At 24 years old, I was in the worst shape
of my life...228lbs with back, shoulder, and knee problems. Once an avid sports enthusiast, I thought those days were
over for me. I had a hard time just making it to the gym. I couldn't imagine participating in any of the activities
I had once chased with a passion.
The turning point came on day when i got out of bed and had a hard time putting
on my clothes for work. Hey it's a different point for all of us but for me, I was just completely frustrated. I felt
life was passing me by and I just had to get out of the rut my life had become. Being inactive put me in a very negative
state of mind. Luckily for me I am a very stubborn yet determined individual.
Starting with
nutrition (which lead me back into a life long dream - culinary school), I began a slow but steady return to a healthy
lifestyle. I started by making small changes to my day to day routine in an effort to replace my bad
habits with new, healthier choices.
After a few months of physical therapy to repair some of my long neglected injuries,
combined with a better diet and a healthier, more active lifestyle, the weight started coming off and I started to see
some muscle tone for the first time in years.
The events of September 11th, followed by three years in the
US Army Infantry, provided me with the inspiration and the motivation I needed to push myself to the next level
and to chase a new goal - to be in the best shape of my life.
Before enlisting with the Army, I found
that I was constantly hitting a plateau, leaving me frustrated with my progress as my goal continued to seem just
out of reach. I quickly found that the constant change and uncertainty I encounterd while in the military was exactly
what my body needed to move past that plateau. By challenging my body every day with a different type of exercise or
activity, I saw results faster and finally realized what my body was capable of doing.
I now apply this lesson
learned to the training programs I design for many of my clients...by not allowing your body to become completely accustom
to any one area of physical activity (e.g. strength training, cardiovascular endurance training, agility training, etc) your
body is constantly challenged, which allows you to push beyond that plateau to achieve your goals faster, and more effectively.
Every
person is unique and, of course, so are their individual fitness needs. I work with each of my clients to design a fitness
routine that is not only fun and challenging, but that is personalized, comfortable, and most importantly, grows with my clients
as their goals continue to evolve.