SE01 EP34 - Real Life Heavyweights w/ Jay episode artwork

EPISODE · Nov 14, 2025 · 36 MIN

SE01 EP34 - Real Life Heavyweights w/ Jay

from Sourdough Modernity · host StringFellow Hawke

In this special crossover episode, guest host Paul Brown — barbershop owner, life insurance pro, and creator of It’s Always Personal in Philadelphia — jumps in to co-host and open up his studio as we sit down with someone we both know from North Star Mixed Martial Arts: Jay.When I first walked into North Star MMA, I wasn’t there to make friends. Hood up, earbuds in, train hard, go home. That was the entire plan. But then there was Jay — the human contradiction to my antisocial gym routine. Loud, outgoing, endlessly positive, and somehow always able to pull you out of your shell. Within weeks he had me at my first Korean hot pot. Months later, he had become one of the most genuine connections I’d made in adulthood.But behind Jay’s energy is a story that doesn’t show on the mats. A story that weighed over 300 pounds at its heaviest. One that now stands at 166 — but the real fight was never on the scale.From early relapses to moments of doubt, from fighting in the cage to fighting in your own head, Jay shares a brutally honest look at what it really takes to rebuild a life — not just a body.We wrap with reflections on self-worth, advice for anyone feeling stuck, and what work is still ahead.This isn’t a weight-loss episode. It’s a human one.www.buymeacoffee.com/sourdoughmodernityEmail us at: [email protected]. - WE HAVE MERCH NOW!https://ky1pgh-dy.myshopify.com

In this special crossover episode, guest host Paul Brown — barbershop owner, life insurance pro, and creator of It’s Always Personal in Philadelphia — jumps in to co-host and open up his studio as we sit down with someone we both know from North Star Mixed Martial Arts: Jay.When I first walked into North Star MMA, I wasn’t there to make friends. Hood up, earbuds in, train hard, go home. That was the entire plan. But then there was Jay — the human contradiction to my antisocial gym routine. Loud, outgoing, endlessly positive, and somehow always able to pull you out of your shell. Within weeks he had me at my first Korean hot pot. Months later, he had become one of the most genuine connections I’d made in adulthood.But behind Jay’s energy is a story that doesn’t show on the mats. A story that weighed over 300 pounds at its heaviest. One that now stands at 166 — but the real fight was never on the scale.From early relapses to moments of doubt, from fighting in the cage to fighting in your own head, Jay shares a brutally honest look at what it really takes to rebuild a life — not just a body.We wrap with reflections on self-worth, advice for anyone feeling stuck, and what work is still ahead.This isn’t a weight-loss episode. It’s a human one.www.buymeacoffee.com/sourdoughmodernityEmail us at: [email protected]. - WE HAVE MERCH NOW!https://ky1pgh-dy.myshopify.com

NOW PLAYING

SE01 EP34 - Real Life Heavyweights w/ Jay

0:00 36:37

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

O Pai do meu PAi Gabriel Bastião Embrace tradition, reject modernity. A tale that tells brazilian people history, and the loss of their freedoms as people left their rural properties to try the city life Genealogies of Modernity Ryan McDermott Season 2 of Genealogies of Modernity is a limited series from the Genealogies of Modernity Project and Ministry of Ideas. Each episode takes up a well-worn story about what it means to be modern and how we got here, and then challenges that narrative with recent humanities scholarship. Genealogies of Modernity illuminates lesser-known pathways to the present and unearths overlooked resources from the past for flourishing in the future.Genealogies of Modernity is a project of Beatrice Institute and Collegium Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture, with major support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. For responses to the series, teaching aids, as well as artwork and videos, visit genealogiesofmodernity.org. Ryan McDermott, Producer and Genealogies of Modernity Project Director . Maria Devlin McNair, Senior Producer and Script EditorJack Pombriant, Sound DesignerZachary Davis, Executive Producer (Ministry of Ideas)Special thanks: Dan Cheely, James DeMasi, Peter Fri Old Fashioned On Purpose Jill Winger Have you felt it? Something is rippling through humanity at this moment. It's a stirring... a longing... a remembering. A sense that we are more capable than we’ve been led to believe. We want to feel alive, not sedated.. but we've lost our way. We've traded a life intertwined with nature for asphalt and artificial lights. We've swapped natural movement for a sedentary existence. We've given up food from the earth in favor of food from the factory. We've sacrificed our traditional skillsets for apps and gadgets. But while our overdose on modernity may have made us sick, there is an antidote. Join best-selling author and mentor, Jill Winger, each week as she digs into a different facet of the old-fashioned on purpose lifestyle. The Sourdough Podcast Michael Hilburn Inspiring conversations from leaders and innovators throughout the sourdough community. Hear the stories behind the bakers, authors, growers, millers, artists, and other creative minds that you've always wondered about.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Sourdough Modernity?

This episode is 36 minutes long.

When was this Sourdough Modernity episode published?

This episode was published on November 14, 2025.

What is this episode about?

In this special crossover episode, guest host Paul Brown — barbershop owner, life insurance pro, and creator of It’s Always Personal in Philadelphia — jumps in to co-host and open up his studio as we sit down with someone we both know from North...

Can I download this Sourdough Modernity episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!