JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Drew Carey's Weight Loss: How the 'Price Is Right' Host Achieved His Impressive 80-pound Transformation
Drew Carey’s weight loss didn’t depend on any shortcuts or diet fads! He shed 80 pounds through healthy changes in his diet and exercise, and kept it off!
Price Is Right longtime host Drew Carey’s weight loss shows that it’s never too late to bounce back from a junk food addiction or recover from a sedentary lifestyle to get in shape. His weight loss journey is a remarkable personal achievement and an inspiring example for fans striving to embrace a healthier lifestyle. Drew pushed his limits and through a low-carb diet and customized exercise routine, he achieved his fitness goal.
Drew Carey decided to get his act together and aimed at losing weight after his doctor informed him that his life would get shorter if he continued his unhealthy habits. His dedication to improving his health is truly commendable—especially since he humorously claims to have shed nearly 1,000 pounds over the years. What sets his journey apart is his refusal to rely on shortcuts like Ozempic, surgeries, or other quick fixes, making his transformation even more admirable. Before diving into the details of Drew Carey’s remarkable weight loss journey, let’s take a moment to reflect on his incredible career highlights.
Who Is Drew Carey?
Drew Carey is an American actor, comedian, and popular TV personality who gained immense stardom for hosting the CBS game show, “The Price Is Right” — a game show that required contestants to win by closely estimating the prices of merchandise.
Formerly serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Carey kickstarted his career in the entertainment industry by gaining popularity through stand-up comedy. He had also previously worked as an emcee at the Cleveland Comedy Club.
By leveraging this recognition, Carey managed to air his own sitcom “The Drew Carey Show” as well as the American version of the popular improv comedy show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” on ABC.
His works in the comedy genre received immense appreciation, and he wrote his own stand-up comedy special “Drew Carey: Human Cartoon”, which even won a CableACE award for Best Writing.
Drew Carey Profile
Profession: Comedian, actor, and TV Host
Age: 66
Birth Date: May 23, 1958
Birth Place: Old Brooklyn, Cleveland, Ohio
Why Did Drew Carey Lose Weight?
Drew Carey has confessed to several media channels that for the longest time, he was tired of being fat. He had type 2 diabetes, which was worsened by poor eating habits and lifestyle choices. Besides, he knew he needed to change his entire lifestyle as he had already lost his father and brother to heart attacks caused by weight-related issues.
In the first year of hosting, “Price Is Right”, at the show’s cafeteria, he would frequently order unhealthy items such as grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, beef stroganoff, fries, etc.
Carey would head to the Swingers diner and order a plate of pasta, iced tea, or some other form of caffeine, cupcake, and a couple of lemons right after work — it had almost become his post-game show ritual. Then, before bedtime, he would grab a bag of Doritos with ranch, Oreos, or a couple of Pepsis before bedtime, and take an Ambien to go to sleep.
This lifestyle had troubled him severely. Soft drinks such as cola are associated with weight gain and health issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes, owing to the large quantities of added sugar in them (1).
Moreover, junk food such as pasta, cupcakes, and sweetened beverages are closely linked to health problems such as heart disease, obesity, tooth decay, cardiometabolic issues, and high blood pressure (2).
Read More: Post Malone Weight Loss: How Shedding 55 lbs Impacted His Career And Life
Witnessing this, Carey’s doctor had warned him, back in 2010, to reconsider his dietary and other lifestyle choices, saying that his life would be shorter and there would be bad things to look forward to if he kept at it. This urged him to take his health seriously, strive for a balanced lifestyle, and kickstart his transformative journey.
After making some much-needed improvements in his diet and following a healthier lifestyle, Carey managed to melt off 80 pounds from his body weight. Through his hard work and dedication to fitness, he overcame his diabetes issue, so much so that he stopped taking those pills and had optimal levels of everything on his blood tests.
Drew Carey’s Strict Diet
When he embarked on his weight loss journey, Drew decided to kick off carbohydrates from his diet as much as possible. He cut out major sources of carbohydrates such as bread and crackers entirely. This meant that he also had to refrain from eating common junk foods such as pizza.
