Blue Shoes Fitness -

Tariq Abanumay

I stumbled upon Justin’s Instagram page after looking for ways to motivate myself to work on getting back into shape. What caught my attention was him focusing on proper movements and highlighting the right information for different variations of workouts he demonstrates and employs. Since starting my fitness journey with Justin two years ago, it became much more than following a set routine but instead a learning experience over time on how the body works, adapting a workout to accommodate travel situations, and most importantly changing my perception and relationship with food. Overall, my transformation has been extremely positive, starting with a focus on weight loss to muscle building and soon endurance training and more.

What made me decide to work with Justin was his approach to fitness. It felt completely straight forward without the hype and fad exercises from fitness influencers you constantly see online. Giving solid advice on exercises that will definitely benefit you in the long run. Also, his down to earth demeanor is a testament to his authenticity and dedication to helping people on their fitness journey.

What I like about Justin’s coaching style is that he is always hands-on and works with me on what the goal is and works to tailor a workout or nutrition plan that achieves that goal. I am greatly benefiting from Justin and comfortably know that I can talk to him about any concerns or questions that I may have and know he will work with me on the matter. I have learned a lot from Justin, and still have much more to learn.

If you are looking to make positive changes in your life through fitness, I would highly recommend working with Justin. He is the best!

Sean O'Neill

I will try to be as concise in my review as possible.

When I first contacted Justin, it was February of 2021 and gyms/sports were essentially shut down due to the pandemic. I wanted to build strength in order for my eventual return to playing hockey 2-3 times per week. I was 38 at the time and I was/am playing hockey with people 10+ years younger than me. In order to do this, I needed to get in better shape.

Justin listened to what my needs were, he helped me evaluate my current situation and helped me map out a way to achieve my goals. He did this, despite some of the challenges presented: working out at different locations, time management issues, minimal equipment (at times), etc.

Throughout my time working with Justin, his communication was top notch, his ability to pivot and change the program as needed was great and his encouragement was always there.

I think the most important things I learned while working with Justin were:

1. You don’t need to go crazy for fitness to see results and it is okay to work at your own pace.

2. Working at your own pace is fine, but consistently is what works.

3. Reflection is key: what works/what does not work? Tracking your calories, workouts and other variables is helpful, as long as you are consistent. Use this information to reflect and change as needed.

4. Don’t get down on yourself and stay positive. With consistency, you will see progress. Being realistic and honest will help with this.

I am happy that I chose to work with Justin. He provided me with strategies I should be able to use moving forward in my life to maintain a healthy lifestyle, while continuing to enjoy my life (not over consumed with working out/diet plans). Justin has a good setup and even working with him from a distance (I’m not located in the United States), Justin provided me with comprehensive digital tools that kept me focused and on track. Justin took time to provide me with step by step videos on how to use these tools, how to complete each workout and how to track my progress. In addition, Justin used several ways to communicate, including WhatsApp and face to face using the WhatsApp ‘FaceTime’ style feature.

Ultimately, I’m very happy with my choice to work with Justin, for all the reasons mentioned above. As an athlete, I’m happy that Justin took the time to understand the mechanics of the sport if hockey before developing my program. When I returned to the ice in July 2021, I felt great! A huge part of that was due to the work and time put in by Justin to set me up with a great program and lots of help along the way.

Thanks Justin!

Aaron Kuchek

Blue Shoes Fitness taught me a lot about myself and how to control my habits. Justin is super patient, has the heart of a coach and absolutely loves what he does. I’d recommend this to anyone who is looking to strengthen their mind, body, and soul!

Alex Miller

When I first signed up my goal was simply to lose weight. I had tried several times on my own, but couldn't quite seem to have long-term success. Surprisingly, once I was a few weeks into coaching, it was easy to lose weight. All I really had to do was get over some anxiety around tracking my food. I thought it would be really overwhelming and that I wouldn't be able to do it accurately. Working with Justin certainly isn't dramatic, and I think it's largely how simple and subtle the lifestyle adjustments are that make them stick. Over time it's led to big results. I chose Justin because I had talked to one of his other clients, and he sounded like he could work with me in an empathetic and realistic way. I feel like a lot of trainers rely on their clients to have significant amounts of willpower and motivation, and then make themselves fit into the program. Justin takes what you have and where you're at, then creates a program that fits you and you're goals. It's the personalization that stuck out to me.

Karen Alley

I have been working with Justin for about 18 months. He is one of the most upbeat, positive individuals I have ever met. He has written creative programs for me that accommodate my distance running. He is also extremely supportive and good at providing ideas and guidance when life gets in the way of training. He also has good tips and tricks for getting nutrition on track, without making me be overly stringent. Highly recommend him for 1 on 1 training and motivation.

Taylor Clements

I have worked with Justin twice now, for help losing weight after each of my babies ? The first time, I stupidly waited until my baby was over a year old. I tried to lose the baby weight for a year and failed and was convinced it was never going to come off. Once we started talking about baby #2, I wanted to get some of the baby weight off before getting pregnant again! With Justin’s help I was able to lose 15 pounds in about 3 months while still breastfeeding my one year old! We stopped training together during the pregnancy, but I was able to take the things I learned into the pregnancy and only gained 37 pounds instead of the 50+ that I gained with my first pregnancy! Frustrated again by not losing weight easily/even gaining weight postpartum !! I went right back to training with Coach J again at 2-3 months PP after my second baby. And in the first month, I’ve lost 7 pounds!!! Woop! My favorite thing about Coach J is that he meets you right where you’re at and helps you figure out exactly how to implement the steps you need to take to see progress. Breastfeeding mamas, especially. You can do it! 100% recommend Coach J so you can good again in your skin too!