I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1974 and now live in Texas with my fiancé and my 18-year-old daughter. My fitness journey began in high school when I set my sights on joining the United States Marine Corps. Preparing for boot camp in 1992, I knew little about nutrition beyond the old food pyramid, but I made my first real change — giving up soda to be in the best shape possible. Growing up, I was lean and on the skinny side, and my workouts were simple: pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, and running.

After completing boot camp in 1993, I spent about a year at Military Occupational Specialty Schools, where I trained alongside Marines who had been high-school athletes. They taught me how to properly use gym equipment and even gave me my first structured workout plan — which I now realize was rooted in powerlifting. The Marine Corps made fitness a way of life. Whether stateside on base or in a war zone, there was always a gym — sometimes even two or three — and always a partner ready to train. I worked out almost every day, picking up countless tips and routines from Marines and fellow gym-goers.

One thing that was missing back then, though, was nutrition. The only advice I ever heard was, “You just have to eat.” As a hard gainer, it was a constant battle to put on muscle without adding unwanted body fat. That frustration drove me to experiment with different diets over the years — Keto, Paleo, Carb Backloading, Intermittent Fasting, and more — just to understand how food truly impacted my body.

Over my 20 years in the Marine Corps, and the decade since, I’ve collected hard-earned lessons about training, diet, and discipline. My goal now is to share what I’ve learned so others don’t waste time spinning their wheels. I don’t claim to have invented anything new — what I share isn’t revolutionary. But I believe there’s a real gap between the information that’s out there and people actually applying it in their lives.

Everything I provide is based on what has worked for me, and I believe it can work for most people if you tailor it to your own body type. Some will disagree — that’s just how fitness and nutrition debates go. But I’ve helped many people in my circle over the years, including my own daughter, and now I’m here to help you on your journey!