Adam specializes in working with busy people to safely and efficiently push their limits to achieve their goals while having fun doing it even with their super busy schedules!
The Full Story
Growing up as an athlete was awesome. Hockey was my main sport and I played that everyday as a kid. It was not my only talent. I loved volleyball too and I could really play with the big boys no matter what court or field I walked onto. I also spent many hours in the gym weight training and making sure to get tons of protein to build my muscles. As an adult, hanging with the boys and eating pub food would usually follow these sporting events. In general, I was eating “well” or at least I thought I was.
Although I was a bit heavier than I am today, I seemed quite healthy on the outside. Nothing could bring me down. I was a good weight, in excellent shape and just found out I was going to be a dad for the second time. Everything a 35 year old can ask for.
And then my life changed.
A sharp shooting pain going through my chest and arm brought me to the emergency room. A few tests later and the doctors discovered I had a tumor on my kidney that was totally unrelated to the pain I had felt that day. Over the next 9 months, as my baby grew in my wife’s belly, confusion, anger and fear grew in my own head.
The first reaction the doctors had was to tell me that I would not live past the age of 40, if I was lucky. I demanded more testing and they eventually found out the tumor was benign. They also feared the tumor could eventually turn cancerous and wanted to remove it, that would’ve meant a loss of one of my kidneys. Genetic testing took place to make sure I was not a carrier of other diseases and through that testing we discovered just how blocked and damaged my arteries were. A 35 year old athlete with heart disease. This is not something most people would figure.
Medication and surgery was not my answer so I began to research. I became familiar with Forks Over Knives, The China Study, Brendan Brazier and many other important influencers.
Discovering a plant-based diet changed my way of thinking and my life.
I am a very black or white kind of guy. I do or I don’t. I always say “I can”, I don’t believe in saying “I can’t”. I immediately gave up what I needed to and embraced a whole foods plant-based lifestyle. After about a year of this new lifestyle, I went for another check-up and to my doctor’s amazement, my tumor had shrunk. Never had this been heard of before in our top notch Toronto hospital. I knew exactly what had created this “miracle”. Not only that, my arteries had cleared up showing the amazing red blood flowing through my body bringing not only oxygen and energy to my body, but healing as well.
This not only gave me a new outlook on my own life, but it changed my values as a man. It changed what I teach my children. It changed the way I interact with people. It changed my emphasis on team sports to individual sports and I quickly became addicted to the triathlon and endurance communities and to date have completed two Ironman races and a 50 mile trail run as a plant-based athlete. My stamina and strength far surpass my abilities I had before my 35th birthday.
Then I knew what I had to do with this information.
Since I was already in the health and fitness world as a health and physical education high school teacher and personal trainer, I knew nutrition was my next step. I earned my certificate in plant-based nutrition through the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at eCornell. Along with my wife, I started The Plant Trainers Podcast where we are helping people improve their quality of life through plant-based nutrition and fitness. Everyday I am working hard, putting out content or working with clients 1:1 to eat more plants, transition to a whole food plant-based lifestyle and I also coach them on their athletic journey whether for their first 5K or their first Ironman.
I’d love to invite you to a complimentary call to get to know you and hear about where you are in your health journey. On this call, you get clear on what you want to create for your health, your nutrition, your fitness, your life and what’s been holding you back from reaching your goals. And you’ll leave with some actionable next steps too! To take advantage of this offer just click here.
A shout out to all those before me and all those coming after me who are helping to pave the way for other individuals to change and improve their quality of life through plants