Chris Distefano, a comedian known for his energetic performances and relatable humor, has been on a journey of self-improvement that extends beyond the stage. This article explores Distefano's weight loss journey, his embrace of intermittent fasting, and his dedication to mental wellness, offering insights into his holistic approach to a healthier lifestyle.
From History Hyenas to Health Focus
Chris Distefano, along with Yannis Pappas, co-hosts the "History Hyenas" podcast, blending comedy with historical discussions. Beyond his comedic endeavors, Distefano has been working on improving himself mentally and physically.
The Turning Point: Recognizing the Need for Change
Distefano's weight loss journey began when he stepped on the scale and saw 255 pounds. Although he felt that his weight was not very noticeable to other people, he felt bad. He realized he needed to make a change. He says that he felt like shit and hated it. This realization sparked a commitment to change his eating habits and regain the feeling of being an athlete again.
Ditching Social Media and Embracing Intermittent Fasting
On August 25th, Distefano decided to get off social media and change his eating habits. Distefano decided to get rid of social media and lose weight, he just got mad at himself, but he kept it all in. He started intermittent fasting on August 25th, which is the day before his birthday. He committed to changing his eating habits, determined to wake up feeling better.
The Power of Privacy
Distefano realized that announcing his plans to others set him up for failure. He kept his goals to himself, focusing on personal change rather than external validation.
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Intermittent Fasting: A Gradual Approach
Distefano started with a 16-hour fast, following the advice of an intermittent fasting app. The app advised him not to focus on what he was eating in his fasting window, but to focus on staying in his fasting window. In the first few weeks, he focused on staying within the fasting window, even if it meant eating less healthy foods. After about a week, he no longer wanted to binge during the eight-hour window. This gradual approach allowed him to adjust to the new eating pattern without feeling overwhelmed.
Early Success and Sustainable Progress
By October 10th, Distefano had lost eight pounds, dropping from 255 to 247. He used a Renpho scale to monitor his progress, observing the natural fluctuations in weight. The app helped him understand the science behind these fluctuations, reinforcing his commitment to the process. Over eight months, he went from 255 to 212 pounds, with his weight going a little up and a little down.
Integrating Exercise and Adjusting Mindsets
Distefano had always worked out, but he never really got the results. He worked out in college, and sports were his whole life. He realized his eating habits needed to align with his fitness goals. He recognized that he was still eating like an athlete. He wanted to feel like an athlete again. He adjusted his mindset, understanding that exercise alone wasn't enough.
Addressing the "Leading Man Face, Best Friend Body"
Distefano shared an anecdote about a casting director telling him that he had a “leading man face and best friend body.” This comment highlighted the discrepancy between his perceived fitness and his actual physique. He felt embarrassed because people thought he was in shape until he took off his shirt. He wanted his body to match his face. He wanted to feel good and disciplined.
Body Image and Confidence
Distefano now feels more comfortable in his own skin. He recounted doing hot yoga and feeling confident taking his shirt off. He wanted his body to be in range of what his face looks like. He wanted to feel good and disciplined in something and sticking to something.
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The Interplay Between Social Media and Self-Perception
Distefano recognized the negative impact of social media on his self-perception. He realized that he would scroll through social media and find fitness accounts with ripped people. Subconsciously I’d start to feel awful about myself. He would feel doubt and compare himself to others. This comparison led to self-doubt and undermined his fitness journey.
Breaking Free from Comparison
By giving up social media, Distefano eliminated the constant comparison that fueled his insecurities. He no longer compares himself to anyone. He is happy for everyone because he is happy with him and his career. He found that he was able to focus on his own progress and celebrate his achievements without feeling diminished by others' successes.
Managing Social Media Through Others
Distefano has someone run his social media for him. Everything you see on his social media has his approval or it’s his video that he sends to his social media guy. He is against people being on social media. He feels like a fraud telling them to go on and talk to him if he’s not on it.
