Personal Trainer Mark Jenkins Talks Early Motivations as a “Fat Kid"

Celebrity personal trainer Mark Jenkins is a respected presence in the fitness sphere and has successfully brought artists such as D'Angelo and Beyonce to peak condition. Emphasizing physical regimens that motivate, trainer Mark Jenkins maintains a GNC-distributed nutritional supplement line and was featured in a recent bodybuilding.com article that focuses on his new autobiography, The Jump Off.

Jenkins describes his early life growing up in one of Brooklyn’s rougher neighborhoods, where he witnessed first-hand the impact of crime and drugs on vulnerable youth. He himself was relatively undisciplined health-wise and earned the early nickname "Suck in the Gut.” 

A major catalyst for change was joining the U.S. Navy, where a prerequisite involved maintaining peak fitness. In addition, he made a personal decision “that I didn't want to be fat anymore.” The route to a healthy body was not an easy process, given his slow metabolism, which allows strong muscles to be built but requires “always eating clean” to avoid unwanted fat and calories. 

In pioneering a career in fitness training, Jenkins had the realization, based on his background as a “fat kid,” that there were many people facing the same issues and challenges that he had. In particular, obesity extends beyond health problems and involves harmful psychological and self-esteem issues. 

Helping people overcome obesity through The Jump Off Program and the youth-focused Fun, Fly and Fit program has thus been a major life and career motivator.