The Nick Burns Show · Episode #001

The Nick Burns Story: Systems, Discipline & Building PetroFit

Name: The Nick Burns Story: Systems, Discipline & Building PetroFit
Uploaded: 2026-05-04T06:01:37-07:00
Duration: 42 min 9 s

Solo with Nick Burns · May 4, 2026 · 42 min

Watch the full episode on The Nick Burns Show · Watch on YouTube

Nick Burns grew up as the fat kid, 270 pounds before the military. He failed the Army PT test three times, then went on to six years of active duty, two combat tours and Soldier of the Year for the state of Texas.

In the first episode of the show, Nick tells the whole story: finding his faith, meeting his wife in a gym, quitting smoking, gaining the weight back as a traveling Deloitte consultant, a data science job with Chevron in Midland, and walking away from a $120K salary to go all in on PetroFit.

He also lays out what the show is for: systems over quick fixes, nutrition as 90 percent of the game, and habits that last 20 to 30 years for the people who run the energy industry.

Chapters

0:00 Why This Podcast Exists
0:35 Who Is Nick Burns?
1:20 Growing Up the “Fat Kid” (270 lbs)
1:56 The Identity Shift: “Changing Your Shirt”
3:20 Failing the PT Test (3 Times)
4:00 Joining the Army & Combat Tours
5:20 PTSD, Warrior Ranch & Giving Back
6:30 Faith and Finding Purpose
7:50 Life After the Military
8:20 College, Data Science & Career Path
8:50 Meeting His Wife at the Gym
12:00 Quitting Smoking & Leveling Up
14:00 Family, Faith & Life Foundations
16:00 Corporate Life & Gaining Weight Again
17:30 Why People Fall Off in Fitness
18:32 Transition to Oil & Gas (Chevron)
20:00 Soldier of the Year Story
21:53 Losing Regionals & Lessons Learned
24:33 Moving to Midland & Life Shift
25:15 The Birth of PetroFit
27:00 Quitting a $120K Job (Big Risk)
29:00 Finding a Niche (Oil & Gas Fitness)
30:45 Why Diets & Quick Fixes Don’t Work
32:00 The Truth About Nutrition (90%)
33:30 Building Systems That Last 20–30 Years
35:00 How PetroFit Actually Works
37:00 Community, Leadership & Faith
38:30 Company Wellness (The Future)
40:00 What This Podcast Will Be About
41:30 Final Thoughts & What’s Next

Topics: Nick's Story, Weight Loss, Mindset & Discipline, Systems

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