Big Change The Film Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jason Cohen
Big Change The Film's Podcast is where we have conversations with people that have incredible stories of weight loss and inspiration. Tune in every week for a new conversation.
This week’s guest is Daniel Shuman who has lost 171lbs. After the birth of his second child Daniel realized that he needed to change his lifestyle for the future of his family. After being asked to get off a ride at Universal Studios, Daniel decided that he was going to turn things around. He says that he is now able to do a lot more with his kids and is also more present. We have a great conversation about his journey and I hope that you enjoy!
This week’s guest is Jennifer Niles who lives on the island of Tonga. Jennifer tells me that her weight gain started for her in the third grade and by the time she was in here early twenties 95% of her caloric intake consisted of junk food and alcohol. She also told me that she simply didn’t feel comfortable in her own body. She later found yoga, healthier eating, and has now lost over 100lbs. She tells me about how she did it all (including designing the life she always wanted living on an island). We have a great conversation and thanks for tuning in!
This weeks guests are Tim & Heather Kaufman who live in Alden, New York. At his worst Tim was on the maximum dose of Fentanyl, 15 pills a day, drank a liter of vodka a day, and could hardly get up the stairs. Tim has lost over 200lbs, Heather has lost over 85lbs, and they now have a life together that they could have never imagined.
This week’s guest is Amy Johnson who lives in Frisco, TX. Amy told me that previously she was addicted to fast food and her busy life was an excuse for eating poorly. In her 40's she developed type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, was taking medication 3 times a day, and even walked with a limp. One day she decided to watch Forks Over Knives, changed her diet, was able to get off all of her medications, and says she feels younger than ever. We have a great conversation and thanks for tuning in!
This week’s guest is Marc Ramirez. Mark told me that he had been a big guy all of his life. After getting out of college he began to put on weight and eventually ended up on medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Nearly everyone in his family battled diabetes, including his mother for 33 years. His doctor actually told him that he would be giving himself injections for the rest of his life. Marc has since gotten off all of his medications, has lost 50lbs, and is feeling better than ever. We have a great conversation and thanks for tuning in.
This week’s guest is Alishea Basson. Alishea tells me that by the age of 6 she was already 80lbs. After the birth of her 4 children she says that her weight skyrocketed and started to affect her quality of life. Her turning point came after one night where she ate 7 biscuits, 7 pieces of fried chicken, and a pint of Ben & Jerrys ice cream. She now says that every meal is a choice, every meal is an opportunity for a healthy choice. Before she describes herself as a couch potato, now she runs 10 miles 4 days a week, and has lost 105lbs. We have a great conversation and thanks for tuning in.
This week’s guest is Doug Schmidt who lives in Rochester, NY. Doug was previously a bit of a foodie and talks about how he would eat wheels of brie as an appetizer. Doug ended up having a heart attack, blockage in his widow maker, and told me that only 10% of people with this heart attack survive. He has since completely changed his diet, lost 60lbs, ran his first marathon of his life, and was even recently named PETA’s sexiest vegan male over 50. We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy. Thanks so much for tuning in.
This week’s guest is Angela De-Jesus who lives in Weatherford, Texas. Angela told me that she was chubby as a kid and early on food became a drug for her. She told me that would eat until she was sickly full and felt hopeless. At her biggest, she weighted 665lbs, had diabetes, high blood pressure, and a host of other ailments. During her journey she actually ended up on the Dr. Phil show for 2 years, lost a ton of weight, and later gained it all back. She has since lost 300lbs and says that life is better than ever! Thanks so much for tuning in and I hope that you enjoy our conversation.
This week’s guest is Joseph Alexander who lives in Rochester, Minnesota. Joseph told me that he was super skinny as a kid and started putting on weight as a teenager. At his highest, Joseph weighted as much as 394lbs and told me that he would often times find himself swimming in the Chinese buffet. He struggled with his weight for decades and eventually was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. He recently decided to put himself first and that health was the most important thing in his life. He has since lost 152lbs, off his medications, and is feeling better than ever. Thanks for tuning in and I hope that you enjoy our conversation.
This week’s guest is Sarah Goodenough who lives in Rochester, New York. Sarah told me that in high school she struggled with anorexia and later with binge eating. At the age of 22 she was diagnosed with fatty liver disease, she also told me that she struggled with high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety. Since then she has been able to shed 160lbs, completely change her health around, and now says her mission in life is to “make as many people as possible healthy.” We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy!
This weeks guest is Ronald Tibbs. He told me that he grew up on meat, comfort foods, and sugar-laden desserts. By the time he was 31 he was already on high blood pressure meds, failed a life insurance physical at 40, and eventually found out that he had stage 3 liver disease with no known cure. After watching Forks Over Knives he completely changed his diet, has lost over 65lbs, and is feeling better than ever. We have a great conversation and thanks for watching.
This weeks guest is Mike Meltzer who lives in Los Angeles. Mike told me that he was heavy as a kid and grew up being teased about his weight. As an adult he became as he calls it, a “junk food vegan”, his weight got above 300lbs, and he became a type two diabetic. Eight years ago he decided to change to a Whole Foods plant based diet, dropped his A1C from 8 to just 4.1, and says that his weight hasn’t been this low since he was 12 years old. He has lost 153lbs and is now feeling better than ever. We have a great conversation about his journey and I hope that you enjoy!
This weeks guest is Kate McGoey-Smith from Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Kate earlier in life was 120lbs heavier, she had type two diabetes, heart disease, was legally blind, was on a lung transplant list, and was a list of medications that would fill up a full page. She watched Forks over Knives, taught herself to cook while she was still blind, She has since lost 120lbs, restored her eyesight, and restored so much more of her health. We have a great conversation about her incredible story and I hope that you enjoy!
