That, of course, makes sense since many people are drawn to careers in areas where they naturally excel. But I—Brad Dienstbier, owner of the Bodysmith—am not one of them. I came to this career path after years of struggle and after discovering not only a commitment to health and fitness, but also a passion to help others find their own commitment. For most of my young life I was overweight. My fri
ends even had a nickname for me: “The bull.” Was my former hefty self the result of a hormonal imbalance or metabolic disturbance? Nope. I just loved eating. That would be fine if I loved gorging on vegetables, but my foods of choice were chips, pizza and soda. Still, a lot of people who love the same foods maintain a decent level of fitness if they control their cravings. This is not true for me because I am an emotional eater. Stressed out? “Break open a bag of chips and salsa.”
Feeling rejected? “A pizza will make me feel better.”
I would mindlessly eat without thoughts of the consequences and then start to regret my actions. In the aftermath, I was even further away from feeling good about myself. It’s the old ‘Wash. Rinse. Repeat.’ conundrum. So, I was clumsy, awkward, self-conscious and was usually picked last on the playground. I was on a soccer team with friends, but was never a promising athlete. In high school I discovered weight lifting and gradually trimmed down. My natural teen hormones helped as well, but my eating habits were still awful. Three days a week my workout partner and I would enjoy a post-workout meal of a large pepperoni pizza and salad bar (swimming in blue cheese dressing), or an entire loaf of white bread made into peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. In my 20s my bad habits caught up to me and I gained a lot of weight, maxing out at 240 lbs. I continued lifting weights and had a new-found love of bicycle riding, but as I neared 30, I began to accumulate injuries to my shoulders, back, hips, knees, hands. I was uncomfortable and became depressed. Something had to give and unfortunately it was my back. The turning point in my life was January 1, 2000 (cliché but true). I am also a musician and was in a recording session with friends while eating a triple cheeseburger and sitting cross-legged on the floor. I leaned forward to grab another bite when I felt a “pop.” I was in terrible pain but I still managed to finish the session—and my burger of course—while lying flat on my back. The following day I flew to Texas (my home at the time) and the journey was excruciating. I spent the next 2 weeks on the floor barely able to walk. I had hit rock bottom. I saw a spine doctor and a physical therapist who gave me sound treatment advice on how to change my lifestyle. I began walking each morning, trying to increase my distance and intensity slowly. I also began a new weight training program in conjunction with my PT. I found a diet plan in a health magazine and followed it perfectly for 6 days a week (with some splurges on the weekends). My weight dropped and my pain decreased. It was an amazing feeling to buy new jeans every few months. I wanted to share with others how great it felt to be in control, so I enrolled in a personal training educational program. Soon, I achieved my first certification and knew I had found my passion and mission in life. Today, as owner of the Bodysmith, I feed my passion by empowering others to take control of their lives. We help men and women, young and old, fit and frail, from all walks of life achieve their goals in the safest, most rewarding way possible. But, even close to fifteen years after I found my calling, I still deal with my own struggles. Old habits die hard…very, very hard. Food is a temptation; pain and injury are a risk; and I have set-backs from time to time. But through it all I am forging ahead, gaining strength from my team at the Bodysmith and inspiration from our members. I have a good friend who tells me “I miss fat Brad.” He’s joking, of course, but it’s a good reminder. No matter how hard we try, we can’t—and shouldn’t—ever forget our struggles. It is our commitment to the future that drives us forward, but our memories of the past can often provide the fuel for the journey. Success doesn't happen in a vacuum. That’s why myself and the members of your Bodysmith team—are here. And why we will always remain dedicated to your success. Coach Brad
