I was a junkie. I was a drunkard. I was a super-consumer of everything and everyone—anything that would take me away from reality and put me elsewhere. Food had no taste. No matter how decadent the experience, I couldn’t be happy. My insatiable appetite for substance, drink and company was bottomless. Like a vampire to the sunlight, I was deathly afraid of the present moment. I hated who I was, what I had become and where I appeared to be going. I blamed the world. I had no accountability. I contemplated running away and even tried taking the coward’s way out with a few close-call overdoses. But even then, I failed because I was too scared to really go through with it. I was weak at the core. Or maybe…just maybe…it’s because I wasn’t ready to die yet…I wasn’t ready to give up…I wasn’t ready to quit.

As I worked on myself, I avoided focusing on the result and instead focused on the steps—the process.  Or, what I like to call, “The Craft”. I found that by living consistently in a manner that I admire, I began personifying my beliefs. And that’s exactly what I did through nutrition, exercise, reading, writing, meditation and self-improvement. I had to create the man that I never had in my own life, a hero, fully become him, and now give that person away to the world. I am finally alive. Living happy, healthy, and wealthy in mind, body and soul.

Originally from New Orleans, Jake Thomas is a Marine, world champion natural athlete, and Human Performance Specialist who empowers individuals to take charge of their health through his Primal Protocol, “THE SURVIVAL MACHINE”. As an aspiring Nutrition Scientist at the University of Texas at Austin, Jake combines academic rigor with real-world experience to deliver transformative health and fitness insights.  THE SURVIVAL MACHINE was spawned from Jake’s own recovery, and now serves others via  deep dives into nutrition , fitness strategies, and lifestyle optimization, all while cutting through misinformation. He also hosts the podcast “SICK SCARED and STUPID”, where he exposes flaws in the health system and offers expert advice to help viewers reclaim their health and well-being. Subscribe to join a community dedicated to truth, health, and unmatched human performance.