For David, the phrase “go with your gut” carries a very literal meaning. 

A bodybuilder since 1998, David had always considered himself resilient—healthy, consistent, and largely injury-proof. But in early 2021, while hiking with his wife in the mountains of Arizona, something felt off. As he puts it simply, he just “didn’t feel good.”

Between January and April, that uneasy feeling escalated into extreme gastric distress and rapid weight loss. In a matter of months, David dropped from 265 pounds to just 151. After four emergency room visits, he was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and referred to a gastroenterologist, who immediately prescribed Remicade—a medication known to help prevent severe complications in UC patients.

The problem? While waiting to begin treatment, David’s condition worsened at an alarming rate.

At his wife’s urging, he returned to the hospital—where doctors discovered his colon had ruptured. “They told me I was about three hours from death,” David recalls. “I was becoming septic.” An emergency laparotomy followed, allowing surgeons to remove his colon and ultimately save his life.

What came next was a long, physically and mentally taxing road.

The process required three major surgeries. After the initial colon removal, surgeons created an ileostomy to allow his digestive system time to heal. Ten weeks later, David underwent another laparotomy—this time removing his rectum and constructing a J-pouch, essentially a new rectum, along with a second ileostomy. In October 2021, eight weeks after that, he had his final surgery: closing the ileostomy and activating the pouch.

Because each procedure was performed under emergency conditions—and because David was severely underweight—recovery was anything but smooth. One surgical staple failed, leaving a two-inch opening in his abdomen. “I have extensive scar tissue that still needs weekly ART work,” he explains. “I deal with skin-pulling pain, bloating, abdominal weakness, and diastasis recti. This is no cakewalk. Take your digestive health seriously.”

Doctors warned that full healing could take over a year.

Two years pre-diagnosis (265 lbs)

Immediately post-op

For someone whose identity had long been rooted in strength and training, being told he couldn’t lift more than a five-pound dumbbell was devastating. But instead of retreating, David adapted. He focused on the fundamentals of recovery—consistency, patience, and nourishment. Glutamine and collagen became daily staples. Reps were slow. Loads were light. Progress was incremental.

Today, David weighs 225 pounds and continues to rebuild strength.

Here’s David in 2022, up 80lbs in weight and climbing back.

“I’m alive because of my wife’s love,” he says, “and my body’s resilience from a lifetime of training.”

David’s story is a powerful reminder that gut health isn’t a background issue—it’s foundational. Ignoring symptoms can be dangerous, but listening early, adapting intelligently, and prioritizing recovery can change everything.

Below, David shares more about his recovery, training, and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

One-year transformation.

Then & Now

Editor’s Note (2026): The below Q&A was originally recorded in 2022, during the early stages of David’s recovery. At the time, his focus was on healing, rebuilding strength, and supporting his digestion after life-saving surgery. Now, four years later, we’re checking back in to see how that foundation has held up—what’s changed, what’s stayed consistent, and what long-term gut health looks like when progress replaces crisis.

1. Glutamine and collagen played a big role in your recovery. What other foods or nutrients have supported your gut health?

I eat a modified carnivore diet, with white rice and potatoes added. I’m also a big fan of Peri-MD. Fish oil and higher-dose vitamin D have been staples for me as well.

2. What was the most challenging part of recovery after years of bodybuilding?

Losing my identity. I was always the big, strong guy. Losing almost all my muscle in seven weeks was brutal mentally—lots of tears, and honestly, for a while I was teetering on the edge. Using pink five-pound dumbbells is humbling. [laughs]

3. Who or what helped keep you grounded during recovery?

My wife and family were everything. I also have a small but incredibly strong group of friends who showed up consistently. Positive people matter more than you realize.

4. You mentioned having “no restrictions.” Is that more about training, diet, or both?

Diet, mostly. I don’t tolerate cheat foods, alcohol, or caffeine well anymore. Since the colon absorbs water, I have to be careful with anything that speeds digestion too much. Training-wise, it’s slow and steady. I’ve gained back about 80 pounds so far, but it’s a grind.

