The LGBT community has always been known for jumping on the next trend, but this talent might be detrimental to getting in shape. Doctors, specialists, scientists and people who’ve turned their lives around tell us time and again that we don’t need grapefruit and kumquat diets or grueling exercise plans we will quit when we grow frustrated. Since we likely didn’t get out of shape overnight, getting back into shape takes time—the tried and true combo of patience and diligence.
“I’ve been doing this a while, so I’ve changed my metabolism,” says Orlando resident Guy Bosworth, who has lost 55 pounds over 18 months through careful diet and exercise. “Now, I basically know what I can eat and what I can’t, and I have my exercise plan built into my habits.”
That exercise includes three days a week of weights with a trainer. It also includes five days of hour-long cardio.
“I don’t mind,” he says of the commitment it takes. “Cardio is my decompression time now, my escape from work,” admits Bosworth, who trains flight attendant union reps.
Bosworth does admit that his job’s travel makes it hard, but a committed person will always find a place and time to get healthy. Bosworth, who is 5 foot 11 inches, started slow, by working with the personal trainer. As he shed some of his initial 235 pounds, he became more enthused. He added cardio, started watching what he eats, cleared more time, and dropped to 180 in about 10 months; he’s maintained it since.
“It was a slow process,” says the single and svelte Bosworth, “about a pound a week.”
“I’ve struggled with my weight for my whole life. I’ve done Weight Watchers, I’ve been on the Atkins Diet. I’ve tried a variety of different things over the years, and my weight has constantly gone up and down.”
Bosworth says he doesn’t know what exactly motivated him to commit to this long-term health plan: “I think it was the next step in a process I’ve been going through over the last couple years, recognizing that I needed to change my self-destructive behaviors. I got a good tax return and I thought, ‘You know, I could spend this on toys, or I could invest this money in my health.’ For some reason, I chose the latter.”
For Disney actor Michael Colavolpe, the motivation came from another thespian, the well-known Central Florida actor/singer/cabaret artist Laura Hodos: “She showed me the Lose-It app [a free application on the iPhone]. She’s been doing it, and she looks fabulous! In fact, Laura and that app have encouraged a lot of other theater people to get healthy. Since Lose-It measures out my calories for me, I thought, ‘I could do this, no problem.’”
Colavolpe, who is six foot three, found that with the physical activity of acting at Disney, the main thing he needed to do was watch his food intake.
“I have no interest in exercise,” Colavolpe, confesses. “Booorring! I’m lucky in that I have a very physical strenuous job.”
He also finds other ways to move: “I bought a bicycle, and I do other things with friends.” Colavolpe says the social aspect—encouragement and group activity—is a great motivation.
Between his physical activity and diet, Colavolpe has lost 40 pounds. He and Kevin Bee, his partner of 22 years, have both been working on getting in shape. Bee runs marathons; Colavolpe says the extra encouragement at home helps.
“I started in February and reached this weight in July,” Colavolpe says, “I’ve been maintaining it.”
In fact, his new body moved Colavolpe to wear a tight Aquaman costume for Halloween: “I thought, ‘You know, people could make fun of my choice, but I’m proud of how I look now,’ so I decided to go for it. Before, I’d have never had the balls to try it!”
“As an actor, I knew that if I could drop 50 pounds, I would get cast more.”
Both men are in their late 40s, an age when people think that getting healthy is impossible.
“Start small,” Bosworth says, of encouraging others.
“Know that you’re going to hit roadblocks,” Colavolpe says, “If you have the cheesecake today, know that you’re going to have to take it off your calorie count tomorrow.”
“I don’t do sweets, and I don’t do alcohol,” Bosworth says of avoiding empty calories.
“That’s difficult,” says Colavolpe, “because other actors are always bringing in birthday cake and junk food into the greenroom.”
“Weigh yourself on a regular basis,” Bosworth suggests. “And make a decision to take an action and just do it. Don’t think about the end, just think about the small steps you can take today. Once you’ve gotten the ball moving, it gets easier.”
