PART 1: THE MIND AND THE BODY
We often make a distinction between the mind (brain) and the body, thinking of them as two
separate units. The truth is that the brain is just an organ but the mind really is the whole body.
In eastern mentality the Ki or Qi is believed to be an energy that permeates everything and
flows naturally through our mind. Ancient practices like yoga teach to train the body as an
instrument to improve both our physical and mental abilities. In the past century great figures
like Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi and Napoleon Hill talk about health and fitness as a tool to
achieve greatness and purpose. Today we see successful people like Richard Branson claiming
that the secret of their success is working out every morning. Tony Robbins calls his exercise
routine “the hour of power”. Last but not least we can see more and more CEOs practicing
meditation and finding time in their crazy busy schedule to train and take care of their health.
I believe there is great power at the intersection of fitness and mindfulness.
Fitness has always been a part of my life. I grew up in Italy in a countryside town. By the age of
six I was already obese. I got bullied and suffered severe depression. I had social issues, food
issues and I would often lock myself in my room crying and thinking life was a nightmare. At the
age of sixteen I finally decided to change my life and I stepped my first foot into the gym. I was
really intimidated but the pain of always being the one people would make fun of was stronger
than the fear of being around people. In one summer I lost more than five stones. I was
spending my days training and learning about the human body. The more I was able to shape
my body the more my hunger for knowledge was growing inside me. Most of my friends were
astonished by my transformation. They were queueing to train with me and kept on asking me
questions about nutrition or exercise. By the age of 22 I finished my studies and had built an
incredible body. I decided to move to London looking for new adventures.
Living in London was like a dream.
In less than a month I was working as stripper, fitness model and dancer in a celebrity night
club. I soon got to live a rock’n’roll lifestyle that I believed possible only in movies. I would be
partying with celebrities, get invited to exclusive villas in ibiza or going absolutely crazy at a
fetish club. I started using every sort of drug to keep up with my constant need for attention and
validation. I was living between the highs of “the good life” and the lows of feeling lonely and
sad. In those crazy times, training has always been my only escape from self destructive
thoughts. In the gym I was present, powerful, focused. But once out, I would go back on the bad
habits, slowly destroying my mind and my body.
If you play with fire, sooner or later, you get burnt.
One night the inevitable happened. It was the end of a party and I found myself fainting. A
massive amount of blood started leaking from a wound deep down in my intestine. I remember
waking up completely naked in a bathtub filled with the redness of my own blood. It was like a
Crimson Lake. I got carried to the hospital where the doctors had to cut my belly in two and
remove the inflamed part that was causing the bleeding. I was laying down in that hospital bed
and something clicked inside my head. It was over. I felt an extreme need to dedicate my life to
something meaningful. As soon as I recovered I quit all my night jobs and isolated myself from
all my friends. Nobody saw me or heard from me. After the surgery I got left with no muscles
and a little belly but instead of hating myself, this time I decided to challenge myself. In a few
months I achieved the most amazing body Transformation and I felt rebirth.
But fitness by itself wasn’t enough
My mind was a vortex of thoughts and emotions. It was impossible for me to control my mental
state and I was experiencing mood swings on a daily basis. Than I discovered mindfulness and
started meditating. I’ve learned how to control my thoughts and manage my emotional state. I
consumed tons of books on personal development and started to gain the necessary confidence
to step up in life. Soon after I started my career in fitness with the wish of helping people to
achieve the same mental and physical transformation I have been through.
I was rebirth like a phoenix.
I was so passionate and driven that in no time I became the N1 trainer in my gym. I had the
privilege to work with UK top 500 celebrities, international public speakers, movie directors and
many other successful entrepreneurs. My passion for fitness and meditation led me to create
my company. I called it Ki-force like the spiritual energy that permeates every living being. I
have been mentored by top expert in the field like Neil Hill (UK best bodybuilding coach), Rehan
Jalali (Hollywood trainer that worked with Ben Affleck, Stallone and many others) and Pete
Cohen (ITV presenter and life coach). I ultimately had the luck of meeting kind and mindful
people that made my new life more balanced and joyful.
If you’re intrigued, follow this weekly series and if you have any question do not hesitate
to contact me through my website www.ki-force.com
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