We all have a back story that reveals who we are and how we got to this point in our life.
Usually there was that distinct moment when we had a tough decision to make or we came to a crossroad and had to pick a direction. That point came in my own life over 25 years ago. I was playing college tennis and was making horrible eating choices because I was a poor college student. Most importantly, I didn't know anything about nutrition. I was taking a class in nutrition, learning the science, but I was not applying healthy eating choices in my own life. One warm spring day before a tennis match, this all became apparent when I started having severe stomach problems and nobody could tell me what was wrong. My performance on the tennis court was suffering and I felt terrible, in fact I was miserable. We were on our annual spring break tennis trip and I realized I had not pooped in 3 days. I knew that was a problem, so my answer to the problem was a McDonald’s breakfast the next morning before our Tennis matches(in my defense that was where my coach took us). I got two bran muffins and a cup of coffee. After eating the muffins and drinking coffee I figured things would start to move along, I just didn't anticipate how quickly. I was warming up for our match and was so uncomfortable, that's when I came to a huge realization. What goes in has to come out...NOW! I had never thought about how everything I put in my body affects every aspect of my life. My stomach pain is a direct effect of eating crappy foods(no pun intended), if my stomach hurts because i'm not digesting then I have no energy, it makes me bloated and gain weight...ultimately affecting every aspect of my performance. What I eat and drink affects everything!
I started reading books on nutrition and diets and I read the book “In Fitness and In Health” by Dr. Phil Maffetone.
It really impacted me and opened my eyes. It wasn’t just another diet book, it brought awareness to every aspect of my health from recovery, to performance, to stress reduction and how nutrition interacts with all of these things.
After college I started doing triathlons and ultimately competing in the Ironman world championships in 2003. I progressed to distance mountain biking and ultra marathon running. I continued to experiment with my own nutrition both for performance and longevity. Nutrition played a huge role in my successes and failures but I didn't have any guidance, I just learned along the way. It wasn't until I started doing CrossFit in 2012 that I discovered how much I enjoyed working with other people and helping them learn all the benefits a healthy nutrition plan can do for them. I ran group nutrition challenges and helped a few people here and there on the side but it wasn’t until we bought that CrossFit gym in 2015 that I really started to discover that in my heart, I’m a coach. Coaching is my passion. I coach people through their rehab as an Occupational therapist, I coach my kid’s basketball team, and I coach people at the gym to improve their movement and health. However nutrition coaching has a special place in everyone's life. It's something that touches every aspect of a person’s unique biology and determines their long term health. Seeing people improve their health and achieve their goals brings me a tremendous amount of fulfillment and pride.
When client's send me a text that tells me how great they feel or how they got a compliment from a friend they haven't seen for 3 months, I know how big a part coaching someone can play in their life. That is what really motivates me to help as many people as I can improve their health and ultimately their life through nutrition coaching.
As I have gotten into my 40s, I realize that most guys my age struggle with “Dad Bod”. They have gained some weight, they have lost a lot of muscle and it’s taking a toll on their health. This isn’t just because of what they eat and drink. The stress of their work, being involved and dedicated to their family are wonderful parts of life and if we don’t watch it, nutrition is the first thing out the window. In our culture, it is easy to put yourself and your nutrition on the back burner. What you really need is to put those at the front of your priorities list and I will teach you how. Think about it. You will have more energy, increased stamina, and the mental clarity to be there for your family and perform at your job at increased levels. Do you feel exhausted at work at random times? Would you rather lay on the couch over playing soccer, riding a bike, or being in the moment while talking to your spouse after a long day of work. These are real life problems we hear from our clients all the time. Here at Nutrition1st, our goal is to bring balance back to your life through nutrition and lifestyle. With the endless amount of information that the weight loss industry uses with it’s billions of dollars of revenue, It is almost impossible to know what you need to do and where to start. It’s not just about the science, it’s about taking into account the whole person and how all the pieces of their life fit together to improve their overall quality of life. My promise to you: By hiring me as your nutrition and lifestyle coach, I will do everything I can to help you achieve your goals and improve your life. We will work with you to develop an individualized nutrition plan, designed to fit your lifestyle and enable you to reach your health and fitness goals. Your program won't make you change your lifestyle to "fit it in'' but rather allow you to make it fit YOUR lifestyle. Taking control of your life starts now. If anything I have said resonates with you, sign up for a free consultation here to see if we are the best fit for you and answer any questions you might have about how we can help you.
I am excited to hear your origin story and work with you to find your ideal, healthy life.
-Brant