This weeks guest is Kate McGoey-Smith from Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Kate earlier in life was 120lbs heavier, she had type two diabetes, heart disease, was legally blind, was on a lung transplant list, and was a list of medications that would fill up a full page. She watched Forks over Knives, taught herself to cook while she was still blind, She has since lost 120lbs, restored her eyesight, and restored so much more of her health. We have a great conversation about her incredible story and I hope that you enjoy!
This weeks guest is Anna Bolla. Anna tells me that she was obese by the time she was 5 years old, started dieting at 8, and was over 160lbs by the time she was in the 6th grade. She says that most people in her family were overweight and she thought to herself, “this is just the way that it is going to be.” Just a few years ago she watched Forks over Knives, read The China Study, and decided to choose a healthier (and more compassionate) way of living. She has lost over 55lbs, now enjoys running, lifting weights, and now weights less than she did in the 8th grade. We have a great conversation about her journey and thanks so much for watching.
This weeks guest is Ben Rayland who lives in Syracuse, NY. Ben is a full time strength coach who has lost almost 90lbs in the last several years. Before he had lost the weight, Ben says that he would eat a whole bag of Doritos, whole pizzas, whole cheesecakes, and often times would take in upwards of 8000 calories in a single day. Ben had a wake up call after going to his doctor and getting back shocking bloodwork. He decided to completely change his diet and is now healthier, and stronger than ever. We have a great conversation about his journey, whats is like being a plant based powerlifter, raising 4 children in a plant based household, and so much more. Thanks so much for tuning in and I hope that you enjoy.
This weeks guest is Ben Hokanson who lives in Zimmerman, Minnesota. Not long ago Ben was 90lbs heavier, would sweat just playing his Xbox, had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and says he was headed to heart attack land. He told me that he didn’t like the way he felt, he hated how he looked, and got sick of being heavy. Ben decided that he had enough, downloaded Myfitness Pal app, and life has never been the same since. He is now a competitive Ironman athlete and we have a great conversation about his journey. Thanks so much for watching!
This weeks guest is Joey DiMaggio who lives in Three Oaks, Michigan. He struggled with his weight for most of his life and at the age of 36 his doctor told him that he was going to have a heart attack. This concerned him as he told me that he had watched every man in his family suffer heart attacks, strokes, and invasive surgeries. He told me that he used to eat terribly and an example of that, was that he would eat his cheeseburger while using two grilled cheese sandwiches as the bun. Joey ended up watching Forks Over Knives, cleared out his fridge, completely changed the way he was eating, and says that he woke up for the first time and felt like he could breathe. Since then he has lost 100lbs and basically reversed his developing heart disease. One thing that Joey said which I love was this, “If you live to eat and love food more than you love yourself, or your family, or your kids, you are going to eat yourself to death… I don’t miss feeling the way I used to feel, I don’t miss looking the way I used to look, nothing tastes as good as being healthy.” Thanks so much for listening and I hope that you enjoy our conversation!
This weeks guest is Scott Putnam who lives in Dubuque, Iowa. Scott had always carried some extra weight but thought of him self as pretty healthy compared to those who were much heavier than him. In his 40s Scott received a bit of wake-up call when his doctor told him that if he didn’t do something about his reckless eating that he was on the verge of going on meds, was on his way to pre-diabetes, as well as other medical complications. He also says that at this same time he was always tired, had sleep issues, and high cholesterol. He decided that had to make a change, has lost 65lbs, is now a marathoner, and feels better than ever. We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy.
This weeks guests are Pam & Chad Dalton who currently live in Northwest Arkansas and combined as a couple have lost 150lbs. They both grew up in South Louisiana and say that they grew up eating cheap, greasy, and often times friend food. Pam that she was a bit of a “ closet cheese addict” and Chad told me that high blood pressure and heart disease runs in his family. They realized that they simply weren’t being as present as they could be with their kids and simply didn’t have the need to participate. Over the last few years they have totally changed their health, their activity levels, as well as how present they now are with each other and the kids. One of my favorite things that they said was about being an example to their kids, “If you live the right way, and eat the right things, life can have more essence to it than just existing.” We have a fantastic conversation that I hope you enjoy and thanks so much for tuning in.
This weeks guest is Eric O’Grey. At the age of 51 Eric was 340lbs, wore a size 4XL, and was on 15 medications. His doctor said that if he didn’t do something he would need to purchase a cemetery plot because he would likely need one within the next 5 years. Eric decided to turn his health around, he has since lost 160lbs, is a best-selling author, and feels better than ever. We have a great conversation and thanks for watching.
This weeks guest is Eric O’Grey. At the age of 51 Eric was 340lbs, wore a size 4XL, and was on 15 medications. His doctor said that if he didn’t do something he would need to purchase a cemetery plot because he would likely need one within the next 5 years. Eric decided to turn his health around, he has since lost 160lbs, is a best-selling author, and feels better than ever. We have a great conversation and thanks for watching.
This weeks guest is Philip Parker who lives in California. Phillip weighed in at 380lbs at his highest, struggled with Gerd, cholesterol, cramps, and all of the other things you would expect being 380lbs. After many years Philip realized that he had a food addiction and decided to approach it in the same way that others with addiction would, head on. We talk about the mechanisms he uses to create boundaries with the foods which trigger his addiction and his 160lb weight loss journey. We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy!
This weeks guest is Karen Hauserman. Karen tells that for most of her life she was overweight and remembers being teased by all of the other kids in school. Once she was an adult she told me that she put her energy into improving her career and raising three kids rather than taking care of her own health. In late 2010 she had a heart attack and realized that she was a ticking time bomb. At the beginning of 2011 she decided that was was going to turn her health around, she has since lost 268lbs, and told me that she feels like she has reversed the aging process. We have a great conversation about her amazing journey and thanks so much for watching.
