E6 – Tim Kaufman - Kaizen & the Art of Life Maintenance

Hello Path Menders,

This week I have the pleasure of bringing you the inspirational story of Tim Kaufman. Due to a genetic disorder, Tim was told by his doctors to "keep his body quiet." Bad choices and pain compounded his condition and left him sitting at 400 Lbs. with a prescription drug addiction. But after facing tragedy in his own life, the thought of causing his wife more pain - from his death or worsening disability - set him on a path of self-discovery. Tim embraced a philosophy of Kaizen (continuous improvement) to mend his path. Starting with the simple act of getting out of his chair twice instead of once, or walking up four steps before resting instead of three, Tim inched forward toward a healthier way of life with the motto, "Do a little more today than yesterday."

Today Tim is a happy, active fellow, who loves life and helping others reclaim their health. Tim runs the blog Fatmanrants as well as a Facebook page (both worth checking out) and is planning on writing a book about his journey.

You may need a few tissues for this one.

Show Notes:

-Background / A path that needed mending (0:33)

-Trying to identify the impetus to change (8:21)

-Is bariatric surgery the answer? (18:33)

-Exploring other options - Dieting and a food log (21:13)

-Implementing Kaizen (23:14)

-Netflix documentaries - Opening a door to a new way of eating (26:02)

-Functional goals and steady progression (33:42)

-Running a half marathon with a handicap parking pass (43:20)

-From needing help with his shoes to a 6000 foot summit (46:59)

-Health is contagious too (48:55)

We’d also love to hear from you; leave a comment or email us at [email protected].

Much Love,

Chadwick @ The Mended Paths Podcast