"Build Your Strength From The Inside Out."

Almost everyone bears the weight of some form of pain, abuse, addiction, or hardship in life, often leading us to a destructive relationship with our minds, our bodies, and each other. Bear It Health exists to provide the tools and support needed to get better at living.

This is our wheel of wellness.

We're not born with an instruction manual on how to be a human. By taking a holistic and root cause approach to health and fitness, this allows us to address the many areas that support and catalyze your ability to workout and eat right. We then use this as the vehicle to reach the deeper, and more difficult supporting layers.

Well hello there, my name is Dominick. I'm a Fitness Coach with 15 years experience, holding certifications in Personal Training, Nutrition Coaching, and obtaining a bachelor's degree in Psychology from CUNY Hunter College in Manhattan. I was a Tier 3 Trainer in New York City's premiere gym Equinox, from the spring of 2009, then formed my own business in December of 2010. I made it a point my first 7 years as a Trainer to spend anywhere from 2-5 hours each day in the books studying human anatomy, kinesiology, nutrition and food science, becoming best friends with PubMed, and taking weekends to attend workshops and complete additional certifications. I trained as many people as I could to apply what I learned, performing 40-50 sessions per week for years.

Using myself as the primary guinea pig, I tested and experimented on myself, especially when it came to nutrition. Always going back to the drawing board to critically think and analyze my methods to find more efficient and effective strategies. As many clients had pre-existing injuries that limited their abilities, I shadowed more than a dozen Physical Therapists around NYC to remedy these problems. Eventually the blessing that was Greg and Jason from Evolve Physical Therapy came into my life and gave me detailed insight, protocols, and knowledge to help train and heal my clients on a greater level.

Over the years I've learned that the more you know, the more you realize... you really don't know. This turns into an endless pursuit and insatiable appetite to continue going deeper.

Over the years I've expanded into building the business side of coaching, taking part in multiple masterminds to learn about copywriting, marketing and sales. This allowed me to have a side business in fitness business coaching (Gotham Gains) while still in Manhattan, helping other Trainers grow and scale their businesses, consult with boutique gyms on systems management, floor plans, and growth.

But more importantly than anything I've studied, I'm a perpetually curious human who seeks to continually improve and pass along my findings in order to help other people in any way I can. I have always tried my best to learn about multiple aspects of the human experience extending beyond the scope of a Trainer and Nutrition Coach in order to solve the problems my clients and friends faced. I've taken the Japanese business principle of "Kaizen" or continuous improvement, as part of my personal philosophy. Not fitting into any one particular box is esoteric to who I am.

I grew up in a chaotic household as my father committed suicide when I was six, and my mother was an alcoholic as she dealt with the ramifications of an abusive relationship. Unfortunately being a traditional Italian, she didn't seek help and displaced her pain onto me. As a young child I struggled with understanding my father's decision, my mother's anger, and the belief that I was also unworthy of life. Had it not been for an outlet deep into nature which was my connection to God, I don't know if I'd be here today.

The turning point in my life came at age 17 when she was diagnosed with cancer. I'll never forget the day that I was sitting in my room and I felt like I was pulled, literally, outside to go for a run. On this run, I had this all-knowing truth placed right in the middle of my being, hearing the words "you need to learn about the body." It was from that point onward that I became enthralled with learning about all aspects of the human body; from physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

Unfortunately my mother passed two years after her diagnosis, but I was determined to make the best out of what was kickstarted inside of me. A few years later I became a Personal Trainer for Equinox while living in New York City. It was my mission as a young man to help people reach health beyond skin deep, and set them up with the best chances possible to prevent any potential disease. This is also where I came up with my wheel of fitness concept, as I realized my clients were coming to me for exercise and nutrition, but truly needed help in all the other areas that supported their ability to workout and eat right.

Everything changed in 2020 as we all saw, and I left the city. Many of my own unhealed aspects were stirred up during this time, and I set out on a healing journey. Between losing my business, my identity, a huge friend group, and the plan I had for my life, the time was right. I've lived nomadically for the better part of the last four years, traveling around the country, living in nature, deepening my connection to God, utilizing plant medicines, continued work with my therapist Jeffrey Douglass, learning from others, leaning on the teachings of Jesus, and sharing my story and experiences with some tremendous people along the way. The amount of fated encounters in the past four years defy the odds and further solidifies the belief that our lives are Divinely coordinated.

