muscle, or balancing life’s many demands, I’ve done it!

I’ve worked with everyone from sleep-deprived law enforcement officers to postpartum moms: and every client proves the same truth: when you build strength, your whole life changes.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I faced many obstacles, including living with undiagnosed Graves’ disease that caused chronic fatigue, severe stomach pain, hormonal imbalances, and debilitating back pain. Despite frequent hospital visits and physical symptoms, I was often dismissed because I didn’t “look sick.”

Growing up in an immigrant household, health and fitness weren’t openly discussed, so I had to navigate my symptoms and struggles largely alone. I experienced medical gaslighting and faced frustration trying to advocate for myself amid conflicting treatments and unanswered questions.

Physically, I struggled to participate in activities others took for granted, I couldn’t pass PE or do a push-up, which deeply affected my confidence and self-image.

One pivotal moment was catching a dangerous thyroid storm early because of my passion for bodybuilding and nutrition tracking. I was able to show my doctor detailed data on my food intake and symptoms, which helped save my life. This experience taught me the power of self-awareness and preventive care.

Later, I struggled with doubting whether my voice mattered since I’m not a typical athlete or competitive sportsperson. But I realized that my relatability and lived experience allow me to connect deeply with people who don’t come from traditional fitness backgrounds.

Coaching isn’t about having the fastest mile or the most impressive stats, it’s about understanding clients’ struggles, making fitness accessible, and helping them problem-solve. It’s about motivating them positively and building lifelong habits that improve their quality of life.

That’s the real heart of coaching, and it’s what I’m passionate about sharing with every client.

As you know, we’re big fans of Built By G Personal Training. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Built By G Personal Training, located in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, offers a personalized path to wellness for busy professionals over 40 across Orange County. Coach Glayol is a certified personal trainer who provides expert guidance in strength training, personal training, and nutrition, crafting programs designed to fit your lifestyle and schedule. Forget endless hours at the gym or restrictive diets. Built By G focuses on sustainable habits, proper form, and consistent progress. With in-person sessions or flexible online coaching, discover a proven plan to build strength, lose weight, and feel fantastic. Experience real results with a program designed for long-term success and tailored to busy adults balancing career and life.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Likes

* Helping clients build practical skills that lead to sustainable, long-term change
* Problem-solving and creating scalable, realistic strategies for clients who have struggled with weight or repeated rebounds
* Supporting clients who aren’t “born fit” or don’t fit traditional fitness molds
* Navigating resistance and barriers to change with patience and empathy
* Empowering clients to move beyond rigid rules and focus on progress over perfection

Dislikes

* Viewing clients purely as numbers, meal plans, or macros without considering their whole context
* Rigid approaches that don’t account for the biopsychosocial complexities of behavior change
* Expecting clients to easily adopt idealized habits without meeting them where they are
* Ignoring the mental and emotional hurdles clients face during transformation
* Overemphasizing strict calorie tracking or meal plan adherence for clients who need skill-building and mindset shifts first

Contact Info:

• Website: https://builtbyg.wordpress.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/built_byg
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/built-by-g-costa-mesa