It's 11 a.m., and Pete Maldonado is running behind. Easter week brought a house full of guests, heavy holiday food and, to top it off, three sick kids under the age of 9. It was chaos.
“He just finished up his morning workout, so he should be out in just a minute,” Pete’s wife, Stephanie, says while picking up a few toys scattered around their bright, high-ceilinged Naples home. She knocked out her gym time hours ago while he wrangled the kids. Most days, the couple’s mornings run like clockwork—balancing workouts and school drop-offs for their three young children. That’s how the couple resets after a stressful stretch: not with a Netflix binge, but by falling back on the structure they’ve spent years building. “I need to go work out and be physical [to be able to focus],” Pete says, emerging from the shower. “I feel best when I’m on my routine.”
Pete is a co-founder of one of the country’s fastest-growing food brands: Chomps, a grass-fed, high-protein jerky that’s dominated social media nearly as much as store shelves over the last few years. After record growth in 2023 and 2024, the start-up fanatic stepped down as CEO, eager for a new challenge. He’s still involved as chairman, but is more focused on investing in and advising other health-focused food startups; Stephanie acts as his unofficial business consultant, helping filter the frenzy—offering clarity, perspective and the occasional reality check. Their mantra: Put good in, get good out.
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Photography by Anna Nguyen
naples chomps family active lifestyle in the gym
From morning workouts to clean eating, former Chomps CEO Pete Maldonado and his family live with intention. “Put good in, get good out” has become their shared philosophy—and the foundation of their routine.
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naples chomps family active lifestyle smoothie
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Photography by Anna Nguyen
naples chomps family active lifestyle in the kitchen smoothie
Both grew up in the intense, performative fitness culture of the ’90s—Pete as a wrestler, Stephanie as a gymnast. They pushed their bodies hard, but not always smartly. As adults, they sought a better model. Pete became a personal trainer in The Hamptons, helping clients break the type of unsustainable wellness habits he once practiced.
The couple has tested their share of wellness solutions along the way—from tracking macros (weighing the proteins, fats and carbs in every meal) to optimize energy to daily cold plunges. And, while Pete still loosely tracks his macros, and the pair plunges about three times a week, as a family, they’ve settled into something more sustainable: a routine built around consistency, clean eating and plenty of movement.
To keep the couple and kids (ages 2, 5, and 8) properly fueled, Stephanie chefs up whole-foods-focused meals and keeps the pantries stocked with protein-packed brownie bites, low-sugar SmartSweets and ‘sour candy’ grapes, which supply a fix for sweet-toothed littles.
Where possible, they automate the basics, making it easier to eat clean, breathe easy and sleep well. Pete wears a WHOOP fitness tracker at all times, and their home is set up like a set-and-forget-it biohacking solution. Advanced water and air filtration systems eliminate environmental toxins, combatting daycare germs and upping their helpful mineral intake. Meanwhile, an Eight Sleep mattress uses AI to self-modulate the couple’s temperature, promoting deeper rest. It’s biohacking, yes—but practical. “I got the Eight Sleep a few months ago,” Pete says, tapping his wristband. “Now, WHOOP’s like, ‘Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it.’”
Photography by Anna Nguyen
naples chomps family active lifestyle group photo
Pete and his wife, Stephanie, model everyday wellness through consistency—wearable trackers, whole foods and recovery routines—giving their kids a strong start in lifelong health.
Juggling investor calls, work trips, a healthy lifestyle and three kids is no small order. The couple has learned to rely on one another to stay on the path, or give the other the space to rest and recuperate. “I always tell my team [at Chomps], ‘Do not ever schedule a breakfast meeting for me,’” Pete says, chuckling. Morning workouts and nutrient-balanced breakfasts are non-negotiable. But the couple also knows when to ease up. Stephanie, once strict about weighing every ingredient, now trusts her instincts. “I’m not about to backtrack and tell you how much butter I used in the chicken,” she says, laughing. Dad’s also not opposed to the occasional family trip to Häagen-Dazs.
Likewise, routine doesn’t stop them from getting out and staying active as a family. School breaks and weekends bring lobstering in the Florida Keys and wakeboarding on the Gulf behind their Chomps-branded boat—an extension of Stephanie’s Southwest Florida upbringing. New York native Pete brings a love of winter sports to the family, making slope-sliding adventures a staple on the family’s annual calendar.
Ultimately, the high-energy parents are building a well-rounded life so their kids grow up strong, confident and kind, while keeping themselves healthy and present along the way. “Both of us want to be physically fit and able to keep up with them for as long as we can,” Stephanie says. “Just keep moving, that’s the goal.”
Photography by Anna Nguyen