I am truly grateful for all the struggles I've had to bear, the hardships I've endured, the pain I've felt, and every experience in between. I would not be who I am today without them. Each and every experience has given me the choice to stay the same, or to grow and transform. Simply living through difficult times doesn't transform you, you have to take action to let it make you better, and not bitter. At 38, I feel like I've lived enough for three lives, but this tempering of my soul has blessed me with a perspective to refine my empathy, see things from outside myself, to be appreciative of even the smallest of things, and ultimately heal and move on from the past.

I am currently living in Jacksonville Beach, Florida and look forward to helping others along their health and fitness journey. Please feel free to send me a message regarding anything you need, I'm here to help!

Life equals changes and experiences. I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to ride their many waves throughout mine so far:

“As a Physical Therapist in Manhattan with over 25 years experience, it's rare to collaborate with someone like Dom. He truly understands how the body works but also how nutrition and mindset are necessary components required for healing and lasting change.

I refer clients to Dom because of his attention to all the details that most Personal Trainers miss. He's able to read each client's unique anatomy and show them how to improve their mind-body connection.

He understands people have individual and specific needs and properly applies his knowledge of anatomy and exercise science to successfully lead people to their goals. His philosophy is truly holistic, rooted in science, and his clients achieve some of the most effective results I have ever seen.

This inspired me to work with him for 4 years where I lost 40lbs and built 10lbs of muscle.

Dom completely changed the path I was heading down and saved my life. I consider Dom a master at his craft and highly recommend anyone ready for serious change to seek him out.

This inspired me to work with him for 4 years where I lost 40lbs and built 10lbs of muscle. Dom completely changed the path I was heading down and saved my life. I consider Dom a master at his craft and highly recommend anyone ready for serious change to seek him out.”

- Greg Babiec, Owner of Evolve Physical Therapy

Hope, 42

I was proud of the woman I saw in the mirror.

"I felt fat, was always exhausted, and knew that I couldn't enter into marriage and start a family like this.

The plan he developed was "subtraction by addition" where I added in daily habits and behaviors that slowly displaced the unhealthy ones I had.

It was honestly brilliant and way less stressful than I imagined as it brought structure and order to my life.

By the day of my wedding, I had lost 15lbs of fat and sculpted 4lbs of muscle.

More importantly, I was strong, my skin was glowing, I looked and felt healthy, and I was proud of the woman I saw in the mirror. I'll be forever grateful for this fit and healthy version of myself he helped me to create!"

Kirk, 42

I’ve been able to lose 60lbs but more importantly, gain back my life!

"I came to Dom at 42 years old weighing 245lbs, unhappy and completely unhealthy. I didn’t have good eating habits in place, which was compounded by stress eating everything in sight after 9pm.


Through his teaching and support, I’ve been able to lose 60lbs but more importantly, gain back my life! I found that there's a lot more that goes into being fit and healthy, like learning how to cope with my stress and connect with a higher power. I now have the tools, skills, and knowledge in place to keep the weight off and continue building my health."

Alex, 38

The flexibility is what has made the process sustainable.

"Dominick has a very personalized approach that focuses not only on weight loss but a true lifestyle overhaul. Using a modulated and step by step approach, he coached me into making better choices in terms of food, managing stress, getting enough rest and finding a healthy balance in life.


Through this approach I was able to get really strong and even did my first chin up! I ultimately progressed to doing weighted chin ups, which I never thought would be possible for me and hitting PRs on all of my major lifts in the gym. I was anxious about getting started because I was afraid it would be too regimented and restrictive, and I have such a sweet tooth.


However, Dominick taught me how to plan my meals and activities in a way that allowed me to enjoy pizza and ice cream in moderation while still meeting my goals. This flexibility is what has made the process sustainable. For so long, I tried all kinds of fad workouts and meal plans that did not yield any meaningful or long term results.


Working with Dominick, I really got to know how my body moves, areas of weakness and was able to focus on and build up my strength to obtain results that I never thought would be possible for me.


He is a really talented, caring and motivated trainer and I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to learn from him."

Greg, 40

I feel like Dominick got inside my head to rewire how I thought about food and hunger.

"I went from a former athlete able to bench 400lbs and run 3 miles under 20 minutes, to an overweight, tired, and achy middle aged man.


I was also really good at losing weight, winning weight loss challenges, but could never keep it off as I'd always regain the 30 or 40 pounds in a couple months.


