Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Against The Norm

At age 49, Stanley Bronstein weighed 367 pounds and was headed down a dangerous path. He had tried diets, quick fixes, and temporary solutions for years. Nothing lasted.

Then everything changed.

Today, more than 17 years later, Stanley has lost nearly 190 pounds and kept it off—without surgery, without weight-loss drugs, and without the shortcuts that so many people rely on today.

In this candid conversation, Stanley shares the mindset shifts that finally worked, why most people regain the weight they lose, and the simple daily habits that transformed his health and his life.

We also discuss the growing popularity of GLP-1 medications, the dangers of seeking quick fixes, how to recover after setbacks, and why perfection is often the enemy of progress.

If you've ever struggled with weight, fitness, aging, or making lasting changes in your life, this episode offers a powerful reminder that it's never too late to start over.

In this episode:

•  How Stanley lost nearly 190 pounds and kept it off for 17 years 
•  Why most diets fail in the long run 
•  His controversial take on GLP-1 weight-loss drugs 
•  The importance of mindset and personal responsibility 
•  Why "Are you willing?" may be the most important question you'll ever ask yourself 
•  How to recover when you inevitably fall off track 
•  The difference between perfection and excellence 
•  Why getting older doesn't have to mean getting weaker 

Stanley's final message is simple:

"Kick ass. I'm going to get started right now."

That's exactly how you'll feel when this episode ends.

Contact us:   againstthenorm.net

A retired schoolteacher becomes a fantasy hero. A television comedy writer discovers online gaming. A lifelong creator refuses to slow down at 75.

Meet Richard Sparks—Oxford graduate, television writer, novelist, and author of the “New Rock” series. 

Richard shares stories from a remarkable career that includes writing comedy, working alongside some of Britain's most influential creative talents, and eventually finding inspiration in an unexpected place: online gaming.

But this conversation isn't really about fantasy novels or video games.

It's about curiosity.

It's about remaining open to new experiences long after most people believe they're supposed to have life figured out.

Richard offers a refreshing perspective on retirement, creativity, and what it means to continue growing as we age. We discuss why so many people abandon their passions too early, how creativity evolves over a lifetime, the importance of community and adventure, and why "doing what you love" remains some of the best advice at any age.

Whether you're approaching retirement, already retired, or simply wondering what your next chapter might look like, Richard's story is a powerful reminder that meaningful work, learning, and personal growth don't have an expiration date.

Enjoyed this conversation?
Subscribe to Against the Norm, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make the next chapter of life their most adventurous yet.

To learn more about Richard Sparks, read his writing, and follow his latest adventures, visit him here:

Connect with Richard Sparks:

•  Substack: https://substack.com/@richardsparks
•  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richardsparks_author/
•  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RichardSparks_author
•  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550662994731

Contact us:   againstthenorm.net

•  Surviving a catastrophic spinal cord injury 
•  Depression, hope, and rebuilding identity 
•  Returning to Cornell in a wheelchair before accessibility laws existed 
•  Becoming a lawyer and helping others with disabilities 
•  Marriage, fatherhood, and raising triplets 
•  Why purpose matters at every stage of life 
•  The mindset that kept him moving forward for over 50 years 

Contact us:   againstthenorm.net

What happens when you reach retirement age… and realize you’re not ready to simply “settle down”?

In this fascinating and deeply personal conversation, journalist and author, Audrey Edwards, shares the emotional story behind her decision to leave America after the 2016 election and begin a completely different life in Paris at nearly 70 years old.

But this episode is about far more than politics.

Audrey opens up about fear, reinvention, aging, risk-taking, identity, race, retirement, loneliness, freedom, and what it really means to create a life that still feels alive and meaningful later in life.

We talk about:

•  Why so many people stay trapped in lives that no longer inspire them 
•  The emotional side of starting over in your 60s and 70s 
•  Learning to live in a foreign culture without speaking the language 
•  Why Paris changed the way she experiences life 
•  The difference between comfort and fulfillment 
•  Retirement, purpose, and the question: “Retire to what?” 
•  Why risk-taking becomes even more important as we age 
•  The surprising cultural differences between America and France 
•  What truly makes a place feel like “home” 

Audrey’s stories are funny, thoughtful, moving, and incredibly honest — from freezing winters in tiny Paris apartments to discovering a completely different rhythm of life abroad.

This is a conversation about courage, reinvention, and refusing to coast through the later chapters of life.

Audrey’s memoir:
 American Runaway: Black and Free in Paris in the Trump Years

https://www.facebook.com/audrey.edwards.260471

If you enjoy stories about reinvention, purpose, travel, and living boldly later in life, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Contact us:   againstthenorm.net

What would you do if your entire life collapsed all at once?

When Ray Martin’s marriage ended, his business unraveled, and his father died within the same period of time, he found himself emotionally shattered and completely lost. What was supposed to be a six-month sabbatical turned into a 14-year journey across Asia, Europe, and deep into himself.

In this fascinating conversation, Ray shares how a successful CEO with all the “right” badges of success slowly realized he was living a life built around other people’s expectations—not his own.

Along the way, he:

•  Ran marathons for charity 
•  Worked with elephant sanctuaries and orphanages 
•  Learned meditation in a silent Buddhist retreat 
•  Became a leadership coach in Asia 
•  Randomly auditioned for — and landed — the lead role in a stage play with no acting experience 
•  And ultimately rebuilt his life around meaning, freedom, intuition, and service 

This episode is about far more than travel or reinvention.

