Thad & J.C.

About Us

Who we are

J.C. Hiatt

J.C. has worked as a web developer in Jackson, MS, for six years, where he currently lives with his wife Haleigh. Under co-founder Thad’s programming, he first began to develop his fitness in 2015. His primary focus is powerlifting and bodybuilding, but he also practices Brazilian jiu jitsu and competes in obstacle course races. J.C. is currently pursuing personal training certification.

Thad Daniels

Thad splits his time between Jackson, MS, and Lesvos, Greece, paying the bills as a personal trainer and volunteering in a refugee camp, respectively. Currently, his primary focus is olympic weightlifting and athletic conditioning, although his fitness journey has been shaped by his life, resulting in the development a range of interests, including high school athletics, bodybuilding, obstacle course racing, crossfit, bodyweight travel workouts, and powerlifting.

The Why

Why DevLifts exists

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We exist because I know what it’s like to be a developer and start accepting aches & pains, depression, anxiety, bad sleep, weight gain, and a host of other health problems as reality. It wasn’t until I started changing my lifestyle that I discovered these problems didn’t have to be my reality. We exist because I want other developers to come to the same realization. We exist because we want to help them learn how to cultivate a healthy lifestyle.

J.C. Hiatt

J.C. Hiatt

Founder at DevLifts

How did it start

We were exactly where you are now

DevLifts founder J.C. noticed his health deteriorating in the summer of 2015. The owner of a web shop in Jackson, MS, his life mainly consisted of sitting, eating, and being stressed. These compounded into poor sleep, low energy, aches and pains, and 50 pounds of weight gain over the previous four years.

In the meantime, DevLifts co-founder Thad, a friend from high school, had become a personal trainer and was living in town. During the fall of 2015, Thad trained J.C. in the gym and in the kitchen, teaching him how to make healthy, sustainable changes to his life and more importantly, how to make them stick. In fact, when Thad left the country for a year of volunteering, J.C. was able to keep up his new habits without requiring Thad’s supervision.

On Thad’s re-entry to the States, J.C. approached him with an idea — to partner together and give other developers what Thad gave J.C. in 2015. To create a community where developers can come together and learn more about training, nutrition, and themselves. To help individuals who are constantly forced into unhealthy environments understand that it doesn’t have to be that way.

If you'd like to read the full story, check out this article by J.C. on Medium.

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