Eric Reynolds of Florida on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Eric Reynolds shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Eric, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: Would YOU hire you? Why or why not?
Absolutely. I’ve proven I can adapt, lead, and rebuild — even when life knocks you down hard. I went from being a wounded, overweight cop battling PTSD and heart disease to losing 80 pounds, retiring from law enforcement, and creating KetoFiveO to help other first responders do the same. That journey taught me resilience, discipline, and how to turn pain into purpose — qualities any employer or team would want on their side.

If there’s a reason I might not hire myself, it’s because I’m relentless. I don’t settle for halfway efforts or easy answers, and that can make me tough on complacency. But when the mission matters — whether it’s saving lives, building a wellness movement, or guiding people toward better health — that same drive is what gets the job done.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Eric “KetoFiveO” Reynolds — a retired police officer turned health advocate, certified peer specialist, and founder of KetoFiveO and the nonprofit Cops & Campers. After being shot in the line of duty and battling PTSD, obesity, and heart disease, I used a ketogenic and carnivore lifestyle to reclaim my health, losing 80 pounds and transforming my life in the process.

Today, my family and I live full-time on the road in our RV, traveling the country to host wellness retreats and connect with first responders who are fighting the same mental and physical battles I once did. What makes our mission unique is that it’s built on lived experience — I’ve walked through the darkness of trauma and recovery, and now I use that to help others find their way back through nutrition, movement, and community.

Through KetoFiveO, I coach first responders on metabolic health and lifestyle change. Through Cops & Campers, and now as a certified peer specialist, I’m building a nationwide network that focuses on mental health, resilience, and holistic healing — one conversation and one campsite at a time.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
The moment that changed how I see the world was June 12, 2012 — the day I was shot in the line of duty while responding to an armed bank robbery. In that instant, everything I thought I knew about life, purpose, and control shifted. I survived, but I carried the invisible wounds of PTSD, fear, and anger for years.

That experience forced me to face myself — not just as a cop, but as a human being. It made me realize that survival isn’t enough; you have to truly live. It set me on the path toward healing, faith, and helping others through my work with KetoFiveO and Cops & Campers. Today, that day reminds me daily that pain can be a teacher — and purpose can be born from trauma.

When did you last change your mind about something important?
I changed my mind about something huge — the entire medical system and how it defines “health.” For years, I followed every doctor’s order and the Standard American Diet. I took the pills, followed the guidelines, and kept getting worse. My blood pressure climbed, my weight increased, and my mental health crumbled.

Eventually, I realized that the system wasn’t built to heal me — it was built to manage me. So I took ownership of my own health through a ketogenic and carnivore lifestyle. I lost 80 pounds, reversed my metabolic disease, and reclaimed my life. That experience completely changed how I see medicine, nutrition, and personal responsibility. Now my mission is to show other first responders that healing doesn’t come from a prescription — it comes from within.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
An important truth that few people agree with me on is that faith and spirituality come from within — not from institutions. I believe religion has been hijacked over time, turned into something that separates people instead of connecting them.

Through my own healing journey — from being shot in the line of duty to rebuilding my health and spirit — I realized that real faith isn’t found in a building or a label. It’s the quiet voice inside that reminds you to keep going when life knocks you down. My connection to God today is personal, not political. That inner faith is what drives me to help others heal — physically, mentally, and spiritually — through KetoFiveO and Cops & Campers.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
It’s funny — that question has already been answered in my life. In 2019, I was diagnosed with severe heart disease and given a ten-year death sentence. My Coronary Artery Calcium score was over 1500 (now 5600), and my cardiologist basically fired me when I refused to take the standard path of medications and fear. So I took my health into my own hands.

I retired from law enforcement, sold our house, bought an RV, and started homeschooling my kids as we traveled the country. I healed myself through nutrition, lifestyle change, and faith — no interventions. I became a licensed sports nutritionist, a health advocate, and a certified peer specialist. I’ve shared my journey on hundreds of podcasts and TV shows, helping first responders and veterans facing PTSD and metabolic disease.

So if I had 10 years left? I’d keep doing exactly what I’m doing now — living with purpose, staying curious, and being my greatest self every single day.

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