Billy Gardell celebrated his 57th birthday on August 20 and the Mike & Molly actor has been thriving in this new era of his life.
In his earlier 50s, the star drastically turned his life around and lost a jaw-dropping 173 pounds.
In 2020, the actor had a wake up call when he discovered that he had developed type 2 diabetes while weighing 380 pounds.
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On top of that, he was also struggling with high blood pressure, asthma, sleep apnea, as well as muscle and joint pain.
At that point in time, Billy experienced intense pain when working out and he decided to do something about it.
He started his weight-loss journey by taking Ozempic so that he could make an effort to transform his "relationship with food."
Billy's bariatric surgery
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The following year, he underwent bariatric surgery, although he admitted that he was scared of moving forward with the operation a few times before.
He recalled to People: "I chickened out from it a couple times, but at some point you get sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was so big that I was at the point where it hurt to exercise... I needed something drastic, but it wasn't going to come until I was ready to surrender that even with the surgery, I was going to have to change my way of thinking."
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Despite being scared, he made the bold move and he credited his wife Patty as well as their son Will for inspiring him to make fearless decision.
He shared: "They want me around longer, God bless them. When a man knows what he's fighting for, he's capable of doing some amazing things. And those two are worth fighting for."
Billy's routine post-bariatric surgery and Ozempic
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Post-operation, he noted that it was "just the beginning" for the actor, and he has to put in the work to continue making progress, and maintain his newfound weight loss.
The actor consistently works out, consumes lots of proteins, stays very hydrated, regularly takes supplements to help with his overall health, and he only rarely treats himself to pizza and cake.
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He reflected on his journey, sharing: "My diabetes is gone. I feel strong. I have energy. Losing weight saved my life."
The entertainer now focuses on the bigger picture, expressing: "You’re never going to do it perfectly, but if you're doing it eight out of 10 times, you're going to win the battle."
He concluded: "My thing is I meditate, and I pray for consistency. I pray for gratitude, and I pray to remember the things that I've learned."
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