Fit Coach 4 Life

I got Pat’s name from an old friend that I had run into during the holidays, at the end of 2007.  Like me, he always “battled the bulge “.  I was staring at 50 years old – overweight (5’ 10”, 301 lbs.), out of shape, and truly concerned that I would not be able to continue with my business, or enjoy the latter years with my family and friends.  I was not going to make it!  On January 7, 2008 that all changed.  I met Pat and I signed on to take my body back.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I had tried a lot of different “diets” in my 49 years.  I was successful sometimes, but always gained more weight back when I could not stay with the “program”.  I fell into a big rut.  The energy and chemistry I felt when we met compelled me to give it a try. I’ll have to admit, the first few weeks were a major adjustment in my life. But I was committed to becoming fit.  I did not want to just lose weight.  I WANTED TO BE FIT! 

Almost a year and a half later, I was competing in my first sprint triathlon!  Sixteen months ago cutting the grass, trimming the weeds, and blowing the grass off the sidewalks was a triathlon.  After that, I was done for the day. Today I am still 5’ 10”, but that is the only statistic that is the same.  I weigh 220lbs. My body fat is 10% – I started at 30%. So, I didn’t just lose “weight”, I BURNED THE FAT OFF MY BODY. I’ve learned from Pat how to keep my lean body tissue (muscle) intact while shedding that killer fat.  I’ve taken ten inches off my waistline. I was taking four meds for blood pressure and cholesterol, now I’m on one- soon to be off.  I use a breathing apparatus (cpap) for my sleep apnea and will be off that soon as well. I go to the gym, swim, bike and run regularly.  My energy level is amazing. And, now when I put on a pair of jeans, they slide on. YEE HAA!!  I eat clean as much as possible, but still go to great restaurants and enjoy great wine with my wife Robin, who’s now following our plan to get healthy and stay fit.

The best part of what I have learned from Pat is that I can and will follow his plan-now my plan too, for the rest of my life.  The changes I made required discipline and planning, but now it’s routine. My food is delicious, because I make it that way.  And I get to eat all day long.  People ask me all the time – “how are you getting more fit every time I see you, you’re always eating something!?”  But, unless they are really ready, they don’t listen to my answer. Oh, and by the way, every time I hear that, I’m good for another 20 miles on the bike.  I’ve always believed that to be successful at something follow someone who’s already there.  Imitation is certainly the most sincere form of flattery.  With Pat’s help, I’m a new man.  It’s the best example I can set for my family.  Along with being my mentor and coach, Pat Grieco has become a good friend.  Even with his busy schedule, he’s there for me.  We never know where life will take us. I’m grateful that life took me to Pat’s door.  Being fit for probably the first time in my life has resonated to every aspect of me.  It’s the balance in my life that eluded me for so long.

Pat is my personal trainer.  I have known Pat for over 12 years now.  Recently, Pat put me through an intense 10-week fitness program including diet, free weights and cardio-vascular exercise.  One important thing I noticed right away was the intense professionalism that Pat displays has when it comes to personal training.  He is focused and devoted to each and every repetition and exercise, and works to address the “whole individual”.  He is a positive, success oriented person.   He takes extra time to listen and encourage his clients.  Pat’s knowledge goes far beyond the typical gym trainer. In my opinion he is a trainer’s trainer.  His knowledge of diet and nutrition is amazing.  Because of Pat, I was able to make constant, visible results and I was able to understand the right way to eat.  When I started my training package, I was feeling out of control and Pat gave me the tools I needed to get myself back on track with self-confidence and such a positive feeling of accomplishment.  Pat personally invests himself in the success of each of his clients which is something you don’t often find in the fitness world.  I whole-heartedly recommend Pat Grieco to anyone interested in bodybuilding, fitness, weight loss or self improvement.

Pat, I don’t know what to say except thank you. I really can’t believe the results I had in my first weigh in. I had been stuck for some time and you changed that instantly. To be down 2% in Body Fat in just two weeks is amazing to me. Your program is very easy to follow and has a lot of meal choices. I have learned a great deal from you in such a short time. Working out is one thing but understanding the importance of a solid nutrition program is another. You taught me not only about nutrition but how I can make the most of my time in the gym so I can get to my goals. Not having a thyroid is a battle for me and my metabolism, you took the time out to listen and provide me with a program that will work even when my levels off. I have lost over 40 lbs since starting with you. I am extremely grateful for everything you have done and look forward to my next weigh in.

