Based in New York City, Jennifer Billiu has provided personal training to female clients across Manhattan, typically in residential settings. Her areas of health and wellness include various aspects of physical fitness, from aerobics workouts to exercises incorporating weights. Jennifer Billiu has also delivered balance training and helped clients develop practices toward extending their productive years and achieving longevity.
Ms. Billiu is a graduate of Arizona State University’s health sciences program in Tempe. She has attained National Academy of Sports Medicine qualifications as a physical trainer and is certified by Wellcoaches. Her range of health-related knowledge includes plant-based nutrition techniques. She has assisted people in addressing osteoporosis risks associated with aging and calcium intake deficiency.
In her free time, she enjoys road cycling in the local community. Riding a bike not only increases endurance and provides an aerobic workout, but is an ideal way to explore new neighborhoods and natural areas.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I typically wake up at 4:30, have coffee/breakfast, and am training my first client by 6 am. I meet some of my clients in a personal training studio. I have relationships with gyms in and around the NYC/NJ area. I travel to most of my clients to train them in their homes, making it more convenient. Many of my clients who are moms appreciate this. I bring all necessary equipment, and we utilize equipment they already own. After my workday, I train myself. I also cycle regularly with friends. I usually ride in charity rides, such as cycling for cures for diseases like MS. I take Muay Thai lessons weekly, which are challenging and fun.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Trial and error. I like to discuss new training ideas with my clients and learn what excites them. Training has to be convenient and enjoyable to some degree in order for people to stick with the program. If something isn’t enjoyable with a client, we try something else. Results are paramount.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I love the push toward more functional training, as opposed to training that stresses joints, ligaments, and tendons, which can cause damage to our bodies. It’s important to be kind to oneself and to listen to our bodies. “No pain, no gain” does not mean training to damage, which defeats the entire purpose of training for health.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Meal prepping. It reduces decision fatigue, ensures I have healthy options from which to choose, and helps me use my time efficiently.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Keep your circle full of people you admire and who share your values around health and fitness, because that is contagious. A good friend group who shares values can be motivating on low-energy days.
Tell us something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on.
Women are stronger, more resilient, and more physically, emotionally, and intellectually mature than men.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Believe in the compound interest that years of regular exercise delivers. It is harder to get in shape later in life than it is to stay in shape for a full life. The years matter for health now and in the future.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I get into my physical body. I like to cycle, work out, practice yoga…anything to take the focus out of my head and put it into my physical body. This gives my brain a break from thinking too deeply on a problem and also helps blow off some steam. This allows me to consider an issue with more clarity, creativity, and fresh perspective—all with a lowered emotional state. High emotional states can cloud good judgment.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Word of mouth and getting involved with activities with groups of like-minded people. Making relationships in the health and fitness community is imperative. Making friends/connections are everything. Most of my clientele comes from word of mouth. Results also speak for themselves.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
In the beginning, I felt shy about asking for clients or business partnerships. This delayed my career growth until I decided that I would have to be okay with being uncomfortable if I wanted to grow my client base. I decided to be more proactive by approaching people with purpose and asking for business and making audacious partnership requests. The answer is always no unless you ask.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
I often have my clients use MyFitnessPal to begin tracking their nutrition. I ask them to share it with me. This helps them be accountable, which increases success around their nutrition and fitness goals. We can ensure they are eating the right food at the right time to fuel their workouts, produce muscle, and reduce fat.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
Booty Bands! These are inexpensive, target the core and glutes, and are convenient to carry in my bag to multiple clients’ homes. I use them myself, and they are terrific warm-up tools that help activate glutes.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
YouTube is a wealth of information. Want to train a particular body part? YouTube can show you which exercises will do that, provide step-by-step videos on how to execute them with proper form, and it even offers many different people using the exercises as part of different routines at different levels of ability. This is so inclusive. Something for everyone. And it can keep things fresh and interesting. You can even find many great virtual trainers on YouTube.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I love watching documentaries on health and fitness. The “Fast Food Nation” book had a profound impact on me. It was made into a documentary (I think). It is about the meat-packing industry in the US. It taught me to seriously question government-approved entities that claim to provide us with healthy food in a humane way.
Key learnings
- Healthy habits and a healthy mindset support productivity and well-being.
- Making connections and proactively seeking opportunities and partnerships are fundamental to growing your business.
- Fitness training that prioritizes sustainability and functional movements over intensity support long-term health and reduce risk of injury.
- Adaptability and experimentation help bring ideas to life.