Today we’d like to introduce you to Justen Mills.
Hi Justen, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My passion for fitness and nutrition really started growing up in New York. I was always athletic and involved in just about every sport I could play, but at the same time, I was also the chubby kid who loved chips and food. Looking back, I really could’ve gone either way. I loved being active and competing, but I definitely didn’t grow up as the picture of perfect health and nutrition.
Some of my earliest memories of becoming interested in this stuff were looking through my dad’s muscle magazines. I was fascinated by how people trained, what they ate, how they built muscle, and what the human body was capable of. That curiosity never really went away. If anything, it got stronger as I got older.
I eventually went on to play college baseball, and around 2012 I was introduced to CrossFit. That completely changed the way I looked at training and opened the door to learning about different styles of fitness, strength, conditioning, and nutrition. Around that same time, I started my career as a Physical Education teacher and multi-sport coach, so health, fitness, teaching, and coaching all started coming together naturally.
And I’m a nerd when it comes to this stuff. If there’s something I don’t understand, I want to learn everything about it. I’m constantly reading, researching, listening to experts, taking courses, getting certifications, and going down rabbit holes about training, nutrition, longevity, recovery, and health. I genuinely enjoy learning about it, but even more than that, I enjoy figuring out how to take all of that information and make it practical for a normal person.
In 2019, I moved to Chester County with my now-wife, Danielle, to pursue more opportunities in education and fitness. Over time, something interesting started happening: people just started coming to me for help.
That’s really how the business began.
Friends, family members, coworkers, and people I knew would ask me what they should eat, how they could lose weight, what workouts they should be doing, or how they could improve their health. I’d find myself helping people create plans, answering their questions, checking in on them, and trying to solve whatever problem they were dealing with. Eventually I realized, I’m basically already coaching people so why not turn this into something bigger?
That’s what ultimately grew into 80/20 Nutrition.
My philosophy has also become much more personal over the years. I’ve watched family members deal with different health issues, and when it’s someone you love, you start looking at health differently. It’s made me want to learn everything I possibly can—not only to help them, but to help my future self and other people who may find themselves dealing with similar challenges.
And through all of that, I’ve realized that being healthy doesn’t have to mean being perfect.
I don’t want someone to feel like they can never eat pizza, have dessert, go on vacation, or enjoy a night out because they’re trying to be healthy. I was the kid who loved chips. I still love food. I understand that side of it.
My goal is to help people find that middle ground where they’re taking care of themselves, getting stronger, improving their health, and reaching their goals while still enjoying life.
That’s where the 80/20 philosophy comes from: be intentional with your health most of the time, leave room to enjoy life, give yourself some grace when things aren’t perfect, and like I always say, KEEP GOING!
Because ultimately, I’m not interested in helping someone be perfect for 30 days.
I want to help them build something they can live with for the next 30 years.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We’ve experienced a lot of loss in my family for as long as I can remember, along with health scares involving people I love, and I think living with that uncertainty has become a huge part of what drives me to do what I do. To be completely transparent, I’m still figuring it all out myself. I’m juggling running my nutrition business, being a school teacher, a husband, a dog dad, and now a new homeowner, all while trying to prioritize my own health and continue growing. For a long time, in person training was another major part of that juggling act, and I think stepping away from it was a hurdle I needed to overcome. It wasn’t easy to let go of something that had been such a big part of my identity, but doing so gave me the time and space to think bigger, expand my business, and find new ways to help more people
As you know, we’re big fans of 80/20 Nutrition . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
80/20 Nutrition was built around a simple idea: you shouldn’t have to give up the foods you love to become healthier and reach your goals. I grew up as the athletic kid who played just about every sport, but I was also the chubby kid who loved his chips. I easily could have gone down a very different path with my health, so I understand firsthand that nutrition and weight loss aren’t always as simple as “eat less and exercise more.”
That experience is a big part of what sets my coaching apart. I don’t expect perfection from my clients because I don’t believe perfection is sustainable. I’ve helped clients lose significant weight, improve their health, and reach goals they once struggled with—all without telling them they can never eat their favorite foods again. You can lose weight and still eat your chips. We focus on building a lifestyle where the majority of your choices support your goals while still leaving room to actually enjoy your life.
I also want to look beyond just the number on the scale. Through my coaching, I can help clients order and better understand comprehensive bloodwork, when appropriate, so we can look at a broader picture of their health alongside their nutrition, lifestyle, and goals. Rather than guessing or focusing solely on weight, that information can help identify areas worth discussing with their healthcare provider and help us make more informed decisions about their nutrition and lifestyle.
What I’m most proud of with 80/20 Nutrition is creating a brand that feels realistic and human. I’m a teacher, coach, husband, dog dad, business owner, and someone who has had his own struggles and hard times. I know life isn’t going to be perfectly meal prepped seven days a week. My job is to educate people, support them through the ups and downs, and show them that they can make incredible progress without giving up everything they enjoy.
That’s 80/20 Nutrition: take your health seriously without letting it take over your life.
What makes you happy?
A lot of what makes me happiest is actually pretty simple. Spending time with my beautiful wife Danielle, hanging out with our crazy dog, Neo, and hearing about the small wins my clients experience along the way. Of course, seeing the number on the scale go down is exciting, but I love hearing things like, “My clothes fit better,” “I finally feel confident wearing this again,” or “I’m getting stronger.” Those moments might seem small from the outside, but they can completely change how someone feels about themselves. Seeing the people I care about happy and watching my clients become healthier, stronger, and more confident are some of the things that bring me the most fulfillment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://8020nutrition.org/results/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/80_20nutrition?igsi=MXFxeGJxcHprc2gyeg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