This weeks guest is Josh Turner who lives in Thibodaux, Louisiana. At the age of 10 Josh found out that he had type 1 diabetes and says that it began to take over his life. He struggled with his health and weight until recently, and even talks about the time where he almost died twice within one week as a result of his diabetes. In recent years he has taken back his health, been able to manage his diabetes with his diet, and lost 97lbs as well. His message for all diabetics out there is, “don’t give up on yourself.” We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy!
This weeks guest is Crystal Zahorski who lives in Washington state. Crystal was diagnosed at the age of 25 with hereditary high cholesterol. She was told that she would need to go on statins as soon as she was done having kids, and would be on them for the rest of her life. She struggled with food addiction, says that previously she would diet all day and eat a half of tub of ice cream at night. Since then she has lost 25lbs, has been able to successfully manage her cholesterol with her diet for years now, and told me that at the age of 39 she feels better than she did in her 20s. We have a great conversation and I hope that you!
Reach out to Crystal though her FB page at https://www.facebook.com/CrystalZUnpolished/
Just a quick video to say thanks for watching over the last year and a few things to come for 2018. Feel free to email me and I hope that your year is off to a great start!
This weeks guest is Matt Buckner who lives in Florida. Just 4 years ago Matt was in terrible shape, was on 4 different medications for various ailments, and told me that his goal was just to make it from the bed to the couch each day because he says he was was always exhausted. Since then he has lost 100lbs, is now an avid runner, and says he is an “Instant Pot junkie.” We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy!
This weeks guest is Paul Chatlin who lives in the Detroit area. At 56 years old Paul found himself with one artery 100% blocked, 2 others 65% blocked and headed for bypass surgery. Right before going into surgery his doctor asked him if he would be interested in trying a different approach, and choosing to change what he ate rather than going under the knife. Paul decided to change what he was eating, and switched to a Whole Foods plant based diet. He was able to forgo surgery, he is now healthier than ever, and made a promise to spread that message to others, which he now does with www.pbnsg.org and through their small groups in the Detroit area. They have over 4000+ strong might be the largest plant based support and outreach program in the country. We have a fantastic conversation and I hope that you enjoy!
This weeks guest is Jim Balla who lives in the Detroit area. Jim told me that when he was a kid he wore “husky clothes” and graduated high school at 300lbs. As an adult Jim had type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, lots of intestinal issues, and says that he was in terrible shape. He decided to give a plant based diet a try and says that he was able to do in 4 days what his doctor couldn’t do in 5 years. He is now off his diabetic and high blood pressure meds, and has lost 164lbs. He told me that he previously wasn’t in control of his life and one thing he told me which I love is this, “life is a joy, I feel alive, I feel like I have my life back.” We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy!
This weeks guest is Jeff Mayer who lives in South Florida. Jeff realized several years ago that a life overhaul was in order after he gained 40lbs following a injury. He told me that he was motivated by wanting to be able to keep up with his 8 year old son who seemed to have endless energy. One thing that Jeff told me that I love is this, “You don’t have to accept your fate as you get older. You can do something about it, you can change.” We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy.
This weeks guest is Jennifer Peli who lives in England. Jennifer told me that she went on her first diet at the age of 18 and she thought she would never be thin. She suffered from IBS from age 10 all the way up to the age of 67. Jennifer somewhat accidentally lost 67lbs as she changed her diet to try and save her husbands life after he had a heart attack. She is feeling better than ever now at the age of 69, has taken up running, and her husbands health is better than it has been in years. We have a wonderful conversation and thanks for listening.
This weeks guest is Marilyn Plaskiewicz who lives in Connecticut. Marilyn told me that she was always chubby and that growing up her family always wanted her to eat. She struggled with her weight for most of her life and told me that she had aches and pains that prevented her from living a good life. She decided one day that she was worth it and to put herself first. She has since lost 140lbs and says that she is physically, mentally, and spiritually where she is supposed to be. One thing that Marilyn told me which stuck with me was this, “Being healthy is hard, being overweight is hard. Choose your hard.”
This weeks guest is Alexis Fox who lives in Boston, Massachusetts. Alexis grew up eating a Standard American Diet. She told me that as she began to care more for the environment and animals, it changed the foods she put in her body. Over several years she lost 45lbs and said that at the age of 36 she is thinner than she was in her 20s. We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy!
This weeks guest Marc Blancette who lives in Ellsworth, Maine. At the age of 56, Marc was 339lbs. He has since lost 184lbs, feels like he is in his 20s, has biked across the state of Maine 3 times, and discovered a whole new life along with this weight loss. One thing Marc told me which I love is this, “don’t look at it as a way to lose pounds, you are gaining your health. Your family needs you, your grandchildren need you.” I hope that you enjoy our conversation and thanks so much for listening.
This weeks guest Paul Blackwell who lives in SE Pennsylvania. Paul said that he was always skinny and was even called “sting bean” when he was younger. He discovered however at the age of 33 that despite looking fit, he had 90% blockage in his heart, and had to have 5 stents put in. Within the last year he was told that he was going to need to have bypass surgery and while he was being prepped for surgery he thought to himself, “there has got to be a different way.” Since then he has adopted a Whole Foods Plant Based diet, is feeling better than ever, and has also lost 40lbs in the whole process. We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy it!
This weeks guest is Jeff who lives near Ann Arbor. At his largest Jeff was almost 350lbs, had difficulty walking, could not longer go up stairs, and says that he would often have to take the motorized shopping cart at the grocery store. After a bit of a medical scare Jeff decided to take his health seriously, has lost 130lbs, able to get off of all of his medications, and he feels like he has gotten his life back.
