The dumbbell and the diet don’t just change you…your accountability and belief in yourself do.” His approach to live a mindful, healthy life starts by looking inward and changing yourself from the inside. This philosophy comes not only from Brett’s background in different Eastern and Western disciplines, including martial arts and biomedical science, but also from his experience growing up as an adopted, overweight teenager.

“The physical challenges I went through doing contact martial arts and sports, the mental focus I developed from my academic studies, and the emotional struggles I had to overcome as an overweight kid have shaped who I am, how I think, why I love what I do, and why fitness is freedom to me. Taking care of your health and fitness is not a job, it’s a privilege and a way of life. It’s not a part-time thing, it’s about making sure you walk your talk. The health revolution needs role-models, so lead by example and embody the values that people will be inspired by. It’s about mental strength, that’s what it takes to endure the physical, mental, and emotional challenges you’ll face getting in shape and staying in shape. It’s about discipline; living a healthy lifestyle is done one day at a time. It’s about trust; you have to build it. And it’s about respect; you have to earn it. Once you do, you can transform someone’s body and their life. It’s about love and tough love; when someone gives their best effort, show them some love, but when someone wants to give up, you have to be tough and motivate them not to quit. And it’s absolutely about going there…because once you push past your limits, you won’t ever go back.”

—Brett Hoebel