I needed a real lifestyle change, not a quick fix, centered around modifying my poor behaviors and thought patterns.


I started with small changes that at first felt like they weren’t making much of a difference, but they began building upon each other to work synergistically as the weight fell off. Dominick also worked magic by fixing my injured shoulder that would always hurt me when I slept and even washed my hair.


I feel like Dominick got inside my head to rewire how I thought about food, hunger, and the attention my body truly deserved. I have gone from 282lb in a size 40 pants to 218lbs and size 34, with energy to work a 12 hour day and still chase after my kids at night.


My life has been given back to me as I've finally learned how to keep the weight off. I like my true self again. There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude for all Dominick has done for me."

Jenna, 31

Dominick showed me how to love and care for my body in ways I was never taught.

"I want you to know how much this experience has meant to me. The relationship with my body has been a painful one ever since I was an early teen when I developed an eating disorder.


Dominick's understanding and patience with where I came from was endless. We worked slowly to help shift my thinking and I saw how food was meant to work for my body and not against it.


I learned that building strength and muscle was not just physical but more importantly, mental. It made my life easier.


The habits we implemented allowed me to lose 24lbs of fat and build 5lbs of muscle, yet I never felt like I was "dieting."


If you're ready to change who you are from the inside out, Dominick's your man."

Joe, 30

As a coach myself, I came to Dom looking to take my body to the next level...Dom put me onto the elite of the elite.

"As a coach myself, I came to Dom looking to take my body to the next level. But Dom put me onto the elite of the elite. He taught me how to make food work for my body to the fullest, and dialed in my training programs and exercise technique.


I’ve never been as strong and sculpted as I am now while also having the systems in place to maintain it. I’d recommend Dom if you’re ready to transform your entire life!"

Melissa, 35

Dominick had me connect how moving myself more and getting stronger would change how my body used food.

"Nobody has time in the city to eat healthy, especially when you have two kids and a career. The thought of having to add one more thing to my day completely overwhelmed me. I came to Dominick needing a plan that wasn't a whirlwind of changes all at once.


Instead, he had me slow down and focus on one or two things at a time that I knew I could do, and added more when I was ready. Over the course of the year, things changed for me dramatically.


Dominick had me connect how moving myself more and getting stronger would change how my body used food.


And that shifted how I started to view food. It was a life changing moment when I learned how carbs help make you stronger in the gym, which then works to change your body.


Staying prepared with healthy meals prepped and vegetables cut up has made life so much easier for me and my family. I lost 10lbs on the scale and gained a whole new way of being.


I'm truly thankful for all Dominick has done and how he helped me to live out the best version of myself everyday!"

Paul, 44

The mental strength Dominick helped me to develop by overcoming my injury and losing so much excess weight has fueled my desire to live life more fully.

"As a business owner in NYC, there was no time to eat right and workout. That was until my herniated disc put me in bed for almost 2 weeks with the most excruciating pain in my life. Sitting at a desk for 20 years with horrible posture, and carrying around an extra 40lbs did me no favors. I realized I was on a fast track to an early death.


Within just weeks of hiring Dom, my pain was gone, I was moving more easily, and my gut began to shrink. His knowledge of anatomy and injury rehabilitation gave me an education in my own body, and how I am in total control of how it feels and functions.


His 3-step nutritional approach for me started with a foundation of healthy eating habits, then a brief period tracking macros to truly understand food science instead of societal myths, and finished by mastering the ability to maintain without obsessing over any one thing. I felt like I was back in college but was happy to attend as I lost 46lbs of fat, and built 7 pounds of muscle.


The mental strength Dominick helped me to develop by overcoming my injury and losing so much excess weight has fueled my desire to live life more fully."

Sarah, 37

I lost over 20lbs working with Dominick but above all, I regained my self-confidence.

"He showed me how to break bad behaviors that were making me unhealthy and keeping me overweight.


He was big on having me understand the psychology behind my choices, and addressed the root causes instead of "symptom management."


Unlike other trainers I've worked with, Dominick gave me an education and showed me how to apply it practically instead of just 'telling me what to do. He's very intentional and strategic which has created for me a totally new lifestyle.


I trusted Dominick and the process, and I'm proud to say a year later I've kept the weight off and I'm very happy with how I look and feel about myself!"

Ben, 58

Dominick continually pushes me to see my inner-strength and shed limiting beliefs.

