‘Mike and Molly’ star Billy Gardell lost 170 pounds after life-changing surgery
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‘Mike & Molly’ star Billy Gardell was self-medicating with food for years before undergoing life-changing surgery that saved his life.
In a new interview, Gardell, 56, opened up about his past relationship with food and how he ultimately made the decision to completely change his life and lose an impressive 170 pounds.
“I was treating my emotions and fears with food, and I was also celebrating my victories with food,” said Gardell, who left home at 17 to pursue a career in comedy. People magazine. “You eat to deflect your emotions when they are bad, and to strengthen them when they are good, and both of these are poison pills.”
“I was so enlarged and immobile that it hurt to stand up,” he added.
‘MIKE & MOLY’ STAR BILLY GARDELL IS STILL FIGHTING THE ‘FAT MAN OVER THERE’ AFTER 170 POUNDS OF WEIGHT LOSS
The “Mike & Molly” star opened up about his 170-pound weight loss. (Getty Images)
By 2020, Gardell had reached 370 pounds and had developed type 2 diabetes.
“When is the first wave [of COVID] Gardell says: “Overweight, sleep apnea, smoker, type 2 diabetes, asthma. . . . It really was the perfect storm. Things like my blood levels not improving, my blood pressure rising, type 2 diabetes and Covid-19 were enough to scare me: ‘Damn or high water, I’ve got to make a change.’ “
Gardell underwent bariatric surgery in 2021 “out of desperation.”
JELLY ROLL FELT HE WAS MONTHS AWAY FROM DEATH BEFORE HE STARTED HIS DRAMATIC 300-POUND WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY
Billy Gardell underwent bariatric surgery “out of desperation”. (Getty Images)
“This really led to a shift in everything I thought about food,” Gardell said. “Food is fuel. It’s not a reward, it’s not a comforter, it’s not a medicine. I needed to move beyond my emotional relationship with food.”
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“You have to learn to love yourself,” she added. “You have to look at why you react to food the way you do and heal it, then love yourself enough to do something good for yourself.”
The 56-year-old actor says his surgery saved his life. (Getty Images)
These days, Gardell maintains her weight with exercise and a balanced diet.
“I fluctuate between 210 and 215,” he said. “And that’s comfortable for me.”
“My diabetes is gone,” he added. “I feel strong. I have energy. Losing weight saved my life.”
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