Episode 37: Parker—Sobriety, Body Image, and Building a Life Through Fitness

Parker has just over a year sober—and this is his first time trying recovery. His story is unique from the start: he didn’t even have his first drink until he was 22, and by 27 he was already at the end of the line. In just five years, alcohol had taken everything from him—including the one thing he had always clung to: his body.

Growing up, Parker was bullied, and body dysmorphia took hold early. When he found bodybuilding, it became both his escape and his identity. Even when he was drinking, he refused to touch beer—not because he didn’t want to drink, but because he was terrified of getting fat. Eventually, though, alcohol stripped away his routines, his fitness, and his sense of self.

When he got sober, Parker knew he needed structure to survive. He went back to the basics: waking up early, cooking all his meals, moving his body. Fitness became his anchor, and now it’s how he helps others in recovery—guiding them toward health, consistency, and purpose.

His journey hasn’t been perfect. He talks about his time in treatment, a chaotic sober living packed with twenty people (and even finding someone dead there), and the reality of not working a 12-step program. He even got kicked out of sober living for smoking weed. But through it all, he found his path and his purpose—helping others get sober and rebuild their lives through fitness.

Today, Parker shows that recovery doesn’t have to look one way. His story is about honesty, discipline, and the freedom that comes from finding what truly works for you.

🎧 Listen in for a conversation that’s raw, powerful, and proof that recovery can be built one routine, one workout, and one day at a time.