I’ve always considered myself living what I believed to be, a healthy lifestyle–eating well and working out. In fact, I have been working out in some manner for well over 25 years. I became very passionate about fitness and constently in pursuit of new physical challenges and methods of working out.
In the process, I got caught up in all the industry hype and the latest trends. Falling prey to 
the latest buzz words. After years of bosu balls, boot camps, group classes, spin, and cardio, I remained that “skinny fat guy” that my friends and family considered being “in great shape”. Don’t get me wrong, some of those boot camps were fun and I enjoyed the group comradery. But, they did not improve my overall physical health nor change my body composition, as you can see from this picture taken in 2012 at the age of 56.
After being diagnosed with Low-risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome, I was determined to get into the best possible condition, slow down the disease’s progression, or beat it altogether. I sought out the guidance of some fitness professionals who gave me a workout and diet plan. It required hours in the gym lifting weights, lots of cardio, and an extremely restrictive diet. But I was driven, and I didn’t let it stop me. Six months later, I entered my first fitness competition. I was extremely proud of what I had accomplished and felt fantastic.
I quickly realized that this method is very difficult to maintain and could not possibly be considered as a lifestyle change. In addition, all of the hard work I put in to build muscle was cancelled out with all the cardio that was required to strip away the fat. The bottom line is that I lost muscle mass in the process. There had to be a better way!
Fast forward a little over three years, and at the age of 60, I am now in the best shape of my life!
I am physically stronger, leaner, and able to accomplish things I never thought possible. All done with less time in the gym lifting weights, a diet that does not include bland food like boiled chicken breast, and ZERO cardio! It is a sustainable diet and exercise program that has become my way of life.
My desire as a personal trainer, is to take what I have learned, and help as many people as possible reach their own potential and improve upon their overall health. I want people to know that no matter what your age, you can be physically fit and live a healthier life.
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