Where it all began and how I got here, now...
The UNIFIED Coach
What this means is that it's my job to figure out the exact mental triggers, lifestyle complications, and muscle imbalances that are stopping you from being the best YOU.
When you accomplish this you will be able to:
- Have more energy (finally) to do the things you like
- Overcome digestive issues and conquer muscle imbalances (big reason for back pain)
- And no longer overeating and bashing cravings for junk food
The Importance Of Taking a Holistic Approach
I truly, deeply, right down to my core, believe that holistic coaching is the most critical element to a client's Success. This is because... fair or not, the body is integrated, not isolated, so most people have multiple coaches/therapists who all contradict one another. This only makes the client confused, tired, and nearly broke.
After all, it doesn't matter how much weight you lost if you're still dealing with digestive issues, fatigue, and back pain. And this is a shame. But, on the other hand, I know you are great, and you want to ultimately see the results you've put time, money, and effort into.
My Philosophy
Most coaches today focus on supplements, pdf programs, and how they can get their slots filled. My philosophy is ( and always has been) "Find the root cause" which allows me to get my clients the results they are seeking without having to see me more than once a week, have 2-3 therapists/coaches for different symptoms without emptying their pockets- regardless of what the issues are.
First, I need to clarify that while it sometimes looks like magic from the outside ( i.e, the ability to help clients get results no matter what), it wasn't always like this, oh no, FAR from it. So let me take you back over a decade ago to where it all began.
The Early Years (1-3)
"Maybe you should start coaching."
This was the advice that changed everything for me.
I experienced a football spinal injury that ended my division 1 football career.
I couldn't believe I was no longer an athlete and wasn't going to go pro. But, before that, I never planned a life without sports.
"Am I a regular person...like I'm no longer an athlete anymore? So what do I do now? How do I make a living? Maybe I could sell a kidney? How much do kidneys sell for these days? You only need one, right?"
And this is where my Girlfriend (7 years and still going) stepped in. The one person who knew me better than anyone else in the world and said that fateful line that changed everything for me:
"Maybe you should start coaching."
I'd like to tell you that it was at this exact moment that everything became clear.
But truthfully, I just stood there, stunned, stumped, and confused.
Because I had no idea how to combine Nutrition, life coaching, and strength and conditioning in ONE
But still, something about it just sounded right.
So I started digging. And the more I learned, the more I LOVED it. Finally, I came across my idol, "Paul Chek" and his teachings, which helped me connect my philosophy.
It turns out, that the body is more integrated than I learned in college (Graduating with a Bachelors of Science with a focus on Movement Science.)
It was the perfect combination of understanding the body's reactions to hormones, organs/glands, trauma, and muscle imbalances.
Yes, the word "holistic" could be misconceived (…like holding a crystal to your forehead will heal your digestion), so I understand if seeing that word can make you hesitant.
But the fact is, the true meaning of Holistic is "comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole." In other words, Understanding when one thing ( like an organ/gland, hormones, muscles, etc.) is affected, it affects the whole body, not just that one area.
Soon this interest in coaching became a full-blown obsession, and a fire was lit inside unlike anything I'd ever felt before. I was hooked.
At first, it wasn't pleasant. I was having (always had) issues with losing weight. I was constantly bloated—massive digestive with significant back and hip pain. Issues. I had these problems for months (which turned into years) on end. And while I don't advise or support "Mind over Matter," those early years paved the path for what was to follow, so though I now suggest a much "smarter" approach to my clients and students, I wouldn't change a thing.
*Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to avoid the minefields and mistakes I made on my way up, which can save you years off your learning curve! This is the value of working with a mentor who has gone before to help you avoid the mistakes they made so you can accelerate your progress and Success.
The Growth Years (4-6)
I wish I could say that I rose from ashes to a wise coaching wizard "overnight,"… but the truth is it took me longer than I hoped. And much longer than I wanted.
(…turns out my experience is not unique in this regard which is why I hold such a high disdain and skepticism for the "Get Fit Fast" and "Fix all of your problems with this supplement" crowd of coaches)
I made a lot of mistakes in those early years. I pursued to grow my coaching business worldwide. And while I worked "hard", I wasn't working "smart ." Indeed not as smart as I could have/should have been. I started to burn out. That was the first time I experienced how lifestyle stress can cause many health troubles.