It’s about what happens when you finally stop asking:
 “What am I supposed to do with my life?”

…and start asking:
 “What actually feels true to me?”

If you’ve ever felt stuck, restless, burned out, or quietly disconnected from the life you built, this conversation may hit very close to home.

To learn more about Ray Martin, his book, coaching, and his journey of reinvention, visit:

Website:
https://lifewithoutatie.com/

Linkedin: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachraymartin/

Contact us:   againstthenorm.net

After surviving cancer twice, he discovered the one question that can wake up any man who feels stuck—and most men never ask it.

What would you do if life hit you with cancer… not once, but twice?

Most people would shut down. Most would ask, “Why me?”
But today’s guest, Savio Clemente, asked a very different—and far more powerful—question:

“Did I live the life I was meant to live… and what do I do now?”

In this deeply honest and thought-provoking conversation, Savio shares how facing two life-threatening diagnoses didn’t break him—it transformed him. What followed wasn’t just recovery… it was a complete reimagining of how to live, how to find meaning, and how to move forward with purpose.

But this episode isn’t just about cancer.

It’s about something far more relevant to many men in their 60s and beyond:
 👉 drifting
 👉 losing direction
 👉 and quietly wondering if the best years are already behind them

We tackle the real questions:

•  How do you find purpose when there’s no crisis forcing you to change? 
•  Why is joy the first thing you should focus on—not legacy? 
•  What does it actually mean to “take inventory” of your life? 
•  And how do you let go of regret before it defines your future? 

Savio also shares powerful insights on resilience, identity, and what he calls “adaptive resilience”—the ability not just to bounce back, but to evolve.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, restless, or unsure what comes next…
 this conversation might hit closer to home than you expect.

Connect with Savio Clemente:

•  Website: https://www.saviopclemente.com/
  
  
•  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saviopclemente/
  
  
•  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehumanresolve
  
  

🔗 Connect with Norman:

•  Website: https://againstthenorm.net
  
  

Contact us:   againstthenorm.net

In this episode of Against the Norm, Norman Calvo sits down with fellow Princeton grad Andrew “Andy” Oser—a man who’s lived an unmistakably “against the norm” life.

After founding a nonprofit that served over 50,000 inner-city youth in Washington, D.C. through tennis and wellness programs, Andy has spent the last two decades guiding spiritual retreats at sacred sites on Mount Shasta.

This conversation is for anyone—especially men in their 60s and 70s—who has spent a lifetime playing the “outer game” and is now asking: What’s next?

We talk about:

• Outside-in vs. inside-out living
• Why striving can become a trap (even when you “win”)
• How tennis taught Andy a radically different way to live (The Inner Game of Tennis)
• Using breaks (like in tennis) to reset your nervous system during the day
• Why nature helps us access the “real self” more quickly
• Authenticity, purpose, and the surprising power of gratitude

Links & resources:

 Resources mentioned

• The Inner Game of Tennis — Timothy Gallwey
• The Inner Game of Work — Timothy Gallwey
• Thich Nhat Hanh (using your phone as a “mindfulness bell”)
• Meister Eckhart (attributed): “Gratitude is the only prayer you need.”

Links:

https://mountshastaretreat.net/about/

https://www.facebook.com/andrew.oser1

Contact us:   againstthenorm.net

What does it actually take for a man in his 60s or 70s to get fitter—especially if he hasn’t worked out in decades?

In this episode of Against the Norm, Norman Calvo sits down with his personal trainer and strength coach Brandon Chu (Liv Method, Manhattan), who shares a refreshingly real roadmap for older men: start smaller than you think, build consistency first, and use accountability to make it stick.

You’ll hear:

• Why most men don’t change until a doctor or scare forces it
• The “momentum” approach: tiny steps that actually lead somewhere
• Why gyms feel intimidating—and how to lower the barrier to entry
• The simple truth about muscle loss, bone density, strength training, and protein as we age
• The mindset shift Brandon calls “chosen suffering”: pick the discomfort now, or pay for it later

This one is practical, funny, and motivating—especially if you’re thinking, “I should really start… but I don’t know how.”

Contact us:   againstthenorm.net

In this first full episode of Against the Norm, host Norman Calvo sits down with Ron Drotos—acclaimed pianist, musical director, and Norman’s collaborator on his one-man cabaret show—to talk about something most adults struggle with: starting something new without letting fear, perfectionism, or past mistakes stop us.

Ron shares powerful insights from decades of teaching musicians, singers, and performers of all levels—including stories from Carnegie Hall, Broadway, and his long-running cabaret workshops in Fairbanks, Alaska. Together, Norman and Ron explore why adults become so afraid of making mistakes, how early experiences can shape lifelong insecurities, and why learning anything new—singing, piano, fitness, or even a foreign language—is really about building new neural pathways, not instant success.

This conversation reframes learning as a joyful, process-driven experience rather than a performance test. Ron explains why progress is rarely linear, why perfection is a modern illusion, and how community, consistency, and curiosity matter far more than talent. Norman also shares personal stories from his own journey into singing and performance later in life—and how doing something creative at 70 has been one of the most energizing experiences of his life.

If you’ve ever thought “I’m too old,” “I’m not good at this,” or “I don’t want to embarrass myself,” this episode is a reminder that growth doesn’t come from staying on the path—it comes from going a little further than feels comfortable.

Contact us:   againstthenorm.net

A short introduction to Against the Norm—a podcast for people who aren’t done yet and are ready to create a bold, energized next chapter in their life.

Contact us:   againstthenorm.net