Building Everyday Champions

The first day of high school in 2014 changed my life forever when a football injury altered how my knee functioned for the rest of my life.

Before this, my identity was being “the fastest kid”.  But I would never be like this again after that day.

“You’ll never run the same again” are the words I was told after surgery.  Those words were a dagger to my dreams.

I was no longer who I used to be.

It took a total of 2 surgeries and over 12 months of physical therapy to get to a point where I was at least average again at running.

Ultimately this did lead me down a path to where I am now as a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

I was now helping people like me through those same struggles.

But I wasn’t fully through my own struggle yet.

I helped people get better from their pain and injuries.

But I wasn’t even past my own pain and injuries.

My knee ached.  Sometimes to the point of having to limp around the clinic to treat patients.

During this time, I had gained 20-30 pounds since high school and through college.

I tried getting back into shape time and time again.

Sometimes I succeeded but more often I failed.

I failed for 5 years straight up until I got married.

I remember looking back at a picture of me from my honeymoon on the beach and thinking “this is me, but it’s not the health I want.”

Today, I understand where I went wrong.

I was making changes based on short term compromises and not fitting the changes I was making to my life.

Struggling with getting enough exercise or maintaining a healthy weight is not uncommon. In fact, it’s the norm for most people.

After 1 year 50% of people regain the weight from a successful diet.

After 5 years 80% of people regain the weight and more.

Before I changed my approach to eating, I was part of this statistic.

In 2017 I dieted down from 146 to 135 pounds at a height of 5’4”.

5 years later I was pushing 160.

72% of adults don’t get enough physical activity.

I was part of this statistic too.

I did enjoy physical activity, I liked how it felt when I was healthy.

But I fell into the comfort trap like many before me.

Exercise and physical activity are uncomfortable by nature.

Things like watching a TV series, scrolling through my phone, or playing video games were much easier things to do after a long day’s work.

Deep down I knew none of this was sustainable for the healthy life that I wanted.

Every so often you get frustrated enough to hit the change button again and get motivated.

But this time after my honeymoon I knew it was the last time I would need to hit this button.

I approached my health differently from this point on.

Everything I did was for the long term.

Yes, it took longer to see results than drastic changes to diet and exercise, but it worked.

It not only worked but it was far easier over time than anything I had ever done before.

I focused more on creating habits and slowly changing routines and experimenting with what worked in my life.

Now being healthy is my default.

I’m not perfect by any means.

But making healthy choices is now easier than the unhealthy ones.

Now it’s time to share this with others.

What I know I must share because I know most people have been troubled in a similar way.

I believe everyone deserves a shot at their healthiest life, one in which they are confident and capable in their physical abilities and have the habits that build them up and not break them down over and over again.

Some people can take some of the tips I share on social media like Instagram and TikTok and figure it out from there.

But you may also want a helping hand to make sure you get it right and not spend years going back and forth trying to figure it out. I know because I was there.

Here are the types of people I specialize in working with

• If you have been injured in the past and have found it hard to get back active again either due to pain, lack of motivation, and/or failed physical therapy, I’m here for you.

• If you’re a high achieving worker and give everything to your professional life but forgot to use that skill for your long-term health needs, I’m here for you.

• If you are a giver and have a loving family and friends but have let your health slip from your overwhelming generosity with your time and effort, I’m here for you and I’m sure everyone who cares for you is also here for you.

If any of these or multiple of these sound like you, I can help.  Here are the results I can help you get.

• Sustainable weight management
  • No more short-term compromises, only ways of eating that make sense for years to come and that you enjoy.

• Active without bounds
  • The ability to move and the habit of regular daily movement is linked to your quality of life.  I help find a way to bring physical activity back into your life to add your energy and fulfillment despite any pains.

• Keep YOUR life
  • The key to long term health is learning what’s important to you and where health fits in.  I will help you find a way to add all of this into your life so you can have good health AND your life, not one or the other.  Life involves family, friends, hobbies, and career, not just your physical health.  Fullness in life and health involves balance.

• The #1 Skill – Habit mastery
  • If you can control your habits, you can control your life.  If not, your habits are controlling you without you knowing it.  I will help you learn about habits, how they work, and most importantly how to master controlling them.  Learning to bend them to your will so “healthy” becomes your default and just becomes part of your daily life.

If this relates to you and what you need, I can help.

And if you don’t think you have what it takes to do it, remember this.

I was only a B student in high school and college in my English and writing classes.

And if I can learn to write something that makes you not only read it but read it to the end. 

Allow yourself to consider that maybe you do have what it takes.

Give yourself permission to believe in yourself.

So, if you’ve tried dieting and are right back where you are or worse, tried getting back into exercise and movement but you end up hurting or stopping, get motivated but ultimately fall off, this is for you.

Click the link below if you’re interested in working directly with me to find your personal health solution.