#117 – Losing 80lbs, Banker to Trainer, and Real Life Fitness That Matters– With Ikiaka Mahuka

What if chasing your dream body actually made you less healthy?

In this episode, I sit down with Ikiaka Mahuka—a coach whose journey into fitness started with an unhealthy transformation.

After growing up overweight and losing over 80 pounds through extreme, unsustainable methods, he eventually found a more grounded approach—and built a coaching career around helping others do the same.

We talk about how his leap from banking into coaching mirrors the same fear and resistance clients feel when starting a fitness journey.

This episode is all about sustainability, self-compassion, and why strength after 70 might matter more than six-pack abs.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Ikiaka’s story of growing up obese and losing over 80 lbs in an extreme way

• Why he left a stable career in banking to coach people through real-life fitness

• The parallels between starting a business and starting a health journey

• His biggest strength as a coach: empathy built through lived experience

• Why people need to give themselves more grace (not just more effort)

• The cost of chasing unrealistic body standards

• His powerful story of helping a 70-year-old client lift her grandson

• Why training older adults should be a higher priority in the fitness space

• Our banter on what’s overrated and underrated in training and nutrition

This one’s real, relatable, and packed with takeaways for anyone who's ever tried to get healthier without losing themselves in the process.

Find more from Ikiaka Mahuka

On Instagram @ikaikamahuka

https://kokuafitness808.wordpress.com/

Find more from Rhyland

On Instagram/TikTok/YouTube: @rqtrainingnutrition

Twitter: @QuallyRhyland