Maintaining Momentum and Overcoming Plateaus
Distefano initially followed a strict intermittent fasting schedule, with 16 hours of fasting and eight hours of eating. He would have one day a week to go nuts. He felt like he hit a bit of a plateau on the scale, and also a mental plateau. To combat boredom and plateaus, he now incorporates a 20-hour fast one day a week, followed by varying fasting periods of 16 and 18 hours.
Sweet Cravings and Daughterly Influence
Sweets are Distefano's vice. He loves sweets and would eat them all day, every day. He limits his sweets intake to Saturdays only because his daughter had heard them talking about diabetes and asked him if he was going to be a diabetic. His daughter's concern motivated him to further refine his diet.
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Family as Motivation
Distefano credits his daughter with keeping him honest. He went to Italy last week with her mom, and before they left she said, “Daddy, I’m going to allow you to have sweets for three days while you’re gone cause it’s Italy and grandma told me that they have the best gelato.” He recognizes the importance of family support in maintaining his healthy lifestyle.
Navigating Challenges on the Road
Distefano travels two weekends a month. He manages his diet on the road by bringing yogurt and vegetables. He eats that in his hotel room in his fasting window. Knowing he didn’t cheat the day before makes him wake up the next day with a pep in his step. He avoids the temptations in the green room by focusing on his own food choices.
Workout Regimen and Enjoyment
Distefano emphasizes the importance of enjoying his workouts. He follows the science on Zero, after 16-hours of a fast, you go into the fat-burning zone and that’s when you want to exercise. On the road one thing he does now, regardless of what workout he’s doing, is every single day he tries to get in 50, now it’s up to 100 pull-ups and 200 push-ups. He incorporates videos from ATHLEAN-X and V Shred into his routine. He has also just started boxing.
Overcoming Hunger and Visualizing Success
Distefano acknowledges that he gets super hungry every day. He drinks water and visualizes what he’s going to eat the next day for breakfast. This mental preparation helps him stay on track.
Meal Choices and Preferences
Distefano's typical breakfast consists of egg whites, avocado, and onions in a wrap with a little ketchup and a protein shake. He also has a scoop of Athletic Greens with a shot of apple cider vinegar in lemon water. For lunch, he eats a salad every day with grilled chicken, fish, or a sandwich. Dinner is typically the lightest meal.
Adapting to New Realities
Distefano has adjusted to the taste of apple cider vinegar. He used to chug it, but now he can tolerate it. He compares it to meditation, where the benefits are not immediately apparent but gradually improve one's ability to cope with challenges.
Mental Wellness Practices
Distefano practices Transcendental Meditation (TM). He aims for 20 minutes twice a day, but often manages at least 10 minutes a day. He finds that meditation calms his mind and helps him prioritize what matters.
Career Aspirations and Personal Dreams
Distefano dreams of hosting Saturday Night Live (SNL). He would tell his mom first because she’s a humongous SNL fan. Hosting SNL is on his bucket list of dreams.
Balancing Career and Family
Distefano candidly discusses the challenges of balancing his comedy career with family life. He elaborates on his efforts to teach his children about financial responsibility, discussing his daughter's anxiety over his ability to provide and the impact of their moved living situation.
Acupuncture and Holistic Health
Dr. Chris DiStefano, who shares the same name, practices acupuncture and holistic therapies at Scarsdale Health & Wellness. The clinic focuses on proven medical modalities for improved health. Their services are safe, effective, and chemical-free to encourage the body’s self-healing abilities. Dr DiStefano is master level practitioner in trigger point acupuncture, Electric Acupuncture Medicine and is the creator of Innovative Freedom Acupuncture. This is an unparalleled comprehensive system for repatterining the body to provide immediate relief from nearly any health complaint. The clinic provides stress management, detox programs, nutrition guidance, and holistic therapies designed to support the whole person. Acupuncture helps with stress management by rewiring the body’s response to stress and gives a durable foundation of calm and resilience. Acupuncture helps cure pain by interrupting the loop and allowing the body to heal and function without the constant interruption of pain signals. Chinese medicine helps with migraines and headaches by regulating the nervous system and increasing the release of endorphins.