Justin’s origin story starts in a way you may be able to relate to: as an awkward teenager.
Noodle armed, bleach blonde, and borderline passable as a Backstreet Boy, Justin made it all the way through high school without having stepped foot into a gym. If he wanted to exercise, he did what was comfortable that didn’t require learning new skills: go for a run, climb some stairs, or ride his bike. Stick to what’s familiar, avoid embarrassment.
The only problem is that sticking to what was familiar didn’t get him anywhere.
After graduating, Justin decided it was time to mix things up. So he did what most people do: he bought some fitness magazines, read the routines, and copied the diets he saw in there. It all seemed simple enough. Do this workout, follow that diet, and in 12-weeks he’d Ryan Reynolds from Blade Trinity. Piece of cake.
He mustered up his courage, joined a gym, and was immediately met by total gym-timidation: everyone in there looked like they knew what they were doing, had a workout partner, or were in some sort of secret society fitness clique. He felt like the new kid in high school walking into the lunchroom for the first time. Except this time, the lunch he was eating alone was a protein shake that tasted chocolate flavored dirt.
Feeling like all eyes were on him, he defaulted to the exercise he knew would be a safe and comfortable way to ease into this new life: a run on the treadmill. Except he had no idea how to even start the machine. Defeated, he left the gym immediately and wouldn’t return for another year.
Embarrassment: 1, Justin: 0
We all start in the same place: trying to navigate all the fitness mumbo jumbo so that we can build a body and a life we’re proud of. Justin knows firsthand how overwhelming it all can be, and has worked the better part of the last 20 years to find consistency and success himself and teach others to do the same.
Justin’s followed fad diets. He’s done 30-day challenges. He’s battled injuries. He’s been Paleo, vegan, Keto, and counted his macros. He constantly fought against his “all or nothing” nature. But the way he’s found long-term success? Try to be 1% better every day. Build better habits, integrate fitness as part of your life, learn from mistakes, and keep practicing. Through his slow, intentional progress, he’s experienced and enjoyed all types of activities he never thought possible:
- Crossfit competitions
- Backflips and sick gymnastic skills
- Rock climbing
- Salsa dancing
- Obstacle course races dressed as Batman (only once… twice… only twice…ok, three times)
As a member of Team Nerd Fitness, Justin is able to empathize and meet clients where they are, understand your goals, and put together a path for incremental, consistent change. His broad Coaching style – Ranger meets Assassin with a sprinkling of Druid – means he can adapt to meet any needs, and his background with Precision Nutrition means that he excels at Jedi mind tricking you into making better nutritional choices.
By exploring new, fun ways to move your body, introducing consistent changes to your nutrition, and making sure “I’m too busy for this” is no longer an excuse you use, Justin has an uncanny ability to make you enjoy the ride to a healthier life.
Want to know what it’s like to work with Coach Justin? Have a look at one of his client’s real-life (epic!) transformations here.
Achievements and Credentials
- Certified Nutritionist, MNU
- Precision Nutrition Level 2 Master Coach
- Certified Personal Trainer, NSCA
- Sleep, Stress & Recovery Specialist, Precision Nutrition
- Change Psychology Specialist, Precision Nutrition
- Metabolic Health Specialist, Precision Nutrition
- Crossfit Level 1 Coach
- Charles Poliquin, PICP-1 performance coach
- Health and fitness writer on Lifehack and The Ultimate Paleo Guide
- Dad to an awesome dog named Kailani
And just for fun…
Star Wars or Lord of the Rings?
I still own a Star Wars lunch box… and use it.
Favorite video game of all time?
I wish I could say something cool like Goldeneye or Zelda. But I can’t… Sim City. Yup, you read that right. I like building fantasy cities and watching them grow.
What are you passionately nerdy about?
Learning. I love learning anything. I’ll fall in love with a topic and want to know everything about it. Give me some books, courses, and a laptop to Google on and I will spend hours diving deep. Recently, photography, whiskey, improv, brewing the perfect cup of coffee, knife skills, and archery have caught my attention.