Sure, I was successful enough. I made more money from coaching than anyone in my family history has made in their lifetime. But compared to where I wanted to be, I had a long way to go. I had to face the fact that "mind over matter" wasn't true, that the stress I was experiencing was creating issues with my weight, digestion, focus, energy, and relationships.
The good news, though, was that at least I found myself starting to truly understand how (and why) the body reacts in the way it does. And, more importantly, how I could apply them to myself and my clients and teach them to my students.
Everything started lining up, and patterns started emerging. Those early years of building the best programs for my clients
…which led to me wanting to help clients get more results…
….so, I got more certifications , like these...
…Integrative Health Practitioner…
…Chek Holistic lifestyle Coaching Level One…
…Chek Holistic lifestyle Coaching Level Two…
…Chek Holistic lifestyle Coaching Level Three…
…National Academy of Sports Medicine Nutrition …
…The National Academy of Sports Medicine is an American fitness training …
…and my list of interests and skills just kept growing.
The more I learned, the more the puzzle pieces started to form into a cohesive picture and Understanding of how the body really works. And with that, I became more practical in the market as I was able to take what I'd learned, install it in a client's programs, and get tremendous results. Just by combing my skills into one. My mind was blown!
They were happy. I was happy. And I was more hooked than ever before.
But something was still missing…
The Strategic Years
(7 – Present Day)
I read somewhere that it takes around 7 years to become a true master at something. Others say 6 years, and some say 10. I guess it depends.
But for me, it was around year 7 where everything just "clicked," and I finally "got it" (…I hit that mark around 2 years ago.)
While most coaches, nutrition gurus, courses, and programs focus on tricks, hacks, and tactics and "fixing" all problems with supplements (i.e. doing anything for the quick sale)…
Getting accurate results (not to mention real impact, genuine connection, and absolute freedom from pain) focused on tackling the root cause of a client's issues (i.e. coaching that prioritizes results, rapport, trust, and operates at the highest level of integrity).
Sure, quick tips, tricks, and tactics may lead to results today – but it bypasses the main reason clients are having issues. This leads to fixing one problem but needing to hire another specialist to correct another.
It took me a while to figure out, but coaching wasn't about how fancy my programs were, how the client perfects their program.
And it sure as heck wasn't about tricking anyone. Pushing anyone. Or treating clients and customers like they could not make their own decisions.
Coaching is about meeting your clients where they are—validating their fears, problems, pains, and frustrations—being empathetic and Understanding. And then presenting them with a solution to help relieve their pain or solve their problem.
When that is done correctly, creating programs that work with how your clients naturally process and consume information and then getting results is not complicated.
As wild, wonderful, and unique as all of us are – we all share the same brain hardware, which really hasn't changed that much over the past many thousands of years.
And when faced with specific triggers, we all tend to react quite predictably.
This is how I've been able to work with clients from all kinds of different age groups, cultures, and industries. As well as cities, states, provinces, and countries. It's because one element remains consistent among them all. They all get RESULTS..And Success is a science; if you have the conditions, you get the result.. as Oscar Wilde puts it.
Other (more) Important Stuff
While I love what I do (i.e. borderline obsessed) and think mastering the body and mind is the most interesting and exciting thing I've ever learned about (yup, I'm kinda weird). I also have a life outside of marketing. Here's the summary:
Family
I spend a lot of my free time with my Girlfriend- my soon-to-be wife, Haskiri Velaquez ( Tv Star Actress) with three dogs. Family is everything to me. I stop work at 4 pm each day. Take weekends off. And spend a lot of time reading, long walks, and exploring with the family.
Freedom
I live in Los Angeles. New Jersey / New York is home ( Born and raised in Jersey City, NJ). I go to bed early. Wake up early (4am). And I am able to work when I want (...but stick to a pretty consistent 40-ish hour work week).
Fun
I genuinely enjoy learning about the body, mind, and self-development, so my "free time" (usually occupied with family stuff) is spent reading, writing, or creating videos. BUT... I also love music, documentaries, art, and lifting weights (then putting them down ).
THE TL:DR
I truly, deeply, right down to my core, believe that a holistic coaching approach is the most critical element to a client's Success.
As you'll discover, I take a strategic approach to coaching and consulting clients. I believe that the best way to get clients' results is by creating psychology-driven strategic custom programs – meaning, programs that work WITH you based on what you need and want.