Discovering What Led to the Famed Chris Christie Weight Loss

With the help of surgery, the American politician dropped about 100 pounds. Ahead, find everything you ought to know about popular Chris Christie weight loss.

Sanchari Bhattacharya
Written by Sanchari Bhattacharya , Health & Fitness Expert
Updated on Jul 05, 2024 | 01:32 PM IST | 1.1M
chris christie weight loss
chris christie weight loss

Globally renowned American politician and lawyer, Chris Christie, had been battling obesity since his childhood which contributed to his hefty figure and form. When there is an excessive accumulation of fat or adipose tissue in the body, it leads to the medical condition of being obese or overweight (1). Once being obese started to adversely impact his health with multiple comorbidities, it led to the beginning of the famed Chris Christie weight loss journey. Christie’s determination to shed the extra pounds and get in shape helped him to lose about 100 pounds. In this article, we have put together all you need to know about how he dropped weight.

Who Is Chris Christie? 


Born on 6th September 1962 in Newark (New Jersey, USA), Christopher James Christie is a coveted American politician, lobbyist, lawyer, political commentator, and former federal prosecutor. From 2010 to 2018, he also served as the 55th governor of New Jersey and later registered as a lobbyist in 2020. Christie completed his graduation from the University of Delaware in 1984 and also obtained a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from the Seton Hall University School of Law. Throughout his political career, Chris Christie has been an ardent supporter of the Republican party in the White House and supported the same ideologies. 

While the political public figure had always been in the headlines for his political successes and accomplishments, he is also known for his impressive body transformation. When the politician dropped about 100 pounds, it changed his physical appearance and stirred controversy on social media. But, how did Chris Christie lose weight? With the help of a healthy diet plan, fitness routine, and weight loss surgery, Christie was able to transform his body. 

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Chris Christie’s Profile

chris christie weight loss

  • Real Name: Christopher James Christie
  • Birthday: 6th September 1962
  • Age in 2023: 60 years
  • Occupation: Politician, Lobbyist, Lawyer, Political Commentator, Former Federal Prosecutor, and Former Governor of New Jersey 
  • Weight Before: 350 pounds
  • Weight Loss: 100 pounds
  • Reduced Weight: 250 pounds

Why Did Chris Christie Gain Weight?


Chris Christie put on weight due to his struggle with obesity. As the excessive fat accumulated in his body, his physical appearance became bigger day by day and garnered more public attention, both online and offline. The politician had shared in multiple interviews and interactions that he fought obesity on and off for about 30 years of his life. The initial thoughts of embarking on the now-popular Chris Christie weight loss journey started bothering him in his 20s when he stopped playing sports and immersed himself in the field of politics. During that time, Christie was at his heaviest and weighed about 350 pounds on the weighing scale due to obesity. 

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When he entered politics, he faced some career issues as he was criticized for his body by distinct people in multiple ways. While some political people suggested that they should not adhere to the political opinions of overweight people, others openly fat-shamed him and subtly categorized him as a ‘plus-size’ individual. Further, former US President Donald Trump made fun of Christie’s size by posting a video online in which Christie was promoting his campaign at an all-you-can-eat buffet. This gravely impacted Chris Christie’s mental health and he started to think about prioritizing his fitness goals. Soon, he decided that he would lose weight for his family and his health. 

How Did Chris Christie Lose Weight?


While weight loss surgery was the biggest factor that led to the success of Christie's weight loss, he also made sure to adopt a healthy lifestyle to supplement his journey. Here’s everything he did to get in shape and drop the 100 pounds from his body.

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  • Chris Christie’s Diet Plan

The politician did not follow a strict diet plan but rather adhered to some healthy dietary habits, enabling him to prioritize his well-being and remain on track with his weight loss journey. Below are a few habits that he followed:

1. Gave Up Diet Coke

During his weight loss journey, Chris completely gave up the consumption of Diet Coke in his routine and also avoided drinking sugary sodas which claimed to be ‘diet’ based or had ‘zero calories’. This helped him make his health better as he avoided the hidden sugar found in these drinks. According to research, drinking more diet sodas has been associated with escalating abdominal obesity and also a risk for cardiometabolic diseases in the body (2). Hence, giving up Diet Coke enabled Christie to maintain his weight loss.

