FIND A WAY with DUSTY

Fresh off a marathon PR and a 60-pound weight loss transformation, Dusty breaks down the exact framework he used to accomplish both simultaneously. Running a marathon in a calorie deficit is notoriously tough, but by combining free AI tools (Gemini and ChatGPT) with precise tracking—InBody scans, Garmin metrics, MyFitnessPal, and established training plans—Dusty built an experimental routine that delivered real results.

In this episode, we cover:

The AI Coaching Experiment: How Dusty layered his personal health data, heart rate trends, and marathon training plans (Nike, McMillan, Caffeine Bullet) into AI to craft a balanced nutrition and running strategy.

Calories vs. Macros: Why focusing solely on high protein without tracking total calories can stall weight loss, and why switching from "gauging" food to weighing meals made all the difference.

Race Day Realities: Takeaways from the American Bluegrass Marathon (King of the Flat) in Paducah, KY, including pacing, heart rate data, and overcoming late-race leg fatigue.

AI vs. Human Coaches: The benefits and boundaries of using tech versus the value of an in-person, empathetic running coach.

What’s Next: Tackling 4 marathons in 4 weeks, building 5K/10K speed, and mapping out a 24-month roadmap to a Boston Qualifier.

Whether you're looking to optimize performance while dropping weight, curious about using tech in your fitness journey, or looking for practical marathon advice, tune in and find a way!

In this episode, Dusty opens up about the mindsets and strategies driving his recent weight loss journey. After coming to terms with the reality that exercise alone couldn't outrun his diet—even while pacing marathons and training six days a week—he shares the ultimate shift that changed everything: mastering nutrition.

Dusty breaks down his practical, math-driven approach to maintaining a calorie deficit through portion control and smart meal planning. Learn how to stop quitting on yourself, overcome grief and set backs, and take control of your day by breaking your total target calories into interchangeable 100 to 700-calorie "building blocks." Tune in for real, actionable tips on using simple references—and AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude—to eat the foods you actually enjoy (including ice cream and Texas Roadhouse) while still hitting your goals.

We live in a world full of “you should never” advice. You should never run long distances on a track. You should never have weight loss surgery. You should never take medication. You should never try this diet or that approach.

But who decides those rules?

In this episode, Dusty shares why your fitness and weight loss journey should be based on what works for you, not on opinions from strangers online. After a simple social media comment about running laps on a track sparked a bigger conversation, he explores why there is no one-size-fits-all path to better health.

Whether it’s walking a track, following a specific nutrition plan, considering surgery, or talking with your doctor about medication, the goal isn’t to meet society’s expectations. The goal is to find a sustainable approach that helps you become healthier for life.

Stop chasing someone else’s rules, start building a plan that fits your life.

Let’s find a way.

Starting a weight loss journey can feel overwhelming. Tracking calories, weighing food, learning portions, and building new habits all take time, and at first, they can feel exhausting.

In this episode, I share how learning to swim reminded me of the weight loss journey. In the beginning, you’re just trying to stay afloat. Everything feels awkward. But with repetition, you find your rhythm.

I also talk about how nearly 150 consecutive days of tracking in MyFitnessPal has completely changed the way I approach nutrition. What once took a minute now takes seconds. The habits that once felt like work have become second nature.

If you’re just getting started, or you’re frustrated because the process feels tedious, this episode is your reminder to stay with it. Commit to the repetition, trust the process, and give yourself time to build the rhythm. It won’t always feel this hard.

Find a way.

Five months ago, I recorded an episode about one simple decision: lock in.

In this follow up, I’m sharing what happened after that decision. From losing nearly 60 pounds and reaching the smallest weight of my adult life, to learning why the small daily habits matter far more than big motivational moments, this episode is an honest look at what finally worked.

I talk about:

* Why “locking in” is more than motivation, it’s mastering the daily details.

* How tracking calories, protein, fiber, and portions changed everything.

* Using AI tools as a coach and accountability partner, not as a replacement for common sense.

* Why you can’t outrun a poor diet, even while training for marathons, triathlons, and HYROX.

* The emotional impact of grief after our miscarriage, and how it quietly affected my health.

* Whether chasing an arbitrary goal weight is actually the right goal.

