Over the years I have been on the receiving end of numerous passive-aggressive comments, multiple nasty DMs (especially during COVID-19), and tons of hyper-critical opinions about how I conduct myself as a Trainer/Coach and Small Business Owner. And if I were to be completely honest, I LOVE it!

Now obviously no one enjoys being shamed, harassed and/or ridiculed on a regularly. However, I would be lying if I said that I don't enjoy stirring up the pot and creating a little controversy from time to time. And if I have an opinion on a certain subject or topic - regardless of how unpopular that opinion might be - I'm not going to refrain from offering it. With that being said, I do understand that there will always be people who disagree with my core values and my beliefs. And I also accept that and respect those that think differently than me (Yes, I've still got love for all you Anti-Vaxxers who attacked my character with all your hateful DMs these past few years). But recently, I received a comment from an online follower that has stuck with me for the past few weeks. The comment wasn't mean or distasteful. It was a very rational question that was made under an astute observation - "Do you only care about making pretty physiques?".

Many people view Personal Training as a luxury and not a necessity. And if you're self-motivated to go to the gym 4-6x/week, follow a structured muscle building/fat loss program that targets all the muscle groups evenly, have at least a basic understanding of human anatomy and physiology, and are seeing/feeling significant results with your physique, then you're right, you probably don't need a Personal Trainer.

However, if you're like most people who struggle to find the motivation to go the gym on your own, lack the discipline to remain consistent with your workouts, and/or don't have the time/patience to deal with an overly crowded gym where you have to modify your training sessions because every piece of equipment is being occupied or in use, then quite frankly, you do need a Personal Trainer.

As someone who has worked in the Fitness Industry for over 2 decades now, I have come across my fair share of FAD Diets, Weight Loss Supplements, and Training Gimmicks. And to be honest, like most people, when I first began my fitness journey (fuck, I hate the term - "Fitness Journey") I digested anything and everything I read and heard when it came to building muscle and losing fat. Unfortunately, as a naive 15-year-old boy, I also believed anything and everything I was told to take by the Supplement Companies. I cringe now when I think back to all the wasted time, effort and money I spent on these shitty supplements that did nothing but cause me to retain fluid and pass excessive amounts of gas.

It wasn't until I was 17 years old that I finally learned the "Dark Secret" as to how all the professional bodybuilders, fitness models and celebrities whose physiques I admired and strived to obtain, actually got so big, ripped and lean in such a short period. And I promise you that it had NOTHING to do with Creatine and Whey Protein Powder.

The purpose of this week's blog is not to shame people who don't exercise regularly.

The purpose of this week's blog is not to ridicule people who don't train with weights consistently.

The purpose of this week's blog is not to lecture people who don't follow a clean diet plan religiously.

The purpose of this week's blog is simply to bring awareness to all these people who are taking risks with their health, their livelihood and their quality of life both in the short term and in the long term by not taking better care of themselves.