Meet Alfonso Perez

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Alfonso Perez. Alfonso was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Jabin Olds.

Hi Alfonso, we’re so thrilled to have you sharing your story with us today. Maybe we can kick things off by having you introduce yourself to our readers? We’d love to have you go into your story and how you got to where you are today.

I was always that guy who sat down with a pillow in front of him and his arms crossed, trying to feel like he was able to hide his weight. Stretching out his shirt so it wouldn’t look so stuck to my skin when I would sit down. My whole life I had been overweight. I had ACCEPTED it. The XL shirts, the shortness of breath, and everything that came with it. People poking my stomach? Yeah, I lived it. It was my reality. Or so I thought.
There were two big moments that shook me to the point where I knew I had to lose weight. The first was at a wedding. I had packed an XL shirt that I had tried on the month before. When I went to put it on, it literally wouldn’t even come close to closing! I couldn’t believe it! “It fit last month!” I thought to myself. As I rushed to find a 2XL shirt, I couldn’t help but think, “Wow Alfonso, you’re a 2XL now. TWO.” It was then that my internal struggle with weight really began. I had accepted the weight. I accepted the 2XL.
A few months later at work, my coworkers were weighing themselves on a scale. I confidently stepped on, believing I was 250 pounds. I couldn’t believe my eyes as my heart dropped and my world froze for what felt like forever. One of my biggest fears was reaching 300 lbs. The scale read 281 pounds. I was heading towards 300. In that moment, what I call a “sudden realization” came to me. I knew I needed to make a change.
I remembered that a couple of my friends had recently tried keto to lose weight for their engagement photos. I was too afraid of failure to ask for their advice, so I did what any other normal person would do: I went to YouTube! I found so much information that night, and I stayed up all night watching videos. The next day marked the beginning of something magical. I started Keto!
And so it began – a journey that exceeded my expectations. Within the first week, I shed 10 pounds, and from then on, I was hooked. In a span of 30 days, I lost over 30 pounds, and with it, my confidence soared. My self-esteem was on the rise once again. It was clear to me that I wanted to find a way to support others in achieving their goals of weight loss and healthier living and I used how I did it!

Please talk to us about your creative work and career. What should we know?
For as long as I can remember I loved photography, cooking, and trying new food! People would always ask me where can I eat this and that? What do you recommend? So when I started losing a bunch of weight I got asked 1000 times more. So I decided to make it easier and join together two of my favorite things and create the “Eating with Fonzin” Facebook page! I aimed for this to be more than just a standard food page or a typical “how I lost weight” page. My intention was to create an atmosphere where it feels like someone is simply sharing the delightful things they eat while on their weight loss journey or keeping their weight in check without making it obvious. Hopefully, these posts can provide benefit to at least one person! My favorite moment from the page was when someone messaged me the following: “…I just want to thank you for something you don’t event know, it’s been 4 months that I been on the keto diet, already lost 62 pounds. And honestly, you were my inspiration; thanks to that, I started. Now I feel very good, both physically and morally. I just wanted to thank you for that…” Above all, my two goals from the page are to demonstrate to people that achieving weight loss and adopting a healthier lifestyle is well within reach and showcasing local small businesses! You can find me one Facebook: Eating with Fonzin Instagram: @eating.with.fonzin I promise you’ll forget its a Keto/ Low Carb page from how awesome the food is!

So, as we mentioned to our audience earlier, you were introduced to us by Three Bears Bakery KC and we really admire them and what they’ve built. For folks who might not be as familiar, can you tell them a bit about your experience with Three Bears Bakery KC.
Three Bears Bakery has become a staple in my household! I first discovered them when I was a year and a half into keto and dearly missed cheesecake. I had joined various local keto groups on Facebook when I saw a post about a bakery offering Keto cheesecake. My eyes widened! Had my prayer been answered? Was I dreaming? Could I really have cheesecake? I quickly found that they were at the local farmers market in Lenexa, Kansas. At the time, I lived 40 minutes away, and the first time I went, they were sold out of cheesecake. I was devastated. However, they did have brownies (I believe). I asked about the ingredients and was amazed at how open these two people (I didn’t know their names yet) were about the ingredients! I got into my car, and Wowza! It’s amazing! I went back a couple of months later, bright and early for the cheesecake. Let me tell you, as my brother is my witness, I cried in that car because of how amazing it was! There I am, a grown man crying while eating cheesecake in my car! All I needed was some Adele playing in the background! It wasn’t just amazing; it was extraordinarily amazing! I was hooked! I needed more! Looking back, I never would have thought that standing in that line at the farmers market would lead to such an amazing relationship with the Three Bears family! The crazy thing is, as incredible as the cheesecake and everything else is, that’s not the only reason why I go back weekly or twice a week! Another BIG reason is the family – the Three Bears Family!

Let me put it this way: Have you ever heard the “Cheers” theme song? You know:
“…Sometimes you wanna go
Where everybody knows your name
And they’re always glad you came..”

I swear the “Cheers” theme song plays every time I walk in! They might say it’s not playing, but I know what I hear! That’s the atmosphere you experience when you step into Three Bears Bakery! You truly feel the small business love! You enter as a customer and leave as a member of the Three Bears family! I know it might sound cheesy, but I promise it’s true! It reminds me of those old general stores you see in movies, where the owner knows all his customers and has a personal relationship with each one. It really is like that here! There have been times when I’ve gone in for coffee, and before I know it, an hour has passed with me simply enjoying the company of the fam. (And yes, I’ve even asked for a couch and a table for my laptop so I can hang out there.)

Another thing I love is that every time I’ve inquired about macros, Jabin has all the information I need right there! Once again, they are very open and honest about what goes into their creations. And of course, Perry! Just know that even on a tough day, their son Perry will bring a smile to your face!

As soon as you step in, you see a hardworking family collaborating to bring forth these incredible creations! Yes, you can even see them baking! They hide nothing! And let me tell you, they’re conjuring up magic in that bakery – from the amazing cheesecakes to the cookies, pies, bread, donuts, and so much more! There hasn’t been a single item they’ve created that I haven’t enjoyed – and they’re ALL KETO! GLUTEN-FREE! Heck, they’ve even fulfilled many of my amazing special requests (Which Nataly Loves doing) These folks truly do it all! I can always anticipate something new to amaze my taste buds.

Let me add that my dad is diabetic, so I always monitor what he eats. One thing that used to pain me was seeing him miss out on his favorite sweet breads. Then I introduced him to Three Bears donuts, and let me tell you, he hasn’t been disappointed. Not only does he get to enjoy without worrying, but his insulin levels also remain stable. They’re so low that his doctor has even reduced his medication!

I warmly invite you to give this place a try! You’ll love it and gain some extra family members! And if you need any recommendations, feel free to send me a message!

P.S. Don’t forget to try the cookies, danishes and of course “The Cheesecakes!”

Instagram: https://instagram.com/eating.with.fonzin?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eatingWithFonzin