What happens when a fitness professional loses his fitness?
That’s my story.
Even with 15 years in the commercial fitness industry, a degree in Exercise and Wellness from Arizona State, and a passion for sports as a former collegiate athlete, I found myself facing the same struggles as everyone else.
What happened next changed my life — and it’s exactly why Copper State FIT exists today.
You’d think working in the fitness industry would make staying in shape easy. After all, the gym was my second home. But as my career advanced, something unexpected happened — the busier I became, the more my own health started to slip.
I went from being on my feet training clients to sitting in meetings, driving between locations, and glued to my laptop. The irony wasn’t lost on me. I was leading a team of fitness professionals, yet personally, I felt like I was drifting further away from the healthy lifestyle I preached.
The weight gain was slow, almost sneaky. My workouts became sporadic. My food choices were whatever was quick and convenient — fast food, skipped meals, anything to keep me moving through the day.
It wasn’t just the physical weight that burdened me. Inside, I felt embarrassed, defeated, even hypocritical. I questioned myself daily: How could I lead others to better health when I couldn’t even lead myself?
Then came the breaking point.
While out playing a simple pick-up game of flag football with friends, I felt it — a sharp, searing pain shot through my leg. I had ruptured my Achilles tendon!
I was helpless. There I was, laid out on the field, needing my friends to help me off the ground — and honestly, the physical pain wasn’t even the worst part.
What stung the most was the mental and emotional weight. I felt humiliated. This moment felt like undeniable proof that I was no longer the man — the athlete — I once was. It was a direct blow to my confidence, my ego, and frankly, my manhood.
Recovery sidelined me completely. I spiraled deeper. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. I numbed my frustration with Netflix marathons and comfort food, like frozen pizzas.
What started as physical pain turned into an emotional tailspin. I wasn’t just losing my fitness — I was losing myself. Eventually, I found myself over 250lbs and 26% body fat. I barely recognized the man in the mirror.
At first, I tried to go back to what I knew — the old “bodybuilder diet” of chicken and green beans. But as a married dad of two, juggling work and family, that just wasn’t sustainable. By Thursday, I was burned out on bland, boring food and craving something that taste like “real food”.
So I built a simpler, smarter approach — one that has now become the backbone of Copper State FIT.
Instead of restriction, I focused on tracking just three things: calories, protein, and a high volume of fruits and vegetables. This gave me massive flexibility to enjoy the foods I loved — burgers, pizza, pancakes — without guilt or guesswork, while staying full and nourished.
I aimed for daily walks, at least 8,000 steps a day, and I booked my workouts on my calendar like meetings. Short, intense sessions — just three times a week, 30 minutes each, total-body strength. Simple. Sustainable.
But I also followed a bigger structure — the exact same 4-phase system we use today at CSF:
- ⚡️ Phase 1: Metabolic Primer Phase
Build momentum and consistency without overwhelm. Restore metabolic health and create habits for long-term success. - 🔥 Phase 2: Burn Phase
A focused fat loss cycle with built-in metabolic resets to avoid burnout and plateaus. - 💪🏼 Phase 3: Build Phase
Shift from weight loss to transformation: build lean muscle, boost metabolism, and shape your body. - 🔁 Phase 4: Lifestyle Integration Phase
Maintain results for life with balance and flexibility, without obsessing over food or workouts.
It wasn’t complicated. It was simply about consistency, structure, and sustainability — not perfection.
In just 6 months, I dropped over 50 pounds and cut my body fat down to under 12%!
But here’s the thing: the weight loss was just the beginning.
I got back more than my health. I got back my energy, my confidence, my leadership — for my family, my clients, and myself.
My personal journey became the exact framework we use at Copper State FIT to help busy, successful men and women in their 30s, 40s, and 50s lose 30, 40, even 50 pounds — and finally feel like themselves again
If you’re reading this and thinking, “That’s what I need,” know this: we’ve now applied this system with nearly 2,000 clients since 2016.
The system works! The only question is: are you ready to work the system?
I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes — one that perfectly captures the universal law of sacrifice:
“You can have ANYTHING you want in life, but you can’t have EVERYTHING. To GET something, you have to GIVE something in return.”
So it’s not just about what you want… It’s about what you’re willing to give up to get it.
