Are you struggling to make meaningful changes to your health and fitness, despite knowing what you want to achieve?
In this interview, I sit down with Patrick, a busy father of two who managed to lose 28 pounds and return to playing competitive hockey after a five-year hiatus. His journey shows how the right coaching approach and sustainable habits can transform not just your physique, but your entire lifestyle—even with the challenges of raising young children.
Finding A New Path After Years of One-Dimensional Training
Where were you before you joined the program in terms of health, fitness habits, and lifestyle?
Patrick: I’ve always been someone who liked going to the gym. I’ve been going since I was 16 years old, but I only knew how to do things one way. I grew up in a household where my dad was a power lifter, and it was Olympic lifts till you die and getting as big as you can get. That was the way to do it.
As I’ve gotten older, things started to hurt from time to time from trying to do a little too much. I wanted to change, but I never had the knowledge or source of information to lean on. You go on the internet, and you can really find anything you want from anyone you want. So if you’re trying to validate incorrect information, you can do that on the internet very easily.
Me: What specific challenges were you facing?
Patrick: Finding motivation was a real struggle. As much as I talked about wanting to lose weight and get leaner and stronger, I didn’t know how. Even being in the gym, I found myself falling into old habits—taking two, three minutes between sets and not putting an emphasis on anything cardiovascular. So it was really hard for me to drop any weight. I was getting even bigger, and it was going in the wrong way.
The Wake-Up Call: Young Kids and Fading Energy
What was the trigger that made you realize something needed to change?
Patrick: Having my daughter during COVID and putting weight on—I’m sure a lot of people did during COVID—and then not really having the tools to get it off. Then having my son almost two and a half years later put me in a place where I was 250 pounds.
What really motivated me was wanting to be able to be here for them as long as I can and be as active as I can. My daughter’s doing gymnastics now, and I don’t want to miss gymnastics meets. I want to have the energy to work all day and then go to that on Thursday nights. When my son gets involved in things, I want to be able to have the energy for that too.
I was getting winded going up one flight of stairs. Here in our new house, we have three flights of stairs. I can’t even imagine where I was at—I would have been dying going up and down these steps.
Finding The Right Approach: Practical Solutions For Real Life
What was different about the approach that finally worked for you?
Patrick: One thing that made a huge difference was just dialing in nutrition. Within 24-48 hours after signing up, I had a list of meal options and recommendations. They avoided the things I don’t like—I have a thing about fish, and I’m allergic to avocado—and I was able to go grocery shopping the next day and get everything I needed.
What really stood out was when we discussed family meals. The trainer I worked with before you told me sometimes I’d have to eat different food than my family. When I mentioned this to you, you looked at me and said, “That’s not acceptable. If it’s lunch, sure, your kids can have a sandwich or chicken nuggets while you have something else. But dinnertime is dinnertime—you don’t have time to cook three different meals for four different people.”
You also emphasized hydration and simple movement—just walking more, taking the stairs instead of the elevator. These weren’t seismic shifts, just little adjustments that add up over a week.
The Transformation: From Substitute Player to First-Line Center
Tell me about how these changes have impacted your return to hockey.
Patrick: It’s been amazing being back on the ice after almost five years away. The last time I played was April 2022, right after my daughter was born, and I was heavy—about 250 pounds. It’s so weird to see video of me skating then compared to now. My stride was off, I wasn’t going as quick into turns, I wasn’t pivoting as well because I was carrying so much more weight.
When I started playing again in January, I was the third winger on the second line—a rotational guy, because they had never seen me play. They just needed a body. In our last game, I was the first-line center! The captain wasn’t stoked about that [laughs], but it’s been great.
My wife got to see me play the other day, and she said, “You look so different.” She never saw me play in high school, but she commented that I look faster and more direct. When we played in Florida before, she said I looked dead after a shift. Now, maybe right after a shift I’m catching my breath, but 45 seconds to a minute later, I’m ready to go again.
There’s a guy on my team in his sixties who told me, “I really miss playing on a line with you. You just get after it.” That’s a great feeling—for someone to say they like playing with me because I just go. I know if they throw the puck up there, I’m going to get it. Five years ago, I literally could not have done that.
Patrick’s Advice: Don’t Wait To Make A Change
What would you tell someone who’s unsure about getting started?
Patrick: Coming from someone who waited probably another year to really interact with you from our first contact—the only person you’re hurting is yourself. If you don’t jump in with both feet… going slow and steady is great, but if you commit fully, you’re going to get results faster and feel better faster.
You’re not asking for wholesale change—you’re asking to change a couple little things here and there, and that makes such a big difference in your life.
It’s difficult to admit to yourself and to others that, “Hey, I failed and I need help,” but once you get to that point, the only person you’re hurting by waiting is yourself. I’ve been working with you for almost a year—not even a full year—and I’m down 28 pounds from where I was. I’m moving better, I’m feeling better.
It’s been a whole lifestyle change that’s had a trickle-down effect. My wife was pregnant very quickly back-to-back, and now she’s been inspired to go back to the gym—she’s been doing Pilates and other activities. It helps my whole family that I’m healthy.
So just pull the trigger, do the thing. It’s scary, it’s hard, and money’s tight for everybody, but the only person you’re hurting is you. The only way to get better, if you need help, is to get help.
Do you want help? Click here to find out more about how we can start working together: https://martystrength.com/bllt-squeeze/