I have known Pat for several years. We initially met when I cared for him as a patient. Since that time, he has been my one resource for training and nutrition.  His knowledge is extensive and I am particularly impressed with his ability to individualize the program regardless of age, fitness goals or medical history. With his help, I have transformed my physique and actually turned back the clock.

​Actually, I look better now than I did 10 years ago. With Pat’s help, I will be in even better shape 10 years from now. As a physician, I personally endorse Pat`s Nutrition program as a safe and effective way to have a healthy life for years to come.

I just wanted to sat that the diet Pat put me on it gave me the tools I needed to get to where I am now at 185lbs.  Starting from 256lbs, I would have never lost the weight to be able to enlist had it not been for him.  Even now I’m back doing the same diet I used to do with Pat with minor alterations for my current lifestyle.

Just wanted to thank you (Pat) for all your help on my weight-loss journey. Although I have have not checked in with you lately, I want you to know that with your help and guidance my metabolism has changed; which is a testimony that the plan you had me on really works well! I have been on Weight Watchers and other diets and have always gained the weight back, more and more. I am continually striving to eat 5 – 6 small meals and am mindful of all the encouragement you gave to me.

Thirteen years ago I was diagnosed with type-1 or insulin-dependent diabetes. Since then, my life has revolved around managing my blood sugar using insulin, food and exercise. Over these years I have tried many diets and worked with numerous dieticians, nutritionists, personal trainers and weight loss counselors as well as endocrinologists and diabetes educators. They have all taught me various pieces of the puzzle, but I still struggled to keep my blood sugars from swinging wildly in any given day and to control my weight. I have been a dedicated exerciser for many years and know how important this is for my health, but never saw great results and still had much trouble regulating my sugars during and after my workouts. I had read extensively about healthy diets and knew that I should eat low carb, lean proteins, high fiber and healthy fats. But putting it all together to manage my diabetes and weight was still a major struggle.  Pat Grieco has helped me determine what type of, how much, and when to exercise (both cardio and strength) and how to couple that with what to eat before and after exercise and during the rest of my day for optimal results in terms of loosing body fat, gaining lean muscle and improving blood sugar control. Since working with Pat for the past 3 months, I have finally seen real results! In just the first two weeks following the eating plan Pat tailored specifically to my daily lifestyle and needs, I saw a dramatic improvement in my blood sugar control. Using an insulin pump to administer my insulin, I can track all blood sugar readings, insulin dosages and carbohydrates eaten.  Prior to working with Pat, my blood sugars were in the normal range of 70 to 140 only 35% of the time. For 65% of the time, they were above my targeted range of 140.  After only 2 weeks of eating 6 meals a day and always combining carbs with protein and/or fats in measured amounts determined by Pat, my blood sugars were in range 65% of the time and above range only 35% of the time… a dramatic improvement!

I was much less likely to suffer from high blood sugars that make me feel lethargic and cranky while doing terrible damage to my internal organs. Plus, I was much better at managing my low blood sugars, especially during exercise, which can leave me feeling shaky, sweaty, light-headed and drained.  Another dramatic indicator of my success with Pat is the reduction in my hemoglobin A1C (a measure of blood glucose levels over recent months) from my usual reading of 7.0 to 6.4. In my 13 years of living with type-1 diabetes, I have never achieved an A1C this low! Once I had a 6.5 reading after following an extremely low carb diet for 3 months and once I had a 6.7 after going vegan for several months. However, the huge difference is that neither of these diets was sustainable for me, so after working extremely hard to follow them, I craved every carbohydrate in sight. Pat’s eating guidelines are extremely sustainable. Since I don’t see a cure for Type-1 diabetes coming anytime in the near future, I expect to be eating like this for the rest of my life, and enjoying it to boot! An additional indicator of my success with Pat’s program is my reduction in body fat from 19.8% to 15% and a gain in lean body mass. While my overall weight has not changed significantly in these 3 months (I was not particularly over weight to begin with), my shape has and my clothes are fitting better and I feel stronger. Plus, the more muscle mass I build, the more efficiently my body utilizes the sugar in my blood, again helping to keep my blood sugars stable.

I am looking forward to continued guidance by Pat over the coming months as he continues to fine-tune my program for even greater results.  Pat has a vast wealth of knowledge and in only 3 months I feel I have just begun to reap the rewards from his program. No one else in the entire diabetes community has been able to put together such an effective plan for me to comprehensively manage this chronic disease.

