William Donnelly CPT, CFNS, CBT

I’m a Personal Trainer and Health Coach, certified in personal training, cognitive behavioral therapy, health and wellness coaching and fitness nutrition. I specialize in weight loss and weight management. My focus is on integrating a behavioral and mental approach to the process, to ensure the greatest synergistic outcome.

No two people are the same. If you’ve endeavored upon a weight loss, mindset or workout routine with a friend or family member and they have progressed faster than you don’t despair. If results have come a little slower than what you have observed others obtaining by doing what you observed to be pretty much the same thing, don’t worry. We all progress at different rates. We are all different. We know this intuitively, but sometimes in the heat of the moment we get caught up with a particular goal in mind. The need to achieve especially when others already seem to be having success can sometimes knock us off the path of our process. I see this all the time in my practice and even with my own ever evolving personal pursuits.

It is truly unique and exciting how everyone is different, so I put the onus upon myself to learn, read, study, and experiment with as many modalities as I can. Let’s look at all the options available now, and choose those that will give you the most promising outcomes for today and the future.

I believe that opportunities for growth, success and happiness are unlimited for those who are willing to put in the work. I believe there is power in setting sights high and not settling for mediocrity.

I also believe that most people sell themselves short. They settle for status quo, or for what others tell them they can and can’t do.

I believe life is meant to be enjoyed. I believe we’re here to create, build, learn and connect. I believe that the definitions of happiness and success are different for every person, but that both are within reach for everyone.

I also believe that the pursuit of all this is easier said than done.

I created my practice to give me a springboard for my thoughts, ideas and insights as they pertain to the above pursuits. In my time on this planet, I’ve come to realize that there is much more to life than checking boxes, getting degrees and punching a time clock. Twenty years in the financial industry and working 2 full-time jobs can be a cruel master...but it helped develop my perspective that life can be hard(much harder than many realize), and it can be amazing(much more-so than many expect).

My personal mantra: If you want it, go for it!

I want a lot of things in life. So I’m going for them. I figured I may as well share what I learn along the way.

The inspiration and catalyst for my wellness career is three fold. One is pretty standard for most wellness practitioners and the other two are kind of unique to my situation and how I got here.

First, I grew up around sports and played sports for most of my life. Physical activity and being outside is a way of life. Hiking, skiing, playing ball, lifting weights and being outside enjoying the environment, is a big part of who I am.

The emotional connection to what I like to do derives from the love of my family. I grew up in a family where weight is a struggle for a lot of my relatives. As I mentioned in the video, it got really close and personal with my mom. If you haven’t checked out the video please do so. It gives you an insight into how I got to where I am today and just how important teaching and inspiring a healthy lifestyle is to me.

Lastly, serendipity played a role. The catalyst of how I got to where I am today.

Approximately 15 years ago, I was leaving Central Park after a workout. A complete stranger walked up to me and asked if I would train them. They identified themselves as a neighbor who witnessed my leaving at the same time everyday(or so) to workout. My dedication was really inspiring and they wanted to learn my motivation. I mentioned that I wasn’t a personal trainer and I worked full-time in finance, but that did not deter them and they persisted. After a few weeks of cajoling, I ended up training this individual. This was without any credentials, no certifications and no insurance. Fast forward to being thrown out of a couple of gyms for not being a registered trainer and not a member of a certain NYC club... I thought to myself wow, I really love doing this work. This could be a great opportunity to serve people and help them live the lifestyle they desire. I ended up growing my client base, all the while working full-time in finance and continued to do that for about 10 years. Approximately five years ago, I joined forces with a fellow trainer who had an established health and wellness practice in Midtown Manhattan. Eventually, I inherited his Manhattan client base. In order to do this I had to learn brand new skill sets. Specialized training and nutrition practices are involved at this particular club. I completed four months of an unpaid internship learning new machines and new methods of training. Such as, super slow training, Katsu training and new ways to apply nutritional science. Throughout all this, I still worked full-time at my regular job and at the gym. Three years ago, I finally quit my finance job and have spent most of my time practicing, training and learning about health and wellness.

In my financial career I was always in a client relationship based position. I believe this has played and still plays a critical role in how I interact with my clients, how I listen, and how I’m able to provide the most synergnistic outcome possible. I love serving and helping others. It would be a privilege to do the same for you!

A great way to start intermittent fasting is with a 12 hour overnight fast. A simple fast where you fast from 7 PM to 7 AM or 8 PM to 8 AM depending upon your schedule. After this you push it out to 14 hours. You just simply drink water in the morning. So you might drink 16 ounces of water before you eat food and this might take you two hours or push you out two hours where you’re not hungry. This is called the brunch fast. Then you can try a crescendo fast. Here you will go 16 hours between your last meal and your first meal the following day and you do this fast two days a week on non-consecutive days. It may be eating meals between 10 AM and 6 PM for example for two days a week and then the other days you try and eat between 8 AM and 6 PM. Again, the timing can depend on your schedule and personality. After you’ve accomplished this you then push that out to a cycle fast where you are doing a 16 hour fast, three days a week or every other day. This is how you build your fasting muscle. For many people who are metabolically damaged or have never tried intermittent fasting, doing a 16 or 18 hour fast right off the bat can be extremely difficult. Incorporating a gradual step-by-step fasting protocol is going to help us to slowly build the metabolic flexibility where our bodies are getting better and better at being more efficient at utilizing fat as a fuel source. So over time we will build up at where we are able to do that strong fast of 16 to 18 hours on a daily basis and eventually even push that out to the 20 hour range. At this point you’ll be ready to add in one day a week where you are doing a full 24 hour fast. Here you fast from lunch to lunch or dinner to dinner or breakfast to breakfast, depending upon what best fits your schedule and lifestyle. The key will be hydrating your body with water and electrolytes during these fasts.