Nick Ettinger

Focusing on his "WHY" has helped this JYM Army member overcome addiction, take control of his body and health, and become a great husband and father.

Written By Jim Stoppani, PhD

Updated September 28, 2023

Written by Nick Ettinger

I have always been an active person. I played sports all my life. Up until high school, I was a good student and an excellent athlete. Despite my not-so-perfect upbringing, I had managed to keep it all together until my freshman year.

That’s when I submerged myself into the party scene and drugs. I wasted all my talents through high school and didn’t care about much, other than myself. That wasn’t even me. I turned into someone I didn’t even know.

When I was 18 years old, my dad passed away from alcohol abuse. I then went into the worst downhill spiral you can imagine, including throwing away a career opportunity I had dreamed about since I was a toddler. My choices were destructive.

But at 20 years old, I re-kindled a high school friendship with my now-wife. The day her daughter (now mine) called me "daddy" completely changed my life. Those two girls were the turning point of my life. That’s when I started my fitness journey — again.

I was lifting and running a lot, but with no direction. I thought I knew what I was doing. I got married at 23 years old and shortly afterward, I came down with a mysterious liver illness that the doctors couldn’t figure out.

My liver starting to not work anymore. It was hemorrhaging into the muscle cavities in my back and causing the discs in my back to be herniated, causing an immense amount of pain. After months and months of pain meds and steroids, I gained roughly 65 pounds of fat.

When I finally healed from this mysterious illness — which was never actually diagnosed — I was disgusted with myself. Slowly but surely, I got back into the gym and doing a little bit of running outside. I did this aimlessly for about a year and a half. But I kept eating junk and trying to out-exercise my diet. I dropped only 20 pounds in that entire time.

Then the change happened. I had heard a buddy of mine talking about Dr. Stoppani in the past, and I was desperate for knowledge and change. When I looked him up, my eyes were blown open and I became a leech for knowledge and information about nutrition and exercise techniques.

Finally, in March of 2017, I bought my first tubs of Pre JYM, Post JYM, and Pro JYM. The same day, I bought my membership on Jimstoppani.com. I started with the Super Shredded 8 program during the Summer Shred Challenge.

Just following along with the JYM Army, I completed SS8 and went from 235 pounds to 180 pounds. I also dropped from 36 percent body fat to 12.6 percent body fat in five months of applying Dieting 101 rules for fat loss and using the Doc's programs.

So far, I have completed SS8, Back and Fourth, Power Pyramid, and I am currently doing the Giant Program as part of the No Limits Challenge.

The biggest keys to my success came from finding and knowing my “WHY.” Knowing that I did not want to leave my beautiful wife and kids behind and wanting to take control of my life.

I am terrified to fail at leading my family by example. Overcoming addictions that were unhealthy, generating the self-discipline to do the right thing, in all aspects of my life, to train like my life depends on it, and eat as if I was fueling instead of feeding are what have gotten me this far.

I will never stop achieving my fitness goals now. The JYM Army members have been my motivation to keep going. It’s a family. We are stronger together. This brand has changed my life so much in such a short time, it’s unreal.

If you are looking to take control of your life and future health, join me and the JYM Army and get your membership to Jimstoppani.com. Knowledge is power and the content will help you direct your own destiny. With the support of the JYM family and the leadership of the JYM staff, your goals are obtainable!

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