5. Favorite exercise—or body part—to train? Has that changed?

Legs, always. I was lucky to train with John Meadows before he passed. Mondays are still leg day, and I still love that feeling of dragging myself to the car afterward.

6. What advice would you give someone newly diagnosed with UC?

Take healing seriously. I ignored symptoms for years and didn’t get scoped. If your gut feels off, get tested. If you’re diagnosed, clean up your diet, use glutamine in higher doses, prioritize anti-inflammatory foods—and understand that there’s a mental toll. Support matters.

Since then, a lot has changed. 

Looking back a few years later, what feels most different about your relationship with your body now?

For a long time, I treated my body like something to dominate. As a bodybuilder, the culture rewards you for overriding discomfort, ignoring warning signs, and pushing through no matter what. I did that—until I couldn’t anymore. Losing my colon forced a reset I never would have chosen. Now, my relationship with my body is built on respect instead of control. I don’t ask, “How much can I take?” I ask, “What is my body telling me today?” That shift changed not just how I train, but how I live. It’s no longer about being maximally jacked—it’s about function and life quality. 

What signals do you listen to today that you may have ignored before?

Back then, I only paid attention to loud signals—pain, breakdown, loss of size, or performance dropping. Now I listen to the quiet ones: how my gut feels hours after a meal, whether my breath stays calm under stress, how my posture and hips feel when I wake up, and how quickly I mentally settle after training. Those subtle cues are the early warning system I didn’t have—or didn’t respect—before my health forced me to.

What supplements are absolute non-negotiables for you right now?

I keep things minimal and functional. Hydration and electrolytes are foundational because digestion and absorption work differently without a colon. Magnesium is a constant for nervous system balance and sleep. Creatine stays in for both physical performance and cognitive resilience. And for recovery - I use grass fed beef protein isolate exclusively. Everything I use now earns its place by supporting function, not just physique. I also cook - A LOT - there isn’t a day where a stock pot isn’t simmering with a  home made bone broth or some other concoction. That’s a cornerstone. 

Have your dosages or priorities shifted as your training intensity has increased again?

Completely. I used to chase output—more weight, more volume, more stimulus. Now I prioritize what lets me absorb the training: recovery, sleep quality, gut tolerance, and nervous system balance. Timing matters more to me than stacking. The goal isn’t to survive sessions anymore—it’s to come back better the next day.

How would you describe your digestion today compared to early recovery?

Early on, digestion felt like something I had to manage constantly. Every meal was a variable. Now it feels more like a partnership. I know what supports me, what doesn’t, and I respect those boundaries. It’s less about control and more about consistency. I thrive with simplicity - grass-fed beef, homemade chicken stock, and the occasional bone marrow meals are sort of my staples. 

Are there any foods or habits you still avoid—and why?

I avoid anything that reliably disrupts sleep, hydration, or digestion, even if it “fits” from a performance or macro standpoint. Late-night eating, obviously highly processed foods, and chaotic meal timing don’t just affect my gut—they affect my recovery and mindset. For me, those things are inseparable now. I stopped drinking alcohol completely about 3.5 years ago as well - game changer. 

What’s the biggest misconception people have about gut health and performance?

That it’s just a food problem. For me, stress, sleep, and training load were just as powerful as diet. You can eat perfectly, but if your nervous system is constantly in fight-or-flight, digestion and recovery will still suffer. The gut listens to the brain as much as it listens to the plate.

Also, your gut is tied in tremendously to your sense of emotional well-being. Serotonin is primarily produced there, so any disruption affects your mental health. 

If someone is trying to rebuild after a setback, where should they focus first?

On trust. Rebuilding trust in their body and in the process. That starts with consistent sleep, simple meals they tolerate well, and movement that restores confidence instead of testing limits. Once you feel safe in your own body again, progress stops being fragile—and starts becoming durable. Make your goals very small - like today I lift 1% more than I did last week. 

Consistency beats intensity every time. 

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