From Broke, Fat, or Single to Stable, Healthy, and Dating

I used to weigh 250 pounds and hated myself for being fat. I tried dieting, workouts, and quick fixes, but I kept getting heavier and more out of control. Eventually, I realized my biggest problem wasn’t food — it was alcohol. I stopped drinking first by joining Alcoholics Anonymous and working the 12 steps. Then I spent a full year tracking what I ate, learning how my body actually worked, and eventually transitioned to a whole-food, plant-based diet. Since then, I’ve maintained under 20% body fat and stayed consistently active and healthy for nearly a decade.

With money, I lived paycheck to paycheck for more than a decade until I got sober. Once I did, I started taking my financial life seriously — studying, experimenting, succeeding, failing, and rebuilding multiple times. I’ve earned far more than I ever expected, lost it more than once, and learned firsthand that money is much more about behavior, stability, and clarity than any single strategy.

Today, I live in real abundance, even after stepping away from my online business and shifting fully to in-person community. During a recent divorce, I gave my ex the house, increased my monthly living costs by over $3,000, and lost my previous income — and still continue to thrive. I sleep eight hours a night, see my kids most days, live in the best neighborhood I’ve ever lived in by myself (walking distance from this park), get weekly massages, and continue to innovate while enjoying a peaceful, joyful life and preparing to build another family.

In relationships, I was single for most of my adult life before sharing nearly 15 years with an incredible woman, including 14 years living together and 13 years married. We are still best friends today. I’m actively dating, meeting women locally, and using dating apps efficiently without letting them take over my life. I stay consistently connected, social, and in position to find my next wife while enjoying meaningful relationships along the way.

What I’ve learned is that thriving doesn’t come from isolating or “figuring it out alone.” It comes from staying grounded, honest, and connected — and from giving back in the same areas where you were once helped.

That’s what this gathering is.

This is a real-life, in-person conversation focused on money, health, and relationships.

We meet for one hour. We begin with introductions where everyone shares:

• where life is working
• where support would help

I offer a short lead based on what’s shared, and then everyone has space to contribute — both where they want help and where they can offer perspective from areas of their life that are strong.

Some people come struggling in one area.
Some come doing well and wanting to give back.

Together, we form a real-life mastermind — not about hype or fixing each other, but about listening, thinking clearly, and supporting one another in becoming:

• more secure with money
• more in control of health
• more fulfilled in relationships

• We meet in the cafe at Rollin Oats outside with the tables.

• People dealing with money stress, health challenges (especially being overweight), or relationship struggles (single, dating, or married)
• People doing well in one or more areas who want to share what’s worked
• People who value real conversation, lived experience, and community
• People who want growth without gurus, lectures, or pressure

You don’t need all three issues to belong here. One is enough.

I’m also writing several books based on these experiences, and this group is one of the ways I share them directly with my local community — face to face, in real life.

If this resonates, you’re welcome to join us.

Questions?
Text me at 727-339-0333

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Host or Publisher Jerry Banfield