​Sometimes you meet people in your life, that literally have the ability and charisma to help transform you, be it emotionally, mentally or physically. Pat Grieco is such a man, but beyond that; he’s an individual who successfully facilitates change in a person, by teaching them how to do it for themselves. When I met “Uncle Pat”, as I call him now, I was an actor out of work, after just coming off of a daytime television show for a long period of time. I had gone through personal and professional turmoil, leaving me in a perpetual state of limbo. I turned to the gym as a place to get out my frustration, when Pat found me, and suggested I make it “mean something”. It was through his coaching, teaching and caring, that I became more than aesthetically fit; I became a well tuned machine in mind, body and soul. Pat Grieco is so much more than a highly decorated professional bodybuilder; I’d like to say he’s also a life coach. He helped to turn my life around at a time where I needed a mentor, and took me to my first all natural NPC competition, where I walked on stage as the best physical and mental specimen I had ever been. He’s the absolute best at what he does but beyond that, simply put: he gives a damn about his athletes. What I shared with him in my quest for self has left a life long impression on me, allowing me to take my disciplines into not only the gym, but the casting rooms in Hollywood, where I continue to work on film and television, as well as my relationships, and so on. To me, he’s “Uncle Pat”; family forged by a bond of blood sweat and tears, and to this day, I can honestly say he helped me to be the man I am today. If you want the best… if you want someone who won’t let you give up on yourself… who will bring out the best in you… who will give you REAL RESULTS, Exile Training is what you’re looking for.

I wanted to personally thank you for your guidance in this 8 week nutrition & training program I started with you about 2-1/2 weeks ago.  I have to tell you I can’t remember the last time I felt this good. I have been working out on and off since I was a teenager and for the last 5 years have been trying to figure out the right way to eat to look lean and muscular and I have never gotten the results that I have been searching for.  Now that i’m going to be 30 yrs old this August, I decided that I’m going to need to seek professional advice to learn the right way to diet and exercise that fits my body type and lifestyle. I have been a member of Bayshore Fitness & Wellness for almost 2 years now and i’m so glad I ran into you there because you were exactly the kind of person I have been looking for. Within a few days of starting your program I felt my energy levels go through the roof and just felt better overall about myself. I am eating more than I expected on a diet program and my workouts are incredible. I am working out harder and more effectively and my energy doesn’t run out and the results are just happening so fast, its amazing! My body fat already went down 3-1/2% in 15 days. I can’t remember the last time I had 12% body fat and it has only been 2 weeks! I’m finally getting the results I have been searching for since I was in my young 20′s and I am looking forward to what the near future will bring me. And the best thing about this program is it don’t matter your work schedule or lifestyle, there is a way for everyone to achieve their goals, thanks again.

I’ve hosted many lunch seminars over the past 15 years as a Corporate Health and Fitness Program Manager and Pat Grieco stands out as one the best speakers I’ve had the pleasure to work with. Pat’s unique style and simple message allow him to easily engage people in a meaningful way.

The nutritional and fitness knowledge and support that Pat Grieco has provided to me over the past 2 years has changed my life.  I am a 38-year old female and started working with Pat in June of 2007 because I had low energy and generally wanted to feel better. Pat educated me on food and how it works in the body with a focus on my metabolism.  He designed a nutritional and fitness plan for me and provided me with several tips so that I would be successful. Besides the difference in my physical appearance, the way I feel has been the most dramatic change.  I have more energy and feel great without any highs and lows. Pat is genuinely interested in the success of his clients and understands that the events in your life directly impact your success with nutrition and exercise.  He listens very carefully and tells countless stories of other clients who have had similar experiences and challenges. I have had times when my weight and body fat increased, however, Pat helped me regroup, stay focused and continue to move forward.  Pat also helped me plan for business travel, vacations, day trips, etc.  He provided me with ideas on what food to pack and how to stay motivated. I have always been physically active, however, my routine needed some adjustments.  I learned from Pat that I was not targeting my fat burning target heart rate and the weight bearing classes I took at the gym felt effective but weren’t really.  Pat explained the issues to me and then suggested an exercise routine that works with my lifestyle. I continue to meet with Pat on a frequent basis to track my progress and work on any issues that come up.  He is truly an amazing individual and I appreciate everything he has done to help me.  I consider myself to be extremely lucky to work with Pat and feel like the quality of my life has been forever changed for the better.  Thank you, Pat!