Al Roker has opened up about his past struggles with eating and said he doesn't mean to criticize people who turn to Ozempic to lose a few pounds.
The 70-year-old former “Today” show weathercaster has been open about his weight loss journey, undergoing gastric bypass surgery in 2002 in a desperate attempt to lose 100 pounds.
And as weight loss drugs like Ozempic continue to grow in popularity, Roker understands why people locked in a battle with the scale would give it a try.
“I'm not criticizing anyone,” Roker said. daily mail. “Listen, this is different from other addictions and addictions.”
“You can live without alcohol, you can live without tobacco, you can live with whatever drug you choose, but you have to eat and that's difficult for some people,” he continued.
“If this works for them, who are we to say, 'Oh, don't do that?' As long as it's safe and effective, it's good for you,” he added. . “I think everyone’s journey is their journey.”
After many failed diet attempts, Roker opted for gastric bypass surgery more than 20 years ago. At his heaviest, he weighed 340 pounds and wore size 54 jeans.
He initially kept the process a secret from his “Today” colleagues, but later surprised them and viewers with his slimmed-down frame.
“If you wonder what I came here for, [realize with] “My relationship with food happened over a long period of time, but I learned about portion sizes,” he added.
In March 2022, Roker will celebrate 20 years since his surgery.
“I can't believe it was 20 years ago today, but here I am, wearing these size 54 Levi's, weighing 340 pounds, going through gastric bypass,” she captioned the photo. on instagram I saw myself lifting the aforementioned jeans.
“There are still struggles, but I can't go back now. There are setbacks and struggles every day, but I'll never forget how far I've come.”
The TV presenter first thought about getting fit when he began to feel the pressure of his “mixed marriage” to second wife Deborah Roberts.
But the turning point for him came when he promised his late father that he would lose weight before he died.
“I don't know if you've ever had to make a dying appointment with a loved one, but if you have, you know the guilt and great responsibility I felt in that moment,” he recalled. I explained it in the record.
After the life-changing surgery, Roker ended up losing more than 150 pounds.