This weeks guest is Rich Hubbard who lives in NW Connecticut. Rich says that he used to eat fast food every day, would binge on ice cream, and says that he thought he was destined for a life of obesity, meds, and diabetes. He has since then lost 150lbs, developed a passion for a healthy lifestyle, and looks forward to staying active well into his later years. We have a great conversation about his journey, extra skin, and much more. I hope that you enjoy it and thanks for listening
This weeks guest is Mike Gregorio who lives in New Jersey. Mike weighed 440lbs at his highest and says that he struggled with obesity for 25 years. He said that at some point he said to him self, this is not the way to live… I am missing out on life. He has since lost 155lbs and has a new lease on life. Thanks so much for watching and I hope that you enjoy our conversation!
This weeks guest is Rick Gloo. Rick says that he was a competitive eater starting in high school and started really packing on the pounds in high school. In college and beyond Rick developed a bit of a drinking habit, was overweight, and realized he simply was not living to his full potential. Through his dietary changes, meditation, and running he has been able to reach his potential and loose 90lbs in the process. I actually had the chance to connect with Rick in person this past weekend at Plantstock. When we saw each other he was on his 364th day of consecutive running and he has since completed a full year of running every day. We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy it!
This weeks guest is Mary Chavarria who lives in Tucson, Arizona. Mary says that in her childhood she was constantly surrounded by snacks and sweets, and that her mother even had a tub of ice cream for each child so that they wouldn’t fight over it. She was the biggest kid in her high school and says that she was constantly bullied. At her largest, she was over 400lbs, and has since lost 230lbs. She said, “I thought I would never feel normal, I’ve been overweight and obese my entire life.” She now walks 4 miles ever day and attributes it all to gratitude. We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy it.
This weeks guest is Josh Byrd who lives in Lincoln, Nebraska. Josh was overweight for most of his life and at the age of 4 weighted 90lbs. At his heaviest he was 420lbs, says that he struggled at movie theaters, restaurants, and even putting on his socks. In his 20s he was hypertensive, had high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, and had to wear waist high compression nylon stockings. He says that he didn’t want his own daughter to be the 90lb kindergartner, has since lost 210lbs, and is now an aspiring ultra endurance athlete. We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy it.
This weeks guest is Bob Blackburn who lives in Virginia Beach. He was a former Marine, professional wrestler, and and said that his previous training was “at the buffet.” Bob at his highest weighted 340lbs and at the age of 53 was diagnosed with diabetes. He said to himself, “I am not dying from this, I am not choosing this way.” Since then he has been able to beat the diabetes and loose 114lbs. Thanks for watching and enjoy!
This weeks guests are Jeannette Rainbow-Galvin & Gary Rainbow. Gary is Jeannette’s father and combined they have lost 140lbs. Gary had a triple bypass at the age of 39, angioplasty at 43, a, stroke at the age of 51, and Jeannette was told that she would have colon cancer by the age of 45. Jeannette says that for her dad it was “do or die” and they both decided to change their diet and have both completely turned their health around. We have a wonderful conversation and I hope that you enjoy it.
This weeks guest is Jessica Oropesa from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Jessica says that she was overweight for much of her life and at her highest was 257lbs. She says that she felt invisible, completely unworthy, completely undesirable, and extremely lonely. She says that she woke up one day and said to herself, “I’m not going to be miserable today, I am not going to be miserable anymore.” We have a honest conversation about how she was treated when she was bigger, depression, and her incredible journey to loosing 100lbs. Here is our conversation and thanks for watching!
Today's guest is Shelley Crockett from Burlington Ontario Canada. Shelley says that she has been overweight most of her life and went on her first diet at the age of 12. At her biggest she was 317lbs, pre-diabetic, and realized that she needed to do something to turn things around. She has since lost 75lbs and we have a great conversation.
This weeks guest is Teresa Cassle from Charleston West Virginia. Teresa says that her health started to tank in her 20s, she developed Hashimoto’s Disease at 28, had to have her gallbladder removed, fatty liver disease, as well as diabetes. Since then she has been able to lose 70lbs, regain her health, and says that she is in the best shape of her life. Here is our conversation and I hope that you enjoy.
This weeks guest is Michelle Richardson who lives in Duluth, Georgia. Michelle says that her weight had fluctuated over the years and at her highest she was 278lbs. She found out that she was pre-diabetic and simply said that she refused to have diabetes, high blood pressure, and realized that it was something that she could control. She now rides bikes, hula hoops, skates, runs, and is now getting ready for her first marathon later this year. Her total weight loss is now up to 115lbs and I hope that you enjoy our conversation.
This weeks guest is Matt White who lives in Randolph, New Jersey. Matt says that he grew up obese. Had to buy adult clothing as a child, and said that for him it had “become the norm.” In his family he had obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and believed that it was, as he said it, "the book that was written for me, it is my destiny.” His life change when had a wake up call, one of his arteries leading to his heart was 99% blocked, and he realized that his lifestyle could effect actually seeing his children grow. Now he has lost 100lbs, his children can put their arms around him, and he is now an ultra-marathoner. We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy it!
This weeks guest is Jim Fisher who lives in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jim was overweight growing up, says that everyone in his family was overweight, by the 3rd grade he weighted a 100lbs, and at his biggest was 350lbs. He said, “I thought I would spend my whole life fat…. I had resigned myself to the fact that I would always be that guy that would be huge…. I didn’t think there was anything I could do about it.” Through a series of unfortunate circumstances Jim decided to take his life back, has lost 187lbs, and is now an ultra endurance runner preparing for his first 100 mile race. We have an awesome conversation and I hope that you enjoy it
This weeks guest is Nick Wo from Phoenix, Arizona. At the age of 31 Nick was 407lbs, had high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol, acid indigestion, severe lower back pain, struggled with depression, and said he has basically given up. Both his father and uncle died at the age of 45 from health related illnesses and believed that he would also die by the age of 45. In the last 10 months he has lost 125lbs and we have a great conversation about his journey.
