My Story

Early 2024 wasn't my finest season.

A breakup with someone I cared about, an estranged fiancée making choices I couldn't understand, and the daily grind of the gig economy had quietly taken over my life. Health wasn't on the priority list — and my body did exactly what bodies do when you stop paying attention. It stored everything. I ballooned to 256 pounds, was squeezing into size 40-44 pants, and found myself winded by things that used to be effortless. Family noticed. I noticed. I just hadn't decided to do anything about it yet.

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What made it more than just a weight issue was what was waiting on the other side of ignoring it. I'm an African American man with a family history of Type 2 diabetes. I'd already been prediabetic — twice. I knew what the trajectory looked like, and I had a front row seat to where it ended up. A doctor's visit, a knowing look, and a prescription pad.

I'll be honest with you — I've never had a great relationship with the "prescribe everything" side of medicine. So when that moment came, I made a decision. Respectfully but firmly, I told them no to the pills. Let's figure out something else first.

The something else turned out to be a Nintendo Switch game.

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I didn't start with a gym membership or a meal plan. I started with Ring Fit Adventure.

It sounds almost too humble to admit, but that's exactly the point. I just needed to remember what it felt like to move. Two months in, movement became a habit again — and my hyper-curious brain needed more. I wanted the behind-the-curtain view. Not tips and tricks, but the actual science of why things work.

I found an ACE Introduction to Personal Training course for $100. It changed everything.

What I learned didn't just explain the methodology — it validated what I'd already been doing intuitively and gave me the framework to do it better. I enjoyed it so much I kept going. Personal Training certification. Weight Management. Behavior Change. Fitness Nutrition. CBT-I Sleep Health Coaching. I wasn't collecting credentials for a wall — I was building a toolbox I could actually use.

 

This wasn't my first attempt at getting healthy.

In my early twenties I was active, mostly motivated by the time-honored tradition of trying to impress someone. Later, reconnecting with a middle school crush who happened to be a passionate vegan, I took on a one-month challenge — and stayed for almost three years. To this day that was the peak of my health.

But then came a relationship, a job at Chick-fil-A, and a pattern I wouldn't fully understand until years later: every time my environment changed, my habits followed. When I was single, eating well and moving intentionally came naturally. The moment a relationship started, I'd unconsciously drift back into the Standard American Diet just to connect with whoever I was with. That cycle repeated itself for years.

What changed in 2024 wasn't just the weight. It was understanding why the pattern kept happening — and building systems resilient enough to survive real life. I'm now in a committed relationship and three years into this journey. The horse hasn't thrown me yet.

65 pounds and 16 months later, I feel younger than my actual age. I sleep better. I run — and actually enjoy it. My energy, stamina, and how I show up every single day are night and day compared to who I was at 256 pounds. More than any number, I feel attuned to my body in a way I never was before.

That's what I want for you.

After working in a gym setting and watching what they charged for what I consider essential lifestyle interventions, I knew something was wrong with the model. Effective coaching shouldn't require a big-box gym membership plus training fees on top — and the trainers in those environments aren't always there for the right reasons.

I founded SSS4LIFE — Sustainable, Systematic, Science-Based, For Life — to change that. One flat monthly rate. No contracts. Evidence-based methodology built around seven lifestyle pillars. Accessible to people who actually need it.

I'm not here to hand you a briefcase full of pills and send you home.

I'm here to get to work — with you.

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Coach Sage (Aarien Cradle) ACE Certified Personal Trainer | Weight Management Specialist | Behavior Change Specialist | Fitness Nutrition Specialist | CBT-I Sleep Health Coach BS Healthy Lifestyle & Wellness, Arizona State University (in progress)