"I came to Dominick in the worst shape of my life, both physically and mentally. All of my basic eating habits and coping mechanisms, or lack thereof, were keeping me seriously overweight and stressed out. To make things worse, I travel outside the US frequently and always had trouble staying consistent. Dominick showed me that it wasn't about perfection, it was more about making the best decision possible in that moment.

He dramatically increased the awareness of my choices, made me more mindful of how to address my anxiety, and gave me a flexible framework to work from. My knowledge of food science and healthy habits increased over time, which allowed me to adjust on the fly. He gave me the tools necessary to make me successful, even when we couldn't speak because I was in a foreign country without service.

All of this resulted in 56lbs of fat loss, and 9lbs of muscle built in our two years working together. I couldn't be happier with the person I've become."

Hope, 42

I was proud of the woman I saw in the mirror.

Read more of Hope's story...

"I felt fat, was always exhausted, and knew that I couldn't enter into marriage and start a family like this.

The plan he developed was "subtraction by addition" where I added in daily habits and behaviors that slowly displaced the unhealthy ones I had.

It was honestly brilliant and way less stressful than I imagined as it brought structure and order to my life.

By the day of my wedding, I had lost 15lbs of fat and sculpted 4lbs of muscle.

More importantly, I was strong, my skin was glowing, I looked and felt healthy, and I was proud of the woman I saw in the mirror. I'll be forever grateful for this fit and healthy version of myself he helped me to create!"

Kirk, 42

I’ve been able to lose 60lbs but more importantly, gain back my life!

Read more of Kirk's story...

"I came to Dom at 42 years old weighing 245lbs, unhappy and completely unhealthy.

I didn’t have good eating habits in place, which was compounded by stress eating everything in sight after 9pm.

Through his teaching and support, I’ve been able to lose 60lbs but more importantly, gain back my life! I found that there's a lot more that goes into being fit and healthy, like learning how to cope with my stress and connect with a higher power. I now have the tools, skills, and knowledge in place to keep the weight off and continue building my health."

Alex, 38

The flexibility is what has made the process sustainable.

Read more of Alex's story...

"Dominick has a very personalized approach that focuses not only on weight loss but a true lifestyle overhaul. Using a modulated and step by step approach, he coached me into making better choices in terms of food, managing stress, getting enough rest and finding a healthy balance in life.

Through this approach I was able to get really strong and even did my first chin up! I ultimately progressed to doing weighted chin ups, which I never thought would be possible for me and hitting PRs on all of my major lifts in the gym. I was anxious about getting started because I was afraid it would be too regimented and restrictive, and I have such a sweet tooth.

However, Dominick taught me how to plan my meals and activities in a way that allowed me to enjoy pizza and ice cream in moderation while still meeting my goals.

This flexibility is what has made the process sustainable. For so long, I tried all kinds of fad workouts and meal plans that did not yield any meaningful or long term results.

Working with Dominick, I really got to know how my body moves, areas of weakness and was able to focus on and build up my strength to obtain results that I never thought would be possible for me.

He is a really talented, caring and motivated trainer and I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to learn from him."

Greg, 40

I feel like Dominick got inside my head to rewire how I thought about food and hunger.

Read more of Greg's story...

"I went from a former athlete able to bench 400lbs and run 3 miles under 20 minutes, to an overweight, tired, and achy middle aged man.

I was also really good at losing weight, winning weight loss challenges, but could never keep it off as I'd always regain the 30 or 40 pounds in a couple months.

I needed a real lifestyle change, not a quick fix, centered around modifying my poor behaviors and thought patterns.

I started with small changes that at first felt like they weren’t making much of a difference, but they began building upon each other to work synergistically as the weight fell off. Dominick also worked magic by fixing my injured shoulder that would always hurt me when I slept and even washed my hair.

I feel like Dominick got inside my head to rewire how I thought about food, hunger, and the attention my body truly deserved. I have gone from 282lb in a size 40 pants to 218lbs and size 34, with energy to work a 12 hour day and still chase after my kids at night.

My life has been given back to me as I've finally learned how to keep the weight off. I like my true self again. There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude for all Dominick has done for me."

Jenna, 31

Dominick showed me how to love and care for my body in ways I was never taught.

Read more of Jenna's story...

"I want you to know how much this experience has meant to me. The relationship with my body has been a painful one ever since I was an early teen when I developed an eating disorder.

