Billy Gardell is working to maintain the weight he lost by 170 pounds.
“When I look at my plate, that fat guy is still there,” the “Mike and Molly” star joked during an appearance on “The Jennifer Hudson Show.” “I have to hit back at him a little bit, but he’s still there. But yeah, I went from a young Jackie Gleason to an old Paul Newman.”
The 54-year-old actor once weighed 370 pounds, but was able to lose weight through surgery and lifestyle changes.
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Billy Gardel joked about losing 170 pounds in a new interview. (Getty Images)
Gardell has lost 170 pounds since undergoing weight-loss surgery for obesity in 2021. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused him to lose 30 pounds.
“Initially, I developed type 2 diabetes, and then I took medication for it for about a year and started taking better care of myself,” Gardel told Entertainment Tonight.
“I lost about 30 pounds. But then COVID-19 hit, and when they hit all the marks that make you ‘at risk,’ had all the marks except for “65 years and over.” There were a lot of bingo cards. ”
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Billy Gardell, 2017 (Getty Images)
Seeking a dramatic change, Gardel decided to undergo bariatric surgery. According to the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, available bariatric procedures include shrinking the stomach or bypassing part of the intestine.
“Bariatric surgery provides a tool for long-term weight management, but you must commit to lifestyle changes, such as eating a balanced, nutritious diet and regular exercise,” the Mayo Clinic says on its website. Says.
Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy in “Mike & Molly.” (Getty Images)
Gardel emphasized that he was able to make lifestyle changes after the surgery.
“I just changed everything I’ve done,” the actor told Entertainment Tonight. “I want to be clear. [getting surgery] It was a very personal choice. I’m not telling anyone to do that. For me, it was the thing to do, but it’s just a tool.the real battle still continues [the mind]because a person will be this big again.
“There’s a small opportunity to change the way I live, the way I eat, the way I exercise, and so far I’ve been able to do that,” he added. “I continue to do that every day. I’m so grateful that it happened to me. I don’t have diabetes anymore and my blood numbers aren’t bad anymore.”
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Billy Gardell lost 170 pounds. (Getty Images)
Gardel said she needed to forget about food and rebuild her relationship with eating.
“If you grew up like I did, you grew up in a house where it was like, ‘You had a bad day, let’s eat. Did you have a good day? Let’s eat!'” I had to learn that it’s fuel. And it’s not a consolation, it’s not a celebration. And I work on that every day,” Gardel explained.
“If you don’t have a problem with food, thank God you pray and thank God you don’t, because…like anything else, this is a serious addiction. I’ll find a way. I’ll do my own thing…and I try to stay between the lines, but I’m grateful to be able to do that.”
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Gardel is excited about the “small wins” of losing weight, such as “not having to take deep breaths when tying my shoelaces” and “being able to shop at regular stores.”
“It’s understandable for people who are heavy. I’m free from them. My body feels better, my joints are better. I’m going to be like this for another 20 years and annoy my wife,” he added.
Billy Gardel underwent bariatric surgery in 2021. (Getty Images)
Gardel rose to fame in 2010 with Mike & Molly, co-starring Melissa McCarthy.
The comedian went on to appear in Bad Santa, Revenge of Angelo, You Me and Dupree, and most recently, Bob Hearts Abishola.
