Nico
Q&A With Nico
What got you into this lifestyle?
Reaching a boiling point – plain and simple. In the spring of 2005 after a minor arthroscopic surgery on my knee I hit an all time laziness level and ballooned up to 275lbs and about 32% body-fat. I hid it ok – at least I thought so on my 6’3 frame, but overall, I was miserable in my own body. I had always somewhat struggled with my weight, but to see how close I was to 300lbs blew me away. As a “friend” so delicately pointed out to me one day, I was shaped more like a pear with my hips being broader than my shoulders. Definitely not the thing a male wants to hear.
That summer I spent six weeks in London for a study abroad program. During that time I was forced to walk everywhere I wanted to go – something I would have never done at home, but it turned out to be the best thing that happened to me. In the time I was there I lost a total of 20lbs just from adding a bit more movement to my daily routine. When I returned to the states I was set on never going back to how I was before I left. My rediscovered confidence was definitely something I didn’t want to lose again. At that point I made the conscious decision to change. It wasn’t about fitting it. It wasn’t about trying to impress anyone. No one was tugging my arm and making me do it. Something in me finally clicked – and honestly, I believe that’s a point all of us need to make before we can truly change.
Why Transformetics?
I have a passion for working with people and, more importantly, helping them believe in themselves enough to make a change in their lives. That was something I feel in love with while I was a personal trainer in 2006. I believe this website will have that same ability, but with a much larger audience.
What’s your background?
Former personal trainer, avid musician, studying to become NASM certified, husband and father of two basset hounds.
What was your turning point?
Realizing I can actually do it. I think sometimes the biggest obstacle we face in fitness is believing we can actually do it if we just take control of our lives back. For me, once the weight loss started and I really started to see the changes – from my outward appearance to my confidence to my energy levels to my sleeping habits – I never wanted to go back… and I haven’t.
What have been your biggest challenges?
Getting over the mental hurdle. After struggling with my weight for such a long time it was – and in fact, can still be – hard to not still see myself as the fat kid. What I saw when I looked in the mirror didn’t always reflect what others saw and so I would get down on myself, which has the ability to take you completely off course.
What has helped you the most?
Knowing I don’t need to be 100% perfect every hour of every day. Life happens guys, you’re going to miss a workout and you’re going to eat something bad – just expect it. But what has helped me more than anything is knowing that as long as I get back on the horse, life will go on. For me, fitness/health/wellness isn’t about perfection. Too often people strive for perfection and when they finally realize they can’t achieve it (because no one can), they just give up. That’s not what it should be all about. It should be about effort – about little victories and success stories and building upon those every day. Knowing this has helped me more than anything else I’ve learned.
What do I hope you take away from this site?
Knowledge, motivation, a stronger belief in yourself and your abilities, a sense of community – any number of things. What it all boils down to for me is I want this site to be a place where people can come to learn something new and apply it to their lives to make a change, while also sharing what they know to help others as well. It’s that simple.
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