Connect with Nick at
www.facebook.com/nick.wo
This weeks guest is Jason Singer from York, Pennsylvania who had a top weight of 373lbs. He was smaller as a kid and says that after getting off of Ritalin after using it for 13 years, he became a food addict. He ate lots of tasty cakes, donuts, and pop tarts, and we even talk about the day that he ate 15 hot dogs. At 23 years old he was having chest pains and at 27 was told that he needed to be on blood pressure medicine. He now is 193lbs lighter and has a new life.
This weeks guest is Yona Klein from New York who has lost 180lbs. Yona says that his diet consisted of pizza, cookies, donuts, and whatever else he could get his hands on. He struggled with sleep apnea, migraines, hypertension, high cholesterol, and was also pre-diabetic. He has a whole new life now and I hope that you enjoy our conversation
This weeks guest is John Dempsey who is originally from Long Island, NY. He was previously approaching 400lbs, was on cholesterol medicine, blood pressure medicine, and his doctor told him that he could keep him alive on pills. He says that just walking up the stairs would difficult for him and that he was, as he says, “one Chinese buffet from even more health issues, or even death" if he hadn’t changed his life. Since then he has changed his health around, is now a runner, and says that he is a more compassionate person. Here is our conversation and I hope that you enjoy it!
“Weight loss is a long process, health is a long process… you deserve to live a life where you feel your best and you are proud of your life" This weeks guest is High Carb Hannah who lives in Arizona. She says that she remembers being the chubbiest girl in 6th grade and struggling with her weight since she was a child. By the age of 20 she was an alcoholic drinking 2 bottles of wine per night, smoked a pack of cigarettes a day, and would binge eat 1000s of calories at a time. Since then she has completely transformed her health and lost 70lbs. She is now a YouTuber who has over a quarter of a million subscribers inspiring people to eat healthy, exercise, and take care of themselves.
This weeks guest is Melissa Dodd-Ruesing who has lost 80lbs. Melissa says that she was always bigger and actually remembers being called chunky by her doctor when she was 9 years old. At her biggest she was over 300lbs says that she had accepted the fact that she was going to be fat because everyone in her family was big. After a failed Lapland surgery, she decided to change the way that she looked at food and has transformed her life. We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy it!
This weeks guest is Angela Montanez from New York. Angela was very sick as a child and her doctors didn’t expect that she would live past the age of 10. As an adult Angela developed bad eating habits, said she ate pints upon pints of Hagen Diaz ice cream, and dubbed herself the “bread queen.” Since then she has completely changed her life around and has lost 120lbs. She was even in People Magazine’s annual “Half their size” issue in 2016. We have a fantastic conversation and I hope that you enjoy it.
This weeks guest is Brian Flemming from Canton, Michigan. Not very long ago Brian was a size 60 waist, drank a fifth of vodka every night, ate 7000 calories a day, and was 625lbs. Brian says that everything was a huge effort even mundane things like getting out of his car and changing his clothes. Since then he has completely turned his life around and has lost 390lbs. He started only being able to walk in-place for 5 minutes a day in his house and has since run his first marathon. He has an incredible story and I hope that you enjoy our conversation.
This weeks guest is Heather Kaufman from Buffalo, New York. She is the wonderful wife of Tim Kaufman and herself has lost 60lbs. They spent much of early life together eating pizza & wings, both became overweight, and eventually Heather found herself having to put Tim’s socks and shoes on daily because he was unable to. In the last several years she has turned around her own health and just last year they climbed the highest peak on the East Coast together. She encourages others to be there for their spouses who may also struggle with their weight as well as making sure to take care of yourself so that you can take care of others. We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy it!
This weeks guest is Jonathan Young who lives in Delhi, Louisiana. At his largest Jonathan weighted 335lbs. A turning point for him was being denied entry to a amusement park ride and realizing that it simply wasn’t safe for his body to be on the ride. He started turning things around with walking his first 5k and now has lost a total of 115lbs and is a marathoner. We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy it
Connect with Jonathan on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.c.young or on his blog at justcauseyou.wordpress.com
This weeks guest is BJ Swingle from New Jersey. BJ says that everyone in her family is only large side and that everything was focused around food as she was growing up. She first realized that she was overweight in the 6th grade and says that over her life she has lost between 40-60lbs 7 times. After having a child she realized that she wanted to be a role model for her son and that her and her husband wanted to be around for very long time. We have a great conversation and I hope that you enjoy it!
Connect with BJ at www.facebook.com/bjswingle and https://veggiejerseygirl.com/
This weeks guest is Jackie Cobb who lives just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Jackie says that her weight has fluctuated since she was a kid and that she was heavy most of her adult life. She says that she wasn’t conscious of what she was eating and how she was treating her body. The thing that changed everything for her was loosing her mom, dad, and brother all from unconscious unhealthy eating and poor lifestyle decisions. She has lost 56lbs and says that even though she is over 45, she is the most active she has been in her entire life. Here is our conversation and I hope that you enjoy it!
This weeks guest is Katie Martin who lives in San Antonio, Texas. Katie said that her weight had been a battle throughout most of her life and that she never wanted to be overweight. At one point she was eating McDonalds 3 times a day and says that her weight was always a rollercoaster ride. She also struggled with depression and anxiety. After she decided to change her diet she said that she felt like the fog lifted, she is now off her anxiety and depression medication, and has lost 45lbs. She has an awesome story and I hope that you enjoy our conversation.
