My Story
How my lifelong curiosity and passion about strength and self-mastery became a mission to help others transform their lives
Where It All Began
My fascination with athleticism started early. At age four, to be exact—while growing up in Italy.
Like most young boys, I was captivated by superheroes and action figures. The memory of wanting to be like them—strong, confident, and powerful—is still vivid in my mind today.
I remember, much to my Mom’s quizzical amusement, that I would often check my biceps to see if they were growing. I’d been taking my cues from the breakfast cereal boxes that showcased the top crime-busting heroes of the time—powerful statures thanks to their compelling musculature. I was convinced that the cereal would help me build the same muscles. Of course it didn’t. But the seed was planted.
Even as a child, I became fascinated by muscular strength, a healthy physical presence, and the idea that our bodies could be shaped through consistent effort.
I've been sold ever since.
A Natural Progression
My family and I later moved back to South Africa. Like Italy, SA is also a great sporting nation—a country where sport and movement are very much part of daily life. My interest in physical training continued to grow all through junior and high school.
I was exposed to several sporting activities during my schooling. I partook in running, rugby, swimming and Judo. I continued athletics during high school and also excelled at Karate. I would also go on to compete in Formula K. Motor racing is a thrilling blend of precision, focus and control that mirrored what I valued in training.
And when I wasn’t competing, then I was watching—usually with my mom and dad. We followed every televised sporting event we could: the Olympics, tennis, cricket, football, rugby and motor racing on two and four wheels. Those moments deepened my appreciation for athletic excellence, discipline, and commitment.
My love for movement was the foundation. Discipline came next. But the inspiration began after a single, unforgettable event.
What really stuck with me, was the 1975 Mr. Olympia contest held in Pretoria, where legends like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu, Reg Park and Frank Zane competed.
I wasn’t so much drawn to their extreme physiques—as I was to their discipline. It sparked something deeper. That mindset of dedication, precision and consistency became my foundation for everything that followed. The understanding that achieving athletic excellence pretty much comes down to how badly you want it.
Shortly after that contest, I bought the isometric device Franco Columbu was endorsing at the time. In hindsight, it was little more than a gimmick—but it represented my first real commitment to strength training. I began experimenting, reading what little information I could find and exploring different nutritional and exercising philosophies—making my share of mistakes along the way, but learning valuable lessons all the same.
When Inspiration Became Direction
From Admiration to Alignment: Defining My Own Philosophy
I've always admired professional bodybuilding for its artistry and mental focus—but I never aspired to that level of extreme development. My fascination wasn’t about size. It was about mastery and athleticism; the discipline of elite athletes—even though my own philosophy has remained rooted in health, balance and sustainability.
I continued to follow the work of many greats—their methods, their insights, their grit. Some of their principles have inspired me profoundly, even as I’ve established my own road to lifelong fitness.
Over the years, my passion for strength and conditioning evolved into something far deeper—a purpose. Fitness stopped being just a routine or hobby; it became a framework for how I lived and thought.
Through my teens and early adult years, I realized that consistency, balance, and mindset mattered more than any training fad. Progress didn’t come from chasing perfection—it came from showing up, staying patient, and doing the basics well.
But what really pushed that purpose forward, was in what I began to see happening around me. Many of my friends and even members of my own family had started kind of "easing" into inactivity and poor health. Almost like there's a universal acceptance that with age one resigns oneself to gradually grow softer and rounder—while watching the body give way to time and comfort.
Witnessing the people I knew and loved decline—seeing how neglect and sedentary habits led to preventable illness, loss of vitality, and dependence—disturbed me deeply. It became clear that if I wanted a different outcome, I had to live differently. That realization became a quiet but powerful commitment: to stay active for life, and to help others do the same.
When I entered the Air Force, and particularly during my officer training, that mindset became invaluable. The discipline and structure I’d built through exercise and sport prepared me for the physical and mental demands of military life.
Later, serving as an Air Traffic Controller, I had the profound honor of meeting Nelson Mandela—a moment that left a distinct impression on me. As a world icon, he represents the highest ideals of humility, reconciliation, and quiet strength.
From Discipline to Purpose
That brief encounter reminded me that true leadership isn’t about control or authority—it’s about service, integrity, and the ability to inspire others toward their best selves.
In that same period, working closely with cadet officers deepened my fascination with the human side of performance—what drives people, what connects them, and what helps them rise under pressure.