While most celebrities end things by cutting out grains and refined carbohydrates with a high glycemic index, Carey took things much further and avoided all types of starches — even corn and beans, which also have some health benefits.
Studies have proven the benefits of having a low-carbohydrate diet on weight loss. However, severely cutting out carbohydrates, and that too for a long period, may have numerous side effects such as fluid loss, mineral loss, gastronomical discomfort, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, increased hunger, etc. (3). Moreover, cutting out healthy foods with starch, such as beans, Carey prevented his body from their benefits such as protein, folate, fiber, vitamins, and minerals (4).
Hence, while it is good to reduce an unhealthy carbohydrate intake and prioritize protein, fats, and fiber more, one should also understand that carbohydrates aren’t the ultimate enemy, and making drastic dietary restrictions can cause adverse health effects.
A good step that Carey did take for his diet was cutting back on snacking and opting for fresh fruits and vegetables as healthier snack alternatives. Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, electrolytes, and carotenoids that boost one’s health and well-being in multiple ways (5).
In addition, Carey incorporated superfoods such as egg whites and Greek yogurt into his diet, which are excellent sources of protein, calcium, and micronutrients, and offer numerous health benefits (6), (7).
On most days, he only has grilled chicken, steamed vegetables, and water for dinner. Moreover, Drew Carey only consumes water as a beverage and say “no” to tea, coffee, soda, and similar common drinks.
Drew Carey Workout Routine
Unlike several celebrities who emphasize more on cutting back on their diets than on exercising, Drew Carey believes that physical activity is “equally important” in weight loss and health improvement.
In his own fitness routine, Carey focuses the most on cardio and incorporates 40 minutes of cardio workout in his routine, at least 6 times a week soon.
In cardio, Carey really likes running, and started by doing the same on the treadmill for 40 minutes, when he began his weight loss journey. He also likes using the elliptical to enhance his cardio workout. Somewhere around August 2010, he participated in a 10K, for which his running practice came in handy.
Drew Carey Before And After Weight Loss Photos
Before:
(Image Source: Getty Images)
After:
(Image Source: Getty Images)
Drew Carey’s weight loss is a testament to his unwavering commitment to a healthier lifestyle. Even after attaining his goal, Drew didn’t dispose of his healthy habits. Looking at his transformation, we can derive how important it is to reduce the intake of excess carbohydrates in our diets and prioritize fruits, vegetables, yogurt, protein, and whole foods. For those who find it hard to part with carbohydrates, a good starting point is cutting back on fast food and packaged snacks—both of which were major culprits in Drew Carey’s life as well. But he still rewards himself with a little treat every once in a while.
Moreover, Carey’s routine highlights the importance of incorporating cardiovascular exercises into a fitness regimen for effective results. He greatly prioritized working out several times a week to lose weight. Drew Carey’s physical transformation proves that to age gracefully without crippling health problems, such as diabetes and blood pressure, one should reconsider their diet and physical activity and improve it gradually.
Sources:
1. Effects of Soft Drink Consumption on Nutrition and Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1829363/
2. Junk food-induced obesity- a growing threat to youngsters during the pandemic
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8459649/
3. Clinical Evidence of Low-Carbohydrate Diets against Obesity and Diabetes Mellitus
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9962697/
4. Health Benefits of Plant-Based Nutrition: Focus on Beans in Cardiometabolic Diseases
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7915747/
5. Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3649719/
6. Health Functions of Egg Protein
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9368041/
7. Exploring the Effects of Greek Yogurt Supplementation and Exercise Training on Serum Lithium and Its Relationship With Musculoskeletal Outcomes in Men
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8729320/
Chef Graham Elliot’s Weight Loss Journey: How He Shed 150 Lb
Al Sharpton’s Weight Loss: How the Civil Rights Leader Shed the Pounds
Sara Rue Weight Loss: How Jeggy Craig Helped Her Shed 50 lbs