Dominick's understanding and patience with where I came from was endless. We worked slowly to help shift my thinking and I saw how food was meant to work for my body and not against it.

I learned that building strength and muscle was not just physically but more importantly, mentally. It made my life easier.

The habits we implemented allowed me to lose 24lbs of fat and build 5lbs of muscle, yet I never felt like I was "dieting."

If you're ready to change who you are from the inside out, Dominick's your man."

Joe, 30

As a coach myself, I came to Dom looking to take my body to the next level...Dom put me onto the elite of the elite.

Read more of Joe's story...

"As a coach myself, I came to Dom looking to take my body to the next level. But Dom put me onto the elite of the elite. He taught me how to make food work for my body to the fullest, and dialed in my training programs and exercise technique.

I’ve never been as strong and sculpted as I am now while also having the systems in place to maintain it. I’d recommend Dom if you’re ready to transform your entire life!"

Melissa, 35

Dominick had me connect how moving myself more and getting stronger would change how my body used food.

Read more of Melissa's story...

"Nobody has time in the city to eat healthy, especially when you have two kids and a career. The thought of having to add one more thing to my day completely overwhelmed me. I came to Dominick needing a plan that wasn't a whirlwind of changes all at once.

Instead, he had me slow down and focus on one or two things at a time that I knew I could do, and added more when I was ready. Over the course of the year, things changed for me dramatically.

Dominick had me connect how moving myself more and getting stronger would change how my body used food.

And that shifted how I started to view food. It was a life changing moment when I learned how carbs help make you stronger in the gym, which then works to change your body.

Staying prepared with healthy meals prepped and vegetables cut up has made life so much easier for me and my family. I lost 10lbs on the scale and gained a whole new way of being.

I'm truly thankful for all Dominick has done and how he helped me to live out the best version of myself everyday!"

Paul, 44

The mental strength Dominick helped me to develop by overcoming my injury and losing so much excess weight has fueled my desire to live life more fully.

Read more of Paul's story...

"As a business owner in NYC, there was no time to eat right and workout.

That was until my herniated disc put me in bed for almost 2 weeks with the most excruciating pain in my life. Sitting at a desk for 20 years with horrible posture, and carrying around an extra 40lbs did me no favors. I realized I was on a fast track to an early death.

Within just weeks of hiring Dom, my pain was gone, I was moving more easily, and my gut began to shrink. His knowledge of anatomy and injury rehabilitation gave me an education in my own body, and how I am in total control of how it feels and functions.

His 3-step nutritional approach for me started with a foundation of healthy eating habits, then a brief period tracking macros to truly understand food science instead of societal myths, and finished by mastering the ability to maintain without obsessing over any one thing. I felt like I was back in college but was happy to attend as I lost 46lbs of fat, and built 7 pounds of muscle.

The mental strength Dominick helped me to develop by overcoming my injury and losing so much excess weight has fueled my desire to live life more fully."

Sarah, 37

I lost over 20lbs working with Dominick but above all, I regained my self-confidence.

Read more of Sarah's story...

"He showed me how to break bad behaviors that were making me unhealthy and keeping me overweight.

He was big on having me understand the psychology behind my choices, and addressed the root causes instead of "symptom management."

Unlike other trainers I've worked with, Dominick gave me an education and showed me how to apply it practically instead of just 'telling me what to do.

He's very intentional and strategic which has created for me a totally new lifestyle.

I trusted Dominick and the process, and I'm proud to say a year later I've kept the weight off and I'm very happy with how I look and feel about myself!"

Ben, 58

Dominick continually pushes me to see my inner-strength and shed limiting beliefs.

Read more of Ben's story...

"I came to Dominick in the worst shape of my life, both physically and mentally. All of my basic eating habits and coping mechanisms, or lack thereof, were keeping me seriously overweight and stressed out. To make things worse, I travel outside the US frequently and always had trouble staying consistent. Dominick showed me that it wasn't about perfection, it was more about making the best decision possible in that moment.

He dramatically increased the awareness of my choices, made me more mindful of how to address my anxiety, and gave me a flexible framework to work from. My knowledge of food science and healthy habits increased over time, which allowed me to adjust on the fly. He gave me the tools necessary to make me successful, even when we couldn't speak because I was in a foreign country without service. All of this resulted in 56lbs of fat loss, and 9lbs of muscle built in our two years working together. I couldn't be happier with the person I've become."

Copyright, Bear It Health© - All Rights Reserved