Apply for a strategy coaching call with Peter

Welcome! I’m Peter, a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), Registered Dietitian (RD), and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) passionate about helping others achieve optimal health through fitness, nutrition, and sustainable living.

It’s impossible to truly get to know me and my work without understanding how I arrived at where I am today. Let’s start there.

Misguided & Misinformed

I grew up as an athlete, playing sports and being outdoors as much as my parents would allow. During high school I discovered my true passion for football, and went on to college to play NCAA DIII Football at a highly regarded tech school. I went from a 175 lb. high school running back to a 195 - 200 lb. running back/slot receiver. I looked the part on the outside, but the truth is I was sickening myself from the inside out through my diet and lifestyle choices.

During this time I was highly influenced by the media, athletic role-models, coaches, family and my peers. Influences that I have come to learn have had a lasting impact on my relationship with food and exercise. I trained under the supervision of misinformed coaches. There wasn’t enough focus on proper body alignment, movement specificity, and functional ranges of motion. This left my body feeling dysfunctional, set the stage for injury, and had a negative impact on my training mentality.

Poor Diet & Supplement Choices

I was fortunate enough throughout my younger years to have a metabolism that allowed me to believe I could eat whatever I wanted while maintaining what appeared to be a healthy exterior. Little did I know, my facade of health wouldn’t last much longer.

I grew up on highly processed foods. I ate chemicals and preservatives I couldn't even pronounce. As I transitioned to college I subsisted on the stereotypical “bodybuilder diet” which consisted of a rotation of lean meats & carbs with a side of nuked vegetables that no longer had any life or flavor to them.

Both unaware and uneducated, I experimented with supplements in an attempt to gain weight, specifically lean muscle mass. I thought I knew more than I actually did and it was at this point where I was setting the stage for poor health and diseases that would go undiagnosed until my late twenties.

The Breakdown

My unhealthy diet and movement patterns led to injury, poor recovery, reduced energy levels, and I never reached my true potential as a collegiate athlete. In my late twenties I started experiencing constant stomach pain, gas, bloating, unexplained weight loss, mood extremes, low energy levels and questions I couldn’t find answers to. My health began to slip out of my hands as did the quality of my thoughts and relationships.

Eventually, I was diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis and celiac disease. At this point I also discovered that I had multiple food allergies and sensitivities that were making my symptoms significantly worse. I ended up feeling completely overwhelmed and deprived.

One of my greatest takeaways from playing college football was an appreciation for the synergy between how we fuel and move our bodies. In the years after college my passion for nutrition and exercise only grew stronger. I sought out professional training to learn how to exercise to promote longevity. This was when my passion for functional fitness was born.

It wasn't until I got sick when I truly realized the power of food as medicine. By changing my diet and taking an overall holistic approach to healing that included functional fitness, I finally started seeing improvements. I had more energy, less gas, bloating, and digestive distress. My weight naturally normalized to a healthy weight for my body type without the focus ever actually being on weight. I finally felt that I was treating the root causes of my symptoms, and promoting my long-term health and well-being.

Functional Fitness & Nutrition

Plato said some 2,378 years ago, “For there ought to be no other secondary task to hinder the work of supplying the body with its proper exercise and nourishment.”

Understanding and appreciating this philosophy has allowed me to begin my journey towards achieving optimal health. I acknowledge it is much easier said than done. If it weren’t for the path that led me to disease and dysfunction, I may not be the practitioner I am today. After gaining formal knowledge and experience while also learning from my own health struggles I have been able to help others in a career path I feel destined for. I have dedicated my life to helping you take the first steps towards your own journey that leads to a sustainable life of health and happiness!

More About Me…

I have a Masters of Science in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Columbia University in New York City. While completing my masters, I worked as a Research Assistant in the Exercise Physiology lab investigating the link between resistance training and mental health. I also worked as a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor at Columbia training faculty, students, and alumni.

Before I began my studies at Columbia, I obtained my Bachelor's of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Arizona State University (ASU). During my time at ASU, I also trained both students & faculty as a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor along with working on nutrition research exploring the gut microbiome.

Beyond my time coaching clients in nutrition and exercise in the academic setting, I have extensive experience coaching clients in both nutrition and exercise at high end fitness facilities.

When I’m not with clients, in class, or in the research lab, you can find me getting back to my roots by being in nature and exercising outdoors as much as possible.

apply for a strategy coaching call with peter today!