Bio
Elite Athlete, Celebrity Fitness Expert, Founder of The AR Program,
One of Google’s “Next Top Fitness Personalities in 2012”
After moving to the United States from Canada on a running scholarship, Amanda Russell had her sights set on the Olympics when she suffered a career-ending leg injury. Told by doctors she’d never run again, she was determined to recover and continue pursuing her passion for fitness. After two years of intense rehabilitation, she was competing and even winning triathlons.
Putting her unique running background and extraordinary passion for health and fitness to work, Amanda created The AR Program. A holistic mind and body system, the proprietary program focuses on intense dynamic workouts combined with a healthy diet and has been praised for its ability to achieve a lean and fit runner’s body without running.
Today, alongside her work teaching and inspiring others to realize their health and fitness goals via The AR Program Amanda is the host and creator of ARFit, one of the fastest growing fitness and lifestyle channels on YouTube. She was recently selected as “YouTube’s Next Fitness Personality” and, in just one year, has garnered over 35 thousand subscribers and over 2.2 million views. Armed with invaluable experience as an elite athlete, an MBA in Marketing and a passion for helping people conquer physical and emotional setbacks head-on in order to realize their dreams.
Amanda, often referred to as “Carrie Bradshaw meets Ironwoman” currently airs two new shows per week on ARFit and recently launched her first-ever 14 Day Diet & Fitness Plan in response to strong viewer demand. She also shares daily motivational fitness tips, cutting-edge health news, and lifestyle advice via her website, www.amanda-russell.com. She recently partnered with one of the premier “fitness meets entertainment” production companies in the world, Trium Entertainment, headed by the mastermind behind NBC's The Biggest Loser, Mark Koops, and will be working with them in 2013 and beyond to build out her brand across all fitness and lifestyle channels. The Amanda Russell brand is being brought into people’s homes across the globe in an effort to catalyze positive, lasting change in fun and innovative ways.
Amanda will also be filming across the country in 2013 for her new show, being produced by Trium Entertainment, and will be hosting events such as “Bridal Boot Camp” in world-renowned destinations, including Aspen, Malibu, New York City, and The Hamptons. Bridal Boot Camp, an idea she launched in 2012 at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, earned her the title of The Plaza Hotel’s “Bridal Fitness Expert.”
Having just put the 'Amanda Russell blog in motion on LiveStrong.com, Amanda was selected as one of eight individuals to be an official partner and face of the Livestrong (LS) brand and was the official spokesperson and correspondent for LS at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. In 2013 she will host a weekly show on their site (produced by LS) while working across myriad LS platforms.
Amanda is an ambassador for many high profile brands including ZICO Coconut Water and has been featured in top-tier fitness magazines as both a contributor and fitness model, including SELF, Runners World, Fitness, Redbook, and Women’s Health. She is a group fitness instructor at Equinox Fitness and holds her popular AR Program Boot Camp across the country.
Amanda, who has been the keynote speaker at events such as the Toronto Marathon, OptimMYz Live Wellness Conference, and WPIX11 Health and Wellness Expo, spends her “downtime” doing philanthropic work and motivational speaking for organizations close to her heart such as Girls on the Run, dedicated to educating and empowering girls to prevent future at-risk activities.