Brian Fracassa knows a thing or two about failure and success. As an 18 year-old 155 pound lightweight, Brian admits that he was so thin "you could see my heart beating. If I swallowed a pea, you could see it. "When he entered URI his freshman year, he became a fitness enthusiast, spending 364 days a year in the gym. He beefed up, but burned out quickly and couldn't maintain the lifestyle. When he joined a fraternity his junior year, he gained more weight than he dreamed he could: the dreaded Before picture. As a byproduct of his new found slovenliness, Brian's schoolwork suffered. He dropped out of college with a 1.2 grade point average and a beer gut. Brian admits, "I don't regret it. It was a lot of fun getting up to that weight." The day after the loathed Christmas photo we all have come to know was taken, Brian walked into Gold's Gym and "never looked back." A few years later, with $1000 in the bank and a $400 loan, he printed his first brochures.

Today, Brian has a striving business as a personal trainer and a full-time job as a 6,7, and 8th grade school teacher in Providence. His typical day begins at 5:00am and ends at nearly 11:00pm. This guy has non-stop ENERGY. He sees several clients in the morning before school and several more in the evenings after school. When most of our days are over, Brian's has just begun.

His partner, Dana Ventetuolo, has taken over a portion of the business, which is booming. It is obvious that the keys to his success are his honesty regarding his own strengths and shortcomings, and a complete commitment to his clients. He is genuinely interested in and proud of his clients' accomplishments.

And, as he has built his own body, he has learned a lot along the way. This is no dumb jock. Brian now has over 16 years of experience in the field, a B.S. in Physical Education/Adapted Physical Education, a B.S. in Health, and he is a member of all the right fitness associations. My sense is that for $30 to $80 an hour(depending on the length of the session and the location), Brian will do whatever clients want him to "within reason." He won't move into your carriage house to become your personal fitness guru, but whether you are a NCAA gymnast or a senior looking to strengthen your bones, Brian will give you the tools you need to meet your fitness goals.

Being a personal trainer, he had to have some juicy stories, right? What about the women, the stalkers, and the oversexed housewives? What's the story there? I admit, I tried to squeeze Brian to confess, but all he could do was shake his head and laugh. He is fiercely protective of his reputation and he should be, because personal trainers often get a bad rap. "It's really a shady business. Anyone with a vein in their arm can print up a business card and say they're a trainer." At least I know if I was a client, he wouldn't be squealing. Truth is, he's seems to be a shy, sincere, and reputable guy. He's your conscience, your appointment, and the guy you wish you'd pay more attention to in high school. "But, honestly, Brian, you must look back with a 'take-a-look-at-me-now' smile?" Atlas shrugged his shoulders. I know my New Year's resolution.