2. Ate More Green Leafy Vegetables

Another factor that helped Chris Christie to remain healthy was that he consumed a lot of green and leafy veggies in his daily meals. Green beans, lettuce, kale, and cucumbers were a major component of his meals throughout the day which provided the essential nutrients to his body. Studies suggest that green leafy vegetables may have anti-diabetic properties, prevent cardiovascular diseases, improve gut health, and are also anti-carcinogenic. Moreover, they contain several chemical compounds like carotenoids, flavonoids, polyphenols, and more which have a positive impact on overall health (3). Therefore, consuming more green veggies was beneficial for Chris during his crucial weight loss journey. 

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3. Drank Milk Regularly 

Instead of eating an elaborate breakfast along with coffee, Chris Christie used to drink a big cup of milk every morning and consumed dairy throughout the day in different forms like smoothies, milkshakes, and more. According to research, consuming about three servings of dairy products daily may significantly reduce the body fat mass in obese individuals (4). Hence, drinking milk daily benefited his body and accelerated the process of shedding extra pounds from his body.

  • Chris Christie’s Workout Routine And Surgery Details


Losing 100 pounds from the body is often only possible with a combination of a rigorous fitness regimen and weight loss surgery like bariatric surgeries. One of the ultimate secrets behind the Chris Christie weight loss journey was that he underwent a lap band or gastric banding surgery which helped him to lose the initial 40 pounds. Studies state that gastric banding surgery is one of the most effective and safe ways to reduce weight in obese people. In this procedure, a silicone tube is wrapped on the upper part of the stomach which makes it smaller and hence eventually restricts the overall caloric intake. This leads to an early feeling of satiety and also results in a lack of appetite. All these factors may lead to reduced consumption of food which gradually causes weight loss in the patient. Hence, weight loss surgery helps to drop the extra pounds from the body effectively and safely (5). 

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After he underwent gastric bypass surgery, he began to follow a workout routine to maintain and lose weight.

Chris Christie exercised in the gym for four days a week for about an hour daily. His fitness routine was a combination of cardio exercises and strength or resistance training which enabled him to reduce the body mass and drop the weight quickly. From walking, lifting weights, goblet squats, running on a treadmill, and training on an elliptical machine to deadlifts ─ his workout routine was a mix of different exercises. Research states that following a combination workout routine facilitates greater weight loss in obese and overweight people. Moreover, it may also lead to fat loss and improve cardio-respiratory fitness in people (6). Christie followed this workout routine post his surgery which helped him maintain and lose further weight for the best health and appearance. 

Chris Christie’s Before and After Weight Loss Photos

With the help of some healthy dietary habits, a strict workout routine, and lap-band surgery ─ the renowned political personality was able to shed 100 pounds which brought down his overall weight to 250 pounds over time. Here are some before and after Chris Christie weight loss journey photos that you ought to see for the ultimate fitness inspiration.

  • Chris Christie Before Weight Loss

Chris Christie weight loss

  • Chris Christie After Weight Loss


Chris Christie’s weight loss journey has been an inspiration for his followers across the world. While he did choose to undergo a weight-loss procedure like surgery to achieve his drastic body transformation, it is testimony to the fact that anything is possible in today's world as long as you are determined to achieve it. Along with the gastric band surgery, Christie also adopted multiple healthy habits and followed a rigorous workout routine to maintain and lose weight post-surgery. He was able to drop from 350 pounds to 250 pounds over time which garnered attention and became a topic of discussion on social media. His weight loss journey is proof that obesity is a medical condition that may be overcome eventually with the right choices and by prioritizing health.

FAQs

How tall is Chris Christie?
The height of Chris Christie is 1.8 meters. Hence, the renowned American politician measures 5 feet and 9 inches in height.

Is Chris Christie still married?
Yes, Chris Christie is still married to an American investment banker named Mary Pat Christie. The couple were married back in 1986 and share four children.

What ethnicity is Chris Christie?
Although Chris Christie is an American by birth as he was born in Newark (New Jersey, USA), his parents had a different ethnicity. While his mother has Italian (Sicilian) descent, his father has roots from Irish, Scottish, and German ancestors. Hence, Chris Christie has mixed ethnicity.

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About The Author
Sanchari Bhattacharya
Sanchari Bhattacharya
Health & Fitness Expert

Sanchari, a certified Health & Nutrition Life Coach

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