The Odyssey of a Former Fat Kid

What happens when the identity you built your life on disappears? In this in-person episode of The Odyssey of a Former Fat Kid, Bryan Butler sits down with Solomon Dixon, founder of Southside Jiu-Jitsu Club, to talk about faith after ministry, entrepreneurship without guarantees, and why jiu-jitsu became a powerful tool for healing, discipline, and community. They discuss: - Leaving pastoral minis...

Bryan Butler joins host Jenny Pena on her podcast "Path to Better A1C" to share his journey from nearly 400 pounds as a teenager to a sustainable, healthy lifestyle built on mindset, enjoyment, and stewardship. Rather than promoting restriction or quick fixes, Bryan explains why lasting change starts in the mind, why fat loss matters more than weight loss, and how faith, environment, and habit-bui...

What happens when your health becomes the price of success? In this honest and insightful episode of The Odyssey of a Former Fat Kid, Bryan Butler talks with Jenny Peña, a lifestyle coach and podcast host who helps high-performing professionals prevent and reverse prediabetes through simple, sustainable habits. Together, they discuss: - How Jenny’s corporate lifestyle led to her prediabetes diagno...

What does healthy manhood look like when the world tells men to hide their emotions? In this episode of The Odyssey of a Former Fat Kid, Bryan Butler sits down with Ashanti Pettaway — husband to Amanda Raquel, father of three, counselor at Optimum Joy Clinical Counseling, and founder of A Clearer View — to explore: - Redefining manhood through faith and emotional honesty - Lessons from 16 years of...

In this special episode filmed on my birthday I dig into the social, racial, political, emotional, and spiritual context for the creation of a 2015 self portrait titled "Identity." I'd love to hear from you in the comments. Thanks For a Behind The Scenes look: https://bryanbutlerstudio.com/identity-bts

What is a doula—and why are they changing the birth experience for families everywhere? In this episode of The Odyssey of a Former Fat Kid, Bryan talks with Ashley, founder of Doula Strong Births, about: - What a doula really does (and doesn’t do) - The difference between a doula and a midwife - Why her own traumatic first birth led her to become a doula - How doulas help partners feel confident a...

What holds most health entrepreneurs back from building a business that lasts? In this special Blueprints episode of you'll hear from fellow founders about the four bottlenecks that stall growth: - Lack of direction and unclear goals - Inconsistent leads and weak client pipelines - Awkwardness around pricing and sales - Getting stuck doing everything alone You’ll also hear three lessons from launc...

Hector Barajas is a cybersecurity leader with over 15 years of experience, currently overseeing Application Security and Data Loss Prevention at the College of American Pathologists. A Chicago native, Hector has also undergone a transformative weight loss journey that reshaped his body, mindset, and lifestyle. A husband, father, and passionate advocate for family and health, his story is one of re...

Alex McElroy joins Bryan to share his powerful journey from brokenness to purpose. Growing up without a father, facing anger and rejection, and falling into destructive choices, Alex eventually found freedom in Christ and discovered his mission: helping others build a confirmed, confident, and eternal relationship with God. Together, they explore purpose, fellowship, leadership, and how to move pa...

What happens when you hit rock bottom at 17 and weigh 400 pounds? In this special 10th episode of The Odyssey of a Former Fat Kid, host Bryan “Grizz” Butler tells his own story. He'll explore: - Growing up active but struggling with weight. - Chronic foot pain and the identity struggles that came with it. - The wake-up call from a surgeon that changed everything. - How COVID exposed the deeper con...

Jennifer Bryant, RD & diabetes care specialist, reveals how faith and science intersect in her counseling practice. From overcoming diet culture and body image struggles to launching Nourish Nutrition Counseling, she shares lessons on behavior change, business, and integrating biblical principles into health. Jennifer’s story highlights balance, freedom from food rules, and the importance of align...

From acne and underweight struggles to becoming The Kale Crusader, dietitian and writer Andy DeSantis shares how soccer, kale, and persistence shaped his life. We dive into gut health, fatty liver, inflammation, magnesium, and the myths of quick-fix diets. Andy also reveals lessons from building a practice, writing books, and learning to specialize in a crowded industry. A raw look at food, health...

What does it take to walk away from a “dream job” and create a new path? In this episode of The Odyssey of a Former Fat Kid, Dr. Joyce Grant—dietitian, professor, mom of three, and founder of the Nutrition Counseling Academy—shares her journey from growing up in Honduras to becoming a leader in nutrition counseling and education. We discuss: - Growing up in Latino culture & early exposure to diet...

Born in Chicago’s Englewood, Lamar Brown Sims—The Chocolate Theologian—shares how faith, therapy, and creativity shaped his journey. From losing friends to gun violence to launching Thriving Minds, Lamar reveals how resilience, mentorship, and the arts can transform trauma into purpose. A powerful story of healing, service, and building hope for the next generation. __________ Connect with Lamar W...

Lina shares her journey from chasing perfection to finding her true identity in God. She opens up about insecurities, breaking points, and the freedom that comes from embracing faith and authenticity. This honest conversation reveals how transformation begins within—and how we can all walk in truth, grace, and confidence in who we were created to be. Connect and work with Lina Website: https://www...

Retired Marine Lt. Colonel KJ Johnson—now Chicago Director at the C.S. Lewis Institute—shares how “spiritual CrossFit,” peer-to-peer mentorship, and the global church reframed his faith and leadership. We cover Marine grit, Okinawa deployments, Lewis without the fandom, patriotism vs. discipleship, and 30 years of marriage. Practical formation for pastors, founders, and everyday believers who want...

Buzz (“Aldrin”), founder of ProForm Physiotherapy in Sydney, shares how a blown ACL and Filipino grit led him from treating clients in his parents’ living room to a multi-location, design-forward practice. He breaks down his 4 bottlenecks to sustainable growth (vision, predictable leads, sales that deliver value, hiring/CEO mindset), why clinics should feel like Aesop—not a dusty office—and how fa...

Dr. Sara (Clinic Director, Chiro One Old Town) breaks down what chiropractic actually treats—the nervous system—not just joints. She shares how a chiropractor caught her mom’s kidney disease, how chiropractic solved her own IBS (via a lumbar anomaly compressing the colon), and why imaging + a thorough exam matter. We cover low back pain, headaches, tech neck, biomechanics, and why pairing adjustme...

Chef Lisa Shaw traces her journey from a food-loving childhood split between Brooklyn and coastal South Carolina to a Wall Street career she ultimately abandoned after 9/11. She explains how emancipation at 16, mentorship from a local nonprofit, and her Christian faith broke generational trauma and set her on a culinary path. After culinary school—and two children—Lisa found the restaurant scene h...