In a deeply candid conversation, Todd Vande Hei, CEO of Stark and host of Health is a Skill, sits down with entertainment executive John Taylor. They explore how radical self-compassion, not extreme diets, fueled one of the most striking transformations ever featured on the show.
A former touring musician, Taylor’s decades-long battle with food addiction and alcohol saw him reach 450 pounds, plagued by sleep apnea, liver issues, and constant breathlessness. “I was eating like I wanted to die, stashing food, hiding wrappers, always ashamed,” he told Vande Hei. Even after trying everything from rehab to running marathons, nothing truly stuck.
Then Taylor changed the question from what to eat to why he was eating. Supported by AA, honest friendships, and a new mindset of self-forgiveness, he traded the old “all or nothing” extremes for daily, patient progress.
Highlights from their discussion included:
- How seeing food as a process addiction, just like alcohol, finally reframed his approach, and why a spiritual program, not another diet, was the key to breaking secrecy and shame.
- Why building muscle instead of chasing cardio reshaped his metabolism, driving him to a clinical 10% body fat. “Lean mass changed everything,” he said.
- The power of small daily check-ins, journaling, breath work, and simply asking, “How do I feel after eating this?”
- How stronger glutes and a healthier posterior chain helped eliminate back pain, improve mood, and keep him training injury-free.
- Why loving himself first unlocked deeper relationships, more compassion for others, and made life itself worth extending.
Reflecting on his once grim outlook, Taylor added, “There were days I woke up wishing I wasn’t here. Now, I’m grateful for every day above dirt. The more I love myself, the more I want to stick around.”
Listeners can watch the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. To learn how personalized training, lab work, and lifestyle programs can build a resilient, metabolically healthy body, visit stark.health.
About Health Is a Skill
Health is a Skill is a Los Angeles-based podcast hosted by Todd Vande Hei, CEO of Stark. Each episode blends scientific insight, personal stories, and actionable habits to show how optimizing healthspan can transform every decade of life.
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Source: Adam Torres / Co-Founder
Release ID: 1698425