The Dylan Gemelli Podcast, Episode #74

Guest: Chris Divecchio, The Ultimate Transformational Health Coach
Date: December 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features Dylan Gemelli in conversation with Chris Divecchio, a high-performance coach and transformational health expert. They delve into the importance of personalization in wellness, the value of struggle, building authentic client relationships, and debunking fitness and nutrition myths. The dialogue is raw, relatable, and rich with practical wisdom for anyone seeking true change in their health and quality of life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Chris Divecchio’s Background and Journey

• Early Life Motivation: Chris shares two pivotal life events that shaped his passion for health: a misdiagnosed leukemia scare at age 16, teaching him about mortality and the value of health, and a make-or-break moment in college hockey that drove him deeply into fitness and nutrition.
  • "I felt like I had a second chance at life... it just created this perfect storm of passion for health and fitness." (04:38)
• Building from the Ground Up: Started his coaching business out of a tiny backyard space, proving great health does not require fancy gyms but rather, holistic lifestyle changes.
• Growth & Recognition: Coached a poker player in a record-breaking weight loss wager, leading to media attention and expanding his business internationally.

2. Value of Struggle and Adversity in Transformation (11:03 – 15:58)

• Dylan’s Take: Emphasizes the necessity of struggle for foundation and personal growth.
• Chris on Grit:
  • "Without having those struggles placed in front of you... you don’t really build that confidence that you can overcome anything." (11:50)
  • "You learn to take your Ls and turn them into lessons." (12:40)
• Teaching by Example: Empathy and credibility as a coach are rooted in lived experience and overcoming challenges, not just theoretical knowledge.

3. Personalization and the “Business Athlete” Mindset

(20:19 – 36:07)

• Self-Honesty & Client Awareness:
  • "The thing I’m trying to do most is help clients get to this place of real truth and honesty... so whatever goal we set, they're being real with themselves." (16:07)
  • He uses a “1 to 10” scale to help clients assess true effort vs. perceived effort and aligns ambition with realistic, sustainable effort.
• The Power of Context: Success depends on customizing nutrition, training, and lifestyle recommendations to individual needs, lifestyles, and goals.

4. Diet, Nutrition, and Supplementation Hierarchy

(21:01 – 36:07)

• Nutrition is King:
  • Both agree nutrition is 75–80% of the equation; no amount of supplementation can overcome a bad diet, poor training, or poor sleep. (22:10)
  • "All health and physical performance, it all stems from your gut... Nutrition, training, and sleep and recovery are probably the top three." (22:10)
  • "You could put hormone replacement therapy on top of a poor diet... it won't matter." (23:34)
• Anti-Inflammatory Focus:
  • Education on “sneaky” sources of inflammation (e.g., gums in condiments like sriracha), label reading, and focusing on grass-fed/wild-caught proteins.
• Macronutrient Approach:
  • High protein, moderate carbs and fats—carb and fat intake timed for lifestyle and metabolic needs.
  • Stresses individuality:
    • "It's impossible to put your sword in the ground on one particular diet or protocol… The best is what's best for the individual." (34:02)
• Metabolic Flexibility: Importance of occasional higher-carb days even in low-carb protocols and adjusting for lifestyle, activity, and age.

5. Client Trust, Accountability, and Support Systems

(36:07 – 47:58)

• Client Base: Works predominantly with high-level entrepreneurs and professionals—often by referral—emphasizing fit and mutual commitment.
• Not All Coaching is Equal:
  • "Not all money's good money... just because you can sell a membership doesn't mean it's worth the stress." (39:29)
• Client Selection: Chris frames his coaching as “going into business together,” focusing on meaningful, purpose-driven transformation rather than just vanity goals.
• Buy-In via Early Wins:
  • "If I can get a two to three-week window right out of the gate... Now they're bought in and we get to dance together." (44:06)

6. True Transformation: Beyond the Surface

(47:58 – 52:36)

• Lifelong Change, Not Quick Fixes:
  • "This is not a go sign up for six weeks and move on. This is a change in your entire life and trajectory." (52:34)
• Preparedness and Organization:
  • “Training wheels”—Chris gives constant reminders to clients until they “think like someone who maintains a high level of self-care.” (47:58)
• Self-Care as Non-Negotiable: Health enables true enjoyment of life; compromised self-esteem or health isn’t really living.

7. Data-Driven Health and the Analogy to Business

(54:50 – 59:10)

• Blood Work Overlooked:
  • "Ask a client their P&L and they'll know it—ask about their cholesterol or testosterone, no clue." (54:50)
• Quantifying Health:
  • "There is no more important data sheet than your blood work. Without that, nothing else matters." (54:50)
• Mobility Dictates Aging:
  • "Age does not dictate how you move. How you move dictates how you age." (54:50)

8. Listening to Your Body & Creating Awareness

(59:10 – 61:19)

• “Body Language” Warnings:
  • Many ignore cumulative signs (heartburn, brain fog, chronic inflammation), missing early opportunities for intervention.
• Experiential Learning:
  • True change comes when clients experience feeling great firsthand, not just from coaches preaching “science.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Chris Divecchio:

  • "Without having those struggles placed in front of you... you don't really build that confidence that you can overcome anything, you know." (11:50)
  • "You learn to take your Ls and turn them into lessons." (12:40)
  • "All health and also physical performance, it all stems from your gut... Nutrition, training, and sleep and recovery are probably the top three." (22:10)
  • "There’s no such thing as the one best diet or training. The best is what’s best for the individual." (34:03)
  • "Not all money's good money... not every client is a good fit for what I do." (40:46)
  • "There’s no greater, more important number or data sheet than your blood work. Without that, nothing else matters." (54:50)
  • "Age does not dictate how you move. How you move dictates how you age." (54:50)

• Dylan Gemelli:

  • "Foundationally, I feel we need to [struggle] at certain points... you have a greater sense of appreciation, you have a foundation and you’re able to do a heck of a lot more and appreciate what you have." (11:03)
  • "There’s always a lesson." (65:04)
  • "This is not a six-week thing. This is how you live." (52:36)

Important Timestamps

• Chris's Backstory & Entry Into Health: 04:38–11:03
• On Struggle & Why It Matters: 11:03–15:58
• Personalization & Client Psychology: 16:07–20:19
• Diet, Macro Breakdown, Supplement Myths: 21:01–36:07
• Client Selection, Trust, Accountability: 36:07–44:06
• Early Wins & Buy-In: 44:06–47:58
• Coaching is Lifelong, Not Quick Fix: 52:34–54:50
• Bloodwork, Mobility & the Business Analogy: 54:50–59:10

Listener Takeaways

• True health transformation requires a holistic, highly individualized approach; there is no one-size-fits-all.
• Sustainable change happens when you build self-awareness, implement systems for success, and focus on lifelong learning.
• Health should be tracked and cared for as meticulously as business performance—ignore the little warning signs at your peril.
• Struggle isn’t just a rite of passage; it’s a vital part of building the confidence and wisdom needed for lasting change.
• The best coaches are those who have walked the walk—and understand that client transformation is about far more than just training plans and macros.

Connect with Chris Divecchio

• Instagram: @ChrisDeVecchio
• Email: chrismb.life.com (for consultation requests, serious inquiries only)

Ending Note:
This episode is the first in a two-part series. Stay tuned for a deeper dive into nutrition myths, cholesterol, and advanced transformation topics in Part 2!