Celebrity personal trainer Jono Castano has deliberately flirted with a potential social media ban after sharing a highly provocative image with his followers. The 34-year-old posted the photo to his Instagram account on New Year's Eve, showing him sitting on a toilet with his pants down, beaming at the camera while holding a smartphone to his ear.
A Shocking Admission and Celebrity Reactions
In the caption accompanying the controversial image, Castano made a surprising revelation about his business habits. "If you’re not taking calls on the toilet, are you even hustling?" he quipped. He added, "Talking s**t to all the haters because get ready, it's a big one next year."
The post quickly drew reactions from his famous friends. His new girlfriend, Emily Ryder, joked in the comments, "I feel sorry for whoever took that pic." The Bachelor star Thomas Malucelli added, "Stop it, you’re s**t talking."
From Burnout to a Booming Wellness Empire
This audacious move comes as Castano reflects on a significant personal and professional journey. He recently opened up about the intense pressure and burnout he experienced while building ACERO, now one of Australia's fastest-growing boutique fitness brands. Following his split from model Simone Holtznagel, Castano admitted to Daily Mail, "I probably wasn't the best mentally."
The relentless pace eventually forced him to step back. A period of overseas travel allowed him to reset and regain clarity. He has come a long way from juggling back-to-back sessions in commercial gyms. The turning point for his business came via Instagram DMs when aspiring trainers asked to work under him, sparking the creation of a full-scale wellness movement.
"It's not just a gym," Jono said. "It's a movement. It's a community with purpose." Growth involved serious risk, including investing all his personal funds into a gym that initially failed. Today, ACERO operates as a comprehensive wellness hub offering strength training, Reformer Pilates, kickboxing, physiotherapy, and advanced recovery.
Fatherhood and Future Ambitions for 2026
Now, with a renewed focus, Castano says he is entering his boldest era yet, driven significantly by fatherhood. "My daughter is my drive," he stated. "Everything I do now is about building a better future for her."
Looking ahead, he is preparing for major expansion in 2026. ACERO plans to move deeper into the longevity and recovery space, with overseas hotel residencies and pop-up wellness hubs already in the pipeline. This follows his realisation that his time was capped: "I can only do so many sessions in a day. That was when I started thinking, how do I move to the next step?"