Those experiences ultimately led me to formal studies in psychology and communication, disciplines that continue to inform both my professional and coaching philosophies today.
Leadership is choosing to serve. Discipline is choosing what matters most – two principles that continue to shape how I live, work and coach.
After more than a decade working in human resources and personnel management, I began to notice something: people weren’t just struggling with their jobs—they were also struggling with their health, their energy, and their sense of purpose. People broadly talk of "burnout." This all-too-prevalent phenomenon intrigued me. But it also disturbed me.
Even in organizations that preached “work–life balance,” I saw talented professionals wear themselves out, lose motivation, and drift into habits that left them exhausted. It was clear that no policy or perk could replace genuine well-being.
I gradually became determined that even with a constantly heavy workload, I would do my utmost to have the best of both worlds: being on top of my professional work-related commitments, and at the same time achieving optimal athletic condition. The challenge that spoke to me was sort of like this: "these two things (high job performance and excellent physical condition) cannot easily co-exist.
I go into much more detail in my book (The Sensible Fitness Program: A Simple and Sustainable Solution) but in short, I took on that challenge.
During 2002 after a successful transformation, I began informally coaching others—colleagues first, then clients—on how to reconnect with both body and mind with a simple, practical solution.
The more I helped, the clearer it became that people didn’t need another strict program. They needed perspective—a way to align their actions with their goals and values. And importantly, one with a long-term outlook.
For busy professionals, this is "the" solution.
A Turning Point
Where Transformation Met Purpose
That realization back in 2002 became the seed of what I later called The Sensible Fitness Program (SFP).
A sustainable, no-nonsense approach that respects real life, real schedules, and real people.
The Birth of Sensible Fitness
My first transformation in 2002 taught me a lesson I’ve carried ever since: extremes don’t last. The first and most significant realization was: "this 'thing' I now have... It's so huge. So important. So valuable. I am never letting go of it!"
But to guarantee that that happened, I would need to make sure I could keep on keeping on. Speaking in the present, with hindsight, I am qualified to say that to create lasting change, fitness has to make sense. It has to fit your lifestyle, not take it over.
That’s what sensible fitness stands for: balance, awareness, and sustainable progress.
And there’s one more piece that became clear over the years: when you transform yourself, you lift others too. As I wrote in my book, when you're in shape, smiling, and successful, you’re in the perfect position to help someone else become their best self. It’s the simplest form of “paying it forward”—creating value, inspiring confidence, and making the world a little better just by showing what’s possible.
Over the past two decades, I’ve further refined that philosophy—blending physical training, psychology, and strategy to help others break free from confusion and build genuine confidence.
Change lasts when the mind leads and the body follows. Consistency is the engine. But mindset is the driver.
Where Thought Becomes Change
My background in psychology and communication graduate studies, as well as my role in HR, continue to shape how I coach today.
Exercise and nutrition are tools—but transformation begins with mindset.
Understanding "why" we act the way we do, and learning how to reshape those patterns, is where the real work begins.
Every lifestyle and fitness protocol I use starts with mental clarity and self-responsibility. Whether I'm coaching how to win at work and life (that elusive work-life balance), or explaining the nuts and bolts of practical exercise techniques and simple eating plans—it's about helping clients take ownership of their journey and rediscover belief in their own ability to change.
Anyone can hand out workout programs. Real coaching builds awareness, consistency, and self-trust.
A lifetime of practice becomes purpose when you start using it to lift others.
Today, through My Fitness Road, I combine over 30 years of hands-on experience with modern insight and proven fitness principles to help busy professionals achieve sustainable transformation—in both body and mindset.
Alongside my work as HR Coordinator with the United Nations, I’ve seen how the same principles that drive peak performance in fitness—clarity, discipline, and recovery—also drive effectiveness and balance at work.
My focus, both inside and outside the UN, is helping people win at work and in life through sustainable wellness: a state of lasting physical, mental, and emotional fitness.
I've earned a Master Fitness Trainer certification from the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) and continue to learn, evolve, and apply what truly works—both for myself and for the people I coach.
Fitness has been my lifelong teacher—but the real reward has always been helping others reclaim control, confidence, and purpose in their own lives.
Where I Am Today
If My Story Resonates With You
If you’ve ever felt that fitness should simplify your life, not complicate it. That it should make you stronger in every sense. Then you’re already on the right path.
With that, if you're ready to become your best self, then your next step is simple: