Midlife Coaching from Spark Nutrition & Fitness

Your Self, Empowered

It is not a Crisis.

You’ve done The Things.

Degrees, Career, House.

Stable, solid, firm.

Is that it? Is that all there is?

You know it in your gut, in your mind. There’s more. Something else is out there, and you are curious. As you’ve moved up the hierarchy of needs, ticked off the boxes, and…settled, now there’s this dull ache for more.

You’ve heard the tired jokes. Maybe you’ve mentioned wanting a change, large or small, and and have heard the term “midlife crisis” or even “identity crisis.”

I think it’s way more than that, and I think you do too.

jeep with no doors or roof in a desert landscape

You are not ready to stagnate.

Like most of us, I was told these things, repeatedly:

grow up

get a job

settle down

I did them. I put myself, my energy, and my time, in the service of achieving these things, as was expected of me. While they did provide me the stability I needed, now that I’m at a midpoint in my life, those needs have changed. I’m not content to simply rest yet. I’ve got a lot of life left to experience. Inside, there’s this little curious voice that says, over and over:

Let’s find out.

The Adventure Starts Now.

  • Engage with solid nutrition guidance that will empower your body and mind for what’s ahead.

    Purposeful movement daily will build strength and keep you limber and ready.

    Sleep, stress, time management, and organization skills are broken down into daily practices.

    Less Dream, more Do.

  • “If it feels good, DO IT!”

    We discuss your long, medium, and short-term goals.

    Together, we build a roadmap, and set some checkpoints along the way.

    Weekly meetings are used to check stats, discuss challenges, and adjust direction as needed.

  • I’m here to facilitate.

    I’m here to give permission.

    I’m here to bounce ideas off of.

    I’m here to press you a bit further.

    I’m here to learn from you and about you, too.

  • It doesn’t end at week 12.

    You get to decide if you want more coaching.

    You get to determine if you’re ready to take flight.

    You’re at the center.

    You’ll know when it’s time.

Rediscovering Joy

  • The Foundations

    Whether you want to save your adventures for retirement, or you’re in a place to take flight now, the basics around nutrition and movement will power your journey forward.

    Starting with a nutritional scaffolding built around your body, diet, and goals, we start with how you fuel yourself, day in and day out, to bring your body into alignment with where you want to take it.

  • Building Blocks

    Are you going on a massive excursion? Do you want to just feel capable in your body for as long a possible? Want to take up a new sport or activity? Hiking in the Andes? Snorkeling in the Meditteranean? Whatever your reason, we collaboratively build a routine that will help your body be ready for whatever you throw at it.

    Balance, flexibility, strength, posture, poise - all of these coming together so you can do whatever you have your heart set on, with confidence.

  • Unlocking Your Inner Self

    Through weekly conversations, you and I will explore your goals and what they mean to you. We will unpack and examine the challenges you are facing, the roadblocks in your life that keep you from Doing The Thing, and strategize a variety of ways to remove those elements from your environment.

    Providing a safe, equitable, non-judgmental space, topics are client-centered and client-driven, with only your goals and outcomes in mind.

  • Tracking Success

    Leveraging the power of tracking and habit-formation, I will be monitoring your practice remotely, working with whatever metrics you and I agree would be most important to keep an eye on. From sleep to hydration, movement to nutrition, selfie to selfie, there are a wide range of ways to measure success, and we will deploy the right scale and tool for you and your needs.

    As you change, so do the metrics of measuring your successes. Nothing here is static or unmutable.

Coach Thom

Who I am.

I’m a gay guy in his mid 40s who has reshaped his entire being over the past decade, lifting up the shy wallflower I once was into a confident man who knows his own power and strength.

Where I came from.

Born and raised in Maine, where money was scarce and food quality was poor at best, I grew up burying myself into books and a bag of chips. Movement was not part of my life. I was that weird kid at the dances, the guy full of anxiety and nervousness, who fit nowhere.

I’ve grown since then, and have really enjoyed rediscovering my Inner Kiddo and all of his shenanigans, as I enter the Second Act of my life. Hobbies, activities, challenges, and more, that I had to shelve in those early years, now make up a large part of my days, including helping others find what makes them smile too!

What got me into coaching?

My doctor scared the shit out of me.

Plain and simple.

I hit 40, had a routine blood test, and got the whole “maintenance meds” conversation (pills for blood pressure, cholesterol, referrals to dietitians, worries over future adult-onset diabetes).

Just like every other person in my family.

I peaked at 265lbs as a 5’9” man, and knew that things needed to change.

What I’ve learned along the way is that body weight is not the only measure of a healthy, balanced life.

But it can start there.

Can I work with you in person?

I’m based out of Portland, Oregon. The majority of my clients are remote, and we leverage the power of the internet to hold video check-in sessions.

I am happy to make arrangements to meet and talk face to face, if possible.

Quarterly Clients will receive an optional in-person session at a time and date of their choice, wherever they are located.

Are you qualified?

I have my certifications from NASM and Precision Nutrition (Nutrition Coach, Change Psychology, and Athlete Training). I’m always taking a new course, and reading all the latest information. I’ve been a gym rat for over a decade now, and a professional full-time coach for three.

I am currently undertaking a Master Health Coach certification through Precision Nutrition, with the goal of being a board-certified Health & Wellness coach.

Will this really work?

I coach with the same protocols that worked for me, and I’ve lost somewhere near 70lbs of weight, am stronger than I’ve ever been, have a healthy relationship with food, my dog, my past, and with the world around me.

I do not carry myself in shame or fear, nor do I let the needs of others have full control over my actions and decisions. I lead and speak and exist from a place of inner power and strength.

So can you.

Let’s Talk

If you’re curious, let’s have a conversation.

I will reserve an hour of time for us to talk a little bit of the program, lay out how it all works, and answer any preliminary questions you may have. We don’t need to take the full amount of time, but I ask that you come prepared to chat.

If you don’t see a time slot that works for you, please reach out to me at coachthom@spark.fit and I will check my calendar further in advance.

Answer to Common Questions

We start with the basics: Food, Movement, Sleep, Stress, Time.

We grow from there.

You will be given a nutritional guideline based on your responses to my intake questionnaire, and access to a whole host of pre-made workouts for you to choose from.

Monthly and Quarterly rates are available, which will include one hour-long session per week, per month, and can be booked as a standing appointment at the same time and day of the week every week, based on availability.

You will be asked to submit a 750-1000 word autobiography about yourself, that includes a bit of your backstory, and that gives me a good opportunity to get to know you better, and set us up for success from day one.

Get into it. Tell me what you’re really seeking. Be vulnerable and honest with me, and with yourself.

Let’s harness the transformative power of personal alignment, together.