Mitch is a coach and marketing specialist at Working Against Gravity. He has a degree in Public Relations from the University of Texas at Austin and has been coaching nutrition for the better part of four years. Having recently moved back to the US after ten years in South Africa, Mitch lives in a small town in western Kentucky with his partner and menagerie of pets. Get to know a little more about him:

What is the most rewarding part of your career?

I got into nutrition coaching to make a positive impact on other people’s lives. My clients are my biggest source of inspiration and drive. Being able to watch them grow in not only the nutrition and fitness space, but also as people is incredibly rewarding. It’s why I get out of bed every morning excited to go to work!

What is one thing your most successful nutrition clients have in common?

Without exception, my most successful clients are those who take the time to plan, prep and pre-log their intake ahead of time. This is true for those who have been working with me for ages and those who are just starting their journey. Reactionary food decisions are one of the biggest barriers to entry for this approach to nutrition. If you can sideline that, you’re going to absolutely cruise!

What’s an essential part of your daily routine?

Spending an hour each morning before starting work to have a cup of coffee, sit with the dogs and just “be” is paramount. Not only does it give me a chance to properly wake up, but that routine allows my body and mind to consistently know what to expect once the alarm goes off. In my experience, going from 0-60 and hitting the ground at full tilt does more harm than good.

What's your favorite part about living in Murray?

I’ve spent most of my life living in big cities. Houston, Austin, and Cape Town all had several things in common - lots of traffic, lots of people in a hurry, and an underlying expectation that if you’re not always doing something, you’re not reaching your full potential. That “hustle” mentality, while positively impactful for some, is just not my vibe. Living in a town with 20k people, things move more slowly and that pace is a very welcome change. I also enjoy the greater sense of community and the propensity for people to look out for each other - even if they’re total strangers. That has tremendous value for me.

What is your favorite way to spend a day off?

Anything involving the outdoors is always a safe bet. I love to spend time on local trails in the Land Between the Lakes but days spent in the yard working on the garden can be just as enjoyable. That’s not to say I always need to have the sun on my face though! Many an hour has been spent playing online games with friends and chatting over Discord. Spending time with friends, whether “IRL” or in the virtual world is really, really important to me.

What's something you’d like to learn?

I’d love to learn blacksmithing. I don’t consider myself particularly artistic but I am creative and finding different outlets for that creativity is always a challenge. How cool would it be to make your own kitchen knife OR an exact replica of a fantasy sword from your favorite video game, haha. Really cool. It would be really, really cool. I also like the idea of practicing a skill that has so much history but so few are still able to do. Maybe one day!

Are there any causes that you are passionate about? If so, why?

Animal rescue is a big one for me. Most of our animals are rescues and being able to see what a huge impact you can make on something that can’t help itself is amazing. I’m one of those people who unironically says their pets are like their children. I’d have dozens if I had the space.

What’s your favorite aisle in the grocery store?

The cereal aisle interestingly enough! Not because I can actually have 90% of what’s available in any meaningful amount while sticking to my nutrition goals, but it’s always interesting to see the newest twist on what’s available. I also enjoy advertising design and as silly as it might sound, new packaging is a big part of that. With WAGs flexible approach, I can always fit a bit of something in if I’m really dying to try some new flavor combo.

What is something people are always surprised to learn about you?

Probably that I used to work in the alcohol industry. Selling beer and being a nutrition coach are about as far apart as you can get in terms of career choices. What’s nice about what I’m doing now is I get to help people move towards a healthier way of living while also scratching that marketing/advertising itch by also working with our team in those areas.

What's the most life-changing piece of advice you've ever heard?

Ryan Holiday wrote a book called “The Obstacle is the Way” in which he outlines how the most successful people look at roadblocks and trials in their lives as opportunities for growth. This is taken from a stoic philosophy penned by Marcus Aerlious over 2,000 years ago.“The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

So much of our success in life is determined by our perspective and how we react to when things don’t go to plan.

Get to know a bit more about Coach Mitch in his podcast episode HERE!