Fitness trainer Doug Bopst was only 21-years-old when he found himself in a situation that would change his life forever. He was in his car, high on opiates, about to make a drug deal. That was, until he was stopped by a police officer due to a broken taillight. During the traffic stop the police officer found $2,000 in cash and a hefty amount of marijuana, according to the Today Show. There was nothing Bopst could do to explain himself out of the situation and he found himself under arrest for a felony drug charge.
Bopst is now 31-years-old and surprisingly considers himself lucky for his arrest. Although he only spent two months in jail, it was enough time for him to grasp the importance of getting his life back on track. Being in jail was a wake-up call for him, allowing him just enough time to get sober and formulate a plan to adapt a healthier lifestyle. “If I hadn’t gotten arrested, I’d be dead,” said Bopst. “It was just a really, really bad time in my life.”
Having struggled with depression and anxiety during his youth, Bopst turned to self-medication in his teens. He had stopped caring about eating right and given up on taking care of his body. “I was the unhealthiest person you could possibly think of,” Bopst said. “Never exercised. Never ran. Never cared, you know, what I looked like. I mean, deep down, I did. But I felt so hopeless about myself and had no self-confidence and I didn’t even think anything really mattered, that anything I did even mattered.”
While in jail Bopst had no choice but to deal with his pain without the help of drugs. His cellmate inspired him to start working out and began writing him workout plans and serving as his personal trainer. By the time he left prison, Bopst felt stronger than ever and had a newfound sense of confidence. From there, he was able to quickly lose 50 pounds and adapt to healthier daily habits.
Today Bopst works as a fitness trainer, inspiring others who struggle with addiction to get sober and take their life back. He believes that freedom from addiction is the first step to not only improving physical health, but mental and spiritual health as well. “You’ve got to keep putting one foot in front of the other,” he said. “Just keep focusing on the little things that are going to allow you to become that version of yourself that you really want to be.”
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