My Story
Professional knowledge does not automatically create personal health.
I spent 27+ years helping athletes perform and recover at the highest levels — including the Olympics. Then my 40s showed me what I'd been missing. Anxiety. ER visits. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, a kidney stone and a gallstone at the same time. Here I was, a credentialed athletic trainer, falling apart. That hard truth is why HYLA Wellness exists.
27 years. Every level. Every kind of athlete.
Youth and high school. Collegiate and professional. Olympic competitors. Over 27 years as a Certified Athletic Trainer, I've seen what the body can do when it's supported right — and what happens when the plan doesn't fit the person.
Most people don't fail because they lack discipline. They fail because the plan they were handed was too rigid, too disconnected from their actual life, or too dependent on motivation.
When my own health fell apart
By my mid-40s, despite completing ultramarathons and staying active my whole life, things started falling apart. Anxiety. Repeated ER visits for chest pains. High blood pressure. High cholesterol. Low energy.
I realized I needed a change. Not more willpower. Not another program to force my life around. A system built around who I actually was.
I treated health as a daily lifestyle system, simplified movement, protected sleep, adjusted nutrition, strengthened my mindset — and removed alcohol from my life on July 16, 2024. That date matters to me. It's where the real rebuild started.
The rebuild. And what came out the other side.
With journaling, counseling, and a personalized plan built on 27 years of knowledge finally applied to myself, I came out healthier than I'd been in years. Excellent blood work. Another ultramarathon finished. Energy back.
My coaching approach is one-on-one, personal, and responsive. I don't hand clients a generic program and ask them to force their life around it. I start by understanding the person. Then the plan becomes practical.