Meet Guy Fitzgerald

Starting today, we will be adding a Healthy Tip of The Week to our weekly email. Given our vision of a world of healthy, intentional, connected men, we thought it was appropriate to talk about health (physical and mental) on a more regular basis. And we asked a Regular Guy to be out guide. That guide is Guy Fitzgerald. In today’s post, Guy introduces himself. Here’s Guy.

I’m a firm believer that if you set your mind to something, you can achieve it no matter what. I’m living proof of that.

I’m a recovering alcoholic sober now 35 years.  At 19 years old I was told by the Dr. that I wouldn’t make it to 25. It’s a crazy story for another time.

I have a culinary degree from Johnson and Wales University, and I’ve held a variety of jobs – from construction to sales, to owning a small landscape and irrigation business, to working at the Bethpage golf courses, and for the past 20 years, maintaining athletic fields for a university.

I have been married twice in my life, the first time to a woman who suffered from severe mental illness. That marriage ended in a horrific divorce, filled with trips to mental institutions and dealing with the family court system. If anyone has been through it. You know that it is Hell on Earth.

After some time, I was fortunate enough to meet Kristina, and we fell in love. Our family grew even larger when I became a stepfather to her three daughters, who are now 19 and in college. We met when they were 4. Through all the trials and tribulations that I have experienced throughout my life, I have always come out the other side stronger, better, and more resilient than before. I am proud of the family I have built with my sons, now 24 and 28, and my beautiful stepdaughters. I am grateful to have been able to find the strength and courage to persevere and make it through all the difficult times.

I’ve always been active and adventurous. Skiing since my teens, becoming an avid golfer and in my 30’s taking up motocross and running. These were some of the most exciting and fun times of my life – but also some of the most damaging to my body due to pushing too hard, too fast, too quick. I ended up with a slew of broken bones and torn ligaments, and my activities came to a sudden halt when my back couldn’t take it anymore.

So, for the next 8 years I did the exact opposite – sitting on the couch and gaining weight. I promised myself at 50 I’d start to make a change, and I started at 52. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, so I set a goal of 170lbs and running a marathon. Something I always wanted to accomplish, but never could because of injuries. Of course, I went too hard, too fast, too quick yet again, and ended up back in the PT’s office and eventually at the orthopedic. I grudgingly listened to what was prescribed, hired coaches, and followed their advice, and in the end, I got my life back – I lost 50lbs and ran the NYC Marathon. I had fallen in love with the whole process, and I realized how vital strength training was.

To help others, I became certified through NASM as a personal trainer and Precision Nutrition’s nutrition coaching course. All my life experiences, not just physical fitness and weight loss have shaped my goal of wanting to help others. I’ve learned to keep it simple, and that we don’t have to do this thing called life by ourselves. With that mindset, I’m confident that we can all achieve our goals of living a healthy, active, and happy life, one day at a time.