* What I’m learning about finding the healthiest version of myself, instead of simply the lightest.

If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I need to get back on track,” this episode is for you. Sometimes it takes more than one attempt. Sometimes it takes five. The important thing is that you keep getting back up until something finally clicks.

Your breakthrough probably won’t come from one big moment. It’ll come from the small decisions you make every single day.

Let’s find a way.

After a season of pacing races and slowly gaining weight despite “doing everything right,” I hit a turning point.

In this episode, I break down the honest truth about fat loss, even when you’re eating healthy, training hard, and staying consistent. I share how eating too much of the right foods was holding me back, and the mindset shift that helped me get back on track.

I walk you through what’s working right now, including:

• Why weight loss still comes down to calories, no matter how clean your diet is

• The power of tracking and weighing your food, and what most people miss

• How I’m fueling for runs without sabotaging fat loss

• The mistake of eating back all your calories burned

• How high protein and structure are helping me lose 1.5 to 2 pounds per week

I also share my goal of reaching 199 pounds and why that number matters for hitting a 3 hour 30 minute marathon.

If you’re stuck, frustrated, or feel like you’re doing everything right but not seeing results, this episode will give you a practical, real-world approach to fixing it.

This is the start of my Road to 199. Let’s get to work.

In this episode, Dusty kicks off 2026 with an honest, unfiltered check-in on life, training, grief, and the weight loss journey. Fresh off a half marathon and looking ahead to the year, he talks about why planning matters more than motivation, how small calorie creep can undo even “good” habits, and why you can’t out-train a misaligned diet.

Dusty opens up about navigating stress, loss, and long-term food addiction, even after nearly a decade of maintaining massive weight loss. He shares why he’s shifting focus from constant racing to strength training, aesthetics, and sustainable routines, plus the reality of gaining a little weight without letting it spiral into quitting.

If you’ve experienced regain, burnout, or just feel off rhythm, this episode is a reminder that you’re not broken, you’re human. You’ve done hard things before, and you can do them again, with a plan, a positive mindset, and patience for the long game.

It’s been a minute.

In this episode, Dusty gives a real, unfiltered update on where his journey is right now, physically, mentally, and emotionally. After years of marathon pacing, long-distance running, and living in constant training cycles, things are shifting. Recovery from skin surgery has been longer than expected. Strength has faded. Nutrition has drifted. And the old routines that once worked aren’t delivering the same results anymore.

Dusty talks openly about stepping away from heavy pacing schedules, why running nonstop doesn’t automatically equal fat loss, and how fueling for endurance slowly pulled him back toward carbs, sugar, and constant hunger. He shares why strength training is becoming the new focus, especially after turning 40, and why learning your personal rhythm matters more than blindly following what worked before.

This episode is also about uncertainty. About not having everything figured out. About navigating changing seasons, privacy on social media, shifting goals, and the reality that you can’t outwork a bad diet no matter how many miles you log.

If you’ve ever felt like what once worked suddenly stopped working, this one’s for you.

Because the journey doesn’t end, it evolves. And sometimes the real work is knowing when to pivot.

Thanks for listening. We’ll figure it out together.

In this powerful and reflective episode of The Find A Way Podcast, Dusty shares what became a deeply emotional experience at the Monumental Marathon. From witnessing heartbreaking moments on the course to hearing about the loss of two runners, Dusty opens up about gratitude, perspective, and the reminder that every step is a gift. He reflects on his own transformation from 534 pounds to pacing marathons, and why it’s so important to never take your body—or your progress—for granted. This one’s a heartfelt reminder to do what you can, because once, you couldn’t.

In this episode of The Find A Way Podcast, Dusty dives into how marathon pacing and the weight loss journey share the same heartbeat: progress built one step at a time. Fresh off pacing the Bowling Green Marathon and navigating post-surgery recovery, Dusty opens up about the challenges of swelling, water retention, and feeling heavier—but also the perspective that comes with endurance.

He breaks down why success in both running and life isn’t about winging it, it’s about setting realistic goals, tracking your progress, and adjusting mile by mile, month by month. Whether you’re losing weight, rebuilding after surgery, or just trying to stay consistent, this one is a powerful reminder to slow down, stay the course, and find a way.