This weeks guest is Denise Norris from Indiana. Denise was almost 500lbs, couldn’t walk around the block without being exhausted, and said that she had lost her desire to live. Since then she has lost 234lbs, gotten off of her medications, walks 6-8 miles per day, and has changed to a protective diet. She is an incredible individual with an amazing story and I hope that you enjoy our conversation
This weeks guest is Jason Harper from Schriever, Louisiana and he has lost over 100lbs. Jason says that he was overweight even as a child and that growing up he didn’t know anyone that ate a salad. Throughout his life Jason put on a bit of weight and didn’t really realize how he had gained until he saw a picture of himself. Coming from a family with health issues, he was concerned about being around for his kids and told his wife, “I have to get it under control… This has to change for good… Because I don’t want to leave my kids and miss all of the important things in their lives.” Jason looks better than ever and I hope that you enjoy our conversation
This weeks guest is Annette Fowler who has lost 122lbs. She was 339lbs at her highest, was pre-diabetic, and had a host of other health issues. She said that she had a love affair with food and believed that she was always going to be big. We have a great conversation about her journey and I hope that you enjoy our conversation.
This weeks guest is Alan Storts who lives in Halifax Nova Scotia. Later in life Alan found himself overweight and wasn’t able to goto the amusement park with his kids because of weight restrictions. Alan realized that he needed to make a change for himself as well as start educating his kids on what better food choices to make. Since then he has lost 70lbs and is feeling better than ever. Here is our conversation and I hope that you enjoy it!
This weeks guests are Bethany and Zane who run the website lovechard.com. Combined they have lost 160lbs and now coach others in wellness. Earlier in their relationship they said that everything they did was based around food and had, as they call it, “an excuses filled diet of alcohol, refined sugars, and fast food.” At some point Bethany decided to change to a healthy lifestyle and told Zane “I am going to be a young widow if you keep doing what you are doing.” Since then they have completely changed their lives and I hope that you enjoy our conversation.
Connect with them at www.lovechard.com & www.facebook.com/LoveChardCommunity/
This weeks guest is Andrew “Spud Fit” Taylor from Melbourne, Australia. For the past year Andrew has been on this incredible journey where he has only eaten potatoes. He has lost 115lbs in the last year but says that really this journey began as a way to change his relationship with food. In addition to changing his relationship with food and losing 115lbs, he has also been able to overcome his clinical depression. One of my favorite things that Andrew said to me during our conversation was this, “everything you need for success is within you, you just need to find a way to unlock it.” Here is our conversation and I hope that you enjoy it.
Connect with Andrew at www.spudfit.com
This weeks guest is Julie Schultz from Pearland, TX and has lost 90lbs. Julie says that earlier in life everything centered around food and she was previously pre-diabetic. Much of her family has type 2 diabetes and she knew that she was headed in that direction as well. She decided at some point that it was time to take care of herself, change her relationship with food, and has become a full blown athlete as well. Here is our conversation and I hope that you enjoy it.
Reach out to Julie at https://www.facebook.com/jvschultz & http://www.fromfatasstobadass.com/
This weeks guest is Karla Freeze from Champaign, Illinois. Karla says that she did not have a happy childhood and went on her first diet in 5th grade. In 2008 she was 371lbs, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and decided that things had to change. Since then she has lost 223lbs and says that her philosophy now is that ever bite of food either nourishes her body or feeds disease. She has an amazing story and I hope that you enjoy our conversation.
This weeks guest is Phil Green from Texarkana, Arkansas and has lost over 110lbs. He was previously 279lbs, had high blood pressure, sleep apnea, a fatty liver, and intense chest pains. Phil says that at night would pray that God would take care of his wife and boys if he didn’t wake up. Since then Phil is feeling better than ever and I hope you you enjoy our conversation.
Reach out to Phil on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/phil.green.587
This weeks guest is Gary Stotler from Laramie, Wyoming who has lost 170lbs. One day right before his son’s first birthday he got on the scale, saw just under 400lbs, and said to himself, "I’m on a fast track to a heart attack by 35 and if I don’t do something I’m not going to make to see my kids make it to high school let alone graduate, graduate college, get married.” Since then he has completely transformed himself and is now an ultra distance runner.
He has an incredible story and I hope that you enjoy our conversation.
Find out more about Gary at his blog at https://outrunyourexcuses.wordpress.com/
This weeks guest is Eve Parker, aka “Inspirational Eve”, who lives in Denver, Colorado. Eve was previously 340lbs and as she says, “has released” 150lbs. She hit rock bottom when at the age of 24 had to buy 2 seats on an airplane. Since then she has completely transformed her life and now helps others do the same through her weight release coaching. She is an incredible inspiration and I hope that you enjoy our conversation. Find out more about Eve at http://www.inspirationaleve.com/
This week we do something a little different and the interviewer is now the interviewee. Tim Kaufman had pitched the idea to me for him to do an interview and as me some questions about my journey. I hope that you enjoy this weeks interview and to connect with Jason on FB visit https://www.facebook.com/jason.cohen.399041
This weeks guest is David Clark who lives in Lafayette, Colorado and has lost 160lbs. David has experienced the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows in life. David at one part of his life was homeless and at another was the owner of a 8 million dollar company. Eventually David became a 320lb alcoholic and drug addict and would drink an entire bottle of scotch and take 6 or 7 vicadins a night. He has since turned his life around and raced some of the hardest ultra-marathons around. His accomplishments including running badwater, leadville multiple times, running across the united states, and he is also the author of "Out there, A Story of Ultra-Recovery".
He is an incredible inspiration and I hope that you enjoy our conversation.
