About

Internationally-respected fitness consultant Doug Burns was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 7 and asthma shortly there-after.  Doug believed he was destined to a life of sickness and misery.  All this changed when he encountered an image of Sampson with a lion in a headlock.  To Doug, Sampson represented everything he was not but wanted to be.  Encountering this image was a life changing inspiration.  Using odds and ends from around the house he built a “Tom Sawyer” gym in the family’s backyard.

After countless pushups, sit-ups and river swims Doug decided try his hand in power-lifting contests. He placed dead last in the first competition but knew he could do better and kept pushing.  His dedication has paid off as he has won six power-lifting championships and set state, regional and United States records for power lifting.  He then shifted his focus to bodybuilding where he’s took the Mr. Southern States, Mr. California, Mr. USA and Mr. Universe titles.

Doug works as a professional trainer and health advisor for various companies including; Abbott Laboratories, J&J, and Pfizer. He is on the board of directors for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, American Diabetes Association and Diabetes Society. Doug is the very proud father of three children who have all helped at past CWD events and have given him inspiration to succeed again.  An injury ended his competitive bodybuilding career.  Rather than concede defeat, Doug is now focusing on the fitness activities he can do – including competitive cycling.

Doug resides in Northern California; authored The Diabetes Antidote and advocates a healthy pro active position to help overcome life’s obstacles.  He has keynoted at Senate hearings, medical conferences, public schools and juvenile detention centers and serves on the Board of Directors for the ADA, JDRF, Father of the Year and multiple sports associations.