Hey – my name is Mike, I am a 6ft 5” lover of everything related to the human body, specifically movement and nutrition. Growing up I was a highly unhealthy kid and individual. I remember drinking gallons of Arizona Iced Tea (sugar water) and eating boxes of Zebra Cakes (as unhealthy as they sound). I was never very athletic and was always pushed into trying out for sports like basketball because of my height, but I was so uncoordinated and weak that I got pushed around and never had the confidence or drive to succeed, but it was something that always bothered me.
I started weight training like most young guys do, for the girls and to get stronger and look great. My journey led me to nearly getting injured and burning out, but it also taught me a lot about grit, drive, and motivation, it was what I needed at that time in my life.
However, soon my journey into my fitness reached new and unexpected stages, I began focusing more on my nutrition and learning the science behind what makes certain diets, foods, and populations of people healthy or unhealthy. I began devouring and vociferously reading every book, listening to every lecture, and seeking out the best information I could find on health, wellness, and nutrition.
I tried everything under the sun, I went vegan, I did intermittent fasting, I bulked and put on weight, I cut to get leaner, and found what works for my body and what doesn’t. Because of everything I tried with my body I often can relate to what people are feeling or attempting to accomplish when they try diets or eating different ways.
Likewise, I began experimenting with my movement, I played basketball hard and developed the athleticism I never had as a kid, I weight trained, did yoga, and learned the role stretching and mobility has in an exercise routine. I learned that the human body is as diverse in its potential expression of movement and exercise as we are as individuals, just think of all of the different types of sports, dancing, specializations, gymnastics, martial arts etc. there are.
I fell in love with the feeling of being healthy because as a teenager, I had a period of depression, rage, anxiety, and stress – which I largely attribute to an unhealthy lifestyle filled with little to no real food to support my brain or body. I became addicted to being high on life to functioning at my highest levels as a human being when it comes to performance. The feeling that you can achieve from pushing your body hard, whether it be a tough training session, hiking a mountain or martial arts is the greatest natural high there is.
But achieving a state of peak performance with your body means that you must also properly nourish it with rest, hydration and nutrition. This is the key that was missing for myself, and that is missing for most people.