David's website - http://www.wearesuperman.com/
Buy David's Book - https://www.amazon.com/Out-There-Story-Ultra-Recovery/dp/1499721196/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1478184462&sr=8-3&keywords=book+david+clark
This weeks guest is Nalida Besson from Boston. Nailda came from a family of 12 and says that she was always the overweight one. She told me that as an adult her body was falling apart, she worried about dying young, and that “she didn’t want to be the cause of her own demise.” She has since lost 101lbs, is the smallest she has never been, and is loving life. Connect with Nalida at https://www.facebook.com/plantbasedgodsgrace Here is my conversation with Nalida and I hope that you enjoy it.
This weeks guest is Felicia Ricks from Connecticut, and she has lost 206lbs. She said that before she lost the weight she was in pain, even doing the laundry would leave her out of breath, and she felt like a prisoner in her own mind. She says that she now has an abundance of energy, she’s invigorated, she's excited, and that her whole mentality has changed towards life. Here is my conversation with Felicia and I hope that you enjoy it.
This weeks guest is Justin Lacy from Dexter, Missouri. At the beginning of 2015 Justin weighted 500lbs and has since lost over 200lbs. He said that he wad always been a big kid and at the age of 12 or 13 he was already reading diet books. Before he changed his life he said that he would goto McDonalds and get 4 McDoubles, 3 McChickens, fries, and a soda all on the way to get something else from another fast food place. In 2015 he made a promise to himself to change his life and become the healthiest person that he knew. One thing he said that really stood out to me was, “You have to love yourself enough to make a promise like that, that’s something that I probably never did before was love myself enough to care about myself."
Since we have talked Justin has lost an additional 25lbs and is now up to 225lbs lost.
Connect with Justin on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/jlacy03
Here is my conversation with Justin and I hope that you enjoy it.
This weeks guest is Susan Farrell. Susan is a Cardiac Rehab Nurse from Macomb Township, Michigan. At one point Susan was in a wheelchair, on 26 medications, developed diabetes, and at one point was given less than 5 years to live. She says that she was depressed, anxiety ridden, and says that she was a science experiment with doctors throwing medications at her. Susan even says that she had about a year of her life that she doesn’t even remember. Since then she has lost 80lbs and is now helping others through through both her personal and professional work.
Here is my conversation with Shannon and connect with her at https://www.facebook.com/shannon.b.farrell
This weeks guest is Bobby Brennan. Bobby at his biggest weighed 503lbs and has lost 250lbs. He said that he woke up one day and said to him self, “If I don’t do something different I am going to die.” That same day one of his best friends approached him and said, “Everyone loves you, you gotta make a change, what can I do to help?”. Since then he has transformed his health and is feeling better than ever. Here is my conversation with Bobby and I hope that you enjoy it. Connect with Bobby on FB at https://www.facebook.com/bobbybassbrennan His Fat Guy Drinks Juice page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/FAT-GUY-Drinks-JUICE-661679920611773/ Watch his 1 min video at http://youtu.be/XAdHaPSdkxw
This weeks guest is Susan Weinick from White Station, NJ. Susan said that she struggled with her weight since she was 5 years old. As a child would hide food in her room and had yoyo dieted for as long as she could remember. She said that she was the mom on the sidelines who watched her kids play but could never participate. Since then Susan has lost 215lbs and is now doing things that she never though imaginable. One thing that she said that I thought was great was this, “obesity is following me, it wants me back badly, and im not going back there" Here is my conversation with Susan and I hope that you enjoy it. Connect with Susan at https://www.facebook.com/susan.weinick Check out Eating You Alive at http://www.eatingyoualive.com/
This weeks guest is Brad London who lives in Mobile Alabama. Brad says that he is a proud member of Whole Foods Market. He previously weighed 230lbs and has lost over 75lbs. Brad says that he was fortunate to not be on any medications but knew that his health was headed that way. After having an opportunity through Whole Foods to do a week long immersion program with Dr. Joel Furhman, brad took his health back and now weighs 150lbs. We talk about his journey, his goals, and much more.
Here is my conversation with Brad and I hope that you enjoy it.
Shayda Soleymani is from California and previously weighed 240lbs. Shayda talks about how she had previously been on a ton of diets and at one point in time a doctor actually told her that, “it would take herculean efforts for you to ever lose weight and to maintain that weight loss”
Since then she has lost the weight, kept it off, and is even now been able to get off her diabetes and cholesterol medicine (which was much to her doctors surprise.
In talking about her life now she said, “I’m happy, i’m back to wearing light and bright colors, i’m back to being myself again. It’s just emotionally, mentally, physically, everything has changed. It’s just nice to be out of the dumps."
Here is my conversation with Shayda and I hope that you enjoy it.
Connect with Shayda at https://www.facebook.com/shayda.soleymani
This weeks guest is Katie Linkhart from Carencro Louisiana. She is a speech pathologist and at her heaviest was 338lbs. Katie and I talk about being teased as a child, her unhealthy relationship with food, and her amazing transformation that led her to lose 156lbs. One piece of advice that Katie had for others, which I loved was this. "Every day is a new day. Everyday that you do something towards your fitness or your health, whether its a good eating decision or taking a walk, that's one step closer to your goal. Don’t give up because you are stronger than what you think, and you are worth it." One of Katie’s motivating factors in losing weight was that she and her husband wanted to start a family and that she knew her weight would be an issue. I am happy to say that since our interview Katie and her husband have announced that they are expecting twins! Congrats Katie on all of your hard work and on your pregnancy! Here is my conversation with Katie and I hope that you enjoy it. Connect with Katie at https://www.facebook.com/katie.c.linkhart
This weeks guest is the inspiring Marcus Cook from Houston Texas. Marcus was previously 489lbs and has lost 211lbs. He is now a triathlete and is now training for his first 1/2 ironman. We talk about his journey, the importance of having people around you who will encourage you, and how he always has a goal set in front of him. Thanks so much for listening and I hope that you enjoy our conversation
Connect with Marcus at www.facebook.com/Marcusdcook
Follow his BIG TO LITTLE journey at http://bigtolittle.com/
Anthony Masiello is from New Jersey and has lost 160lbs. At the age of 33 Anthony found himself at 360lbs, on high blood pressure medicine, and unable to get a 20 year life insurance policy. Anthony said that he didn’t want to spend his life being a bystander. Since then he has completely changed his life around and I hope that you enjoy our conversation about his journey. Connect with Anthony at https://www.facebook.com/anthonymasiello and http://veggiesfordinner.com/
This weeks guest is Kim Capella who has lost 65lbs. Kim is a food blogger from Atlanta Georgia and has a great blog that can be found at thecoconutdiaries.net. We talk about her struggles and triumphs with an eating disorder, depression, and so much more. One piece of advice that Kim had for others that I really enjoyed was this. " make sure that your goals for weight loss are coming from a good place and that you are truly trying to care for yourself, your future, and give yourself something good.” Thanks so much for listening and here is our conversation.
Connect with Kim at thecoconutdiaries.net
Josh Howard is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana and has lost 269lbs!
We talk about his weight loss surgery, skin removal surgery, and so much more. One of my favorite things that Josh said was this: “For me it was all about future. It was I wanted a great job, I want to have a smoking hot wife, and kids. And I want to be able to see my kids."
Thanks so much for listening and connect with josh at facebook.com/joshwhoward
This weeks guest is Dave Wiskowski who has lost 80lbs. Dave struggled with depression and by the time he was 34 years old, he had settled into a sedentary lifestyle. Since then he has become a competitive runner. Dave said that the things that he felt in one run far exceeded 5 years of therapy. As I am posting this Dave is about to help someone run from California to New York to break a Guinness World Record, as well as raise money and awareness for the organization Mighty Milers which gets kids moving and helps prevent obesity and illness. We talk about this and much more and thanks for listening.
Connect with Dave at https://www.facebook.com/DaveWiskowskiPlantBasedUltra/
Heather Cullen is from Portland Oregon who has lost 234lbs. Heather says that she went on her first diet when she was 11 years old. At the age of 40 she remembers sitting in a doctors office and reading that for someone at her bmi the her life expectancy was 45 years old. Since then she has made an amazing transformation and I hope that you enjoy our conversation.
This weeks guest is Chef AJ who is an author, tv host, and chef who has lost over 60lbs. Chef AJ said that she was obese since the age of 5 and by the time she was 11 she weighted 160lbs. We talk about her struggles with anorexia, bulimia, her journey of recovery with food addiction. She now runs an amazing weight loss program to helps others which we also talk about.
Connect with Chef AJ at eatunprocessed.com
David Roden has has lost over 175lbs. At his biggest he weighed over 410lbs, would drink 15-20 diet cokes a day and estimates that he was eating 8-10k calories a day. We talk the people that helped him along the way, his struggles with depression, and about the two skin removal surgeries that he has had.
Connect with David at https://www.facebook.com/david.roden.35 and http://journeyto220.com/
Debi Van Dyne is from is from upstate New York and is in the middle of her weight loss journey. She has lost over 55lbs, and is looking to loose another 120lbs.
We have a great conversation about her journey, where she is currently at, and where she is headed.
Connect with Debi at https://www.facebook.com/MissDaisysPlantBasedLife/
Josh LaJaunie is from Thibodaux Louisiana, has lost over 200lbs, and now is a competitive ultra distance athlete.
We talk about his recent races, his everyday struggles, and so much more.
Connect with Josh at his website https://joshlajaunie.com/ and FaceBook athttps://www.facebook.com/josh.lajaunie
Joe Bernstein lives in Washington, DC and has lost 160lbs in the last 10 years. One of the things that stuck out to me in our conversation that Joe said was this, "I remember being an adolescent thinking i’ll always be obese probably will never have success in dating or relationship, probably won’t get married… I used to joke about that I would probably die in my 40s."
Connect with Joe at www.dropthearmor.com or https://www.facebook.com/joe.bernstein.902
Dave Willits lives in Waterford, Michgan and has lost 40lbs. Even after his weight loss he had a life altering (and almost ending) heart attack which had him flat line 3 times in the hospital. Dave says that from everything he has researched and been told, that he had about a 5% chance of living. Since then he has changed up his diet and is eating to keep his heart healthy and to be around for a bit longer... Connect with Dave at https://www.facebook.com/dave.willits.5
Josh Cox weighed 265lbs at the age of 14. He struggled with eating disorders, cutting, and bullies. After a life altering event as a Freshman in high school Josh decided to take control of his health, loose his excess weight, and went on to become a competitive bodybuilder. Josh now is a personal trainer in Santa Rosa California
Josh's website is http://timetorebel.com/ and connect with him on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/AllLevelsTraining
Walter Juarez is originally from Argentina and now lives in New Jersey. Less than a year ago he almost drowned in a pool due to his excessive weight. Since then Walter has lost over 100lbs and now swims a half a mile each day.
Connect with Water on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/walter.travel
Adam Sud is originally from Texas. He was addicted to adderall and fast food, and since has lost 140lbs. When I asked Adam about his rock bottom moment, he said this. “My addiction had gotten to a point where I existed primarily in my apartment. My life was about how do I get more drugs, if I don’t have it I’ll go get fast food and eat myself into a food coma and then sleep for however many days until I could get more drugs” Since then Adam has turned his life and health around and now works with others in recovery.
Connect with Adam on facebook at www.facebook.com/adam.sud.5 and through his website at www.sudbrothers.com
More information on this podcast can be found at www.facebook.com/bigchangethefilm and www.bigchangethefilm.com