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Fat Joe Weight Loss of 200 Pounds with Ozempic And a Low-carb Diet
Fat Joe’s weight loss journey is truly remarkable. By lowering the amounts of carbohydrates in his diet and exercising, the rapper managed to lose 200 lbs.
Even though Fat Joe hasn’t dropped the word “Fat” from his stage name, the Lean Back rapper has undergone a major transformation with respect to his physique. Joseph Antonio Cartagena, known by his stage name Fat Joe, decided to take significant measures for his health after the demise of his fellow rapper friend, Big Pun. The All the Way Up credited the success of his weight loss journey to a low-carb diet and Ozempic. The 200-pound weight loss was evident, which left fans stunned and pondering, “How did the rapper lose weight?” We’ll unveil the answer here — from diet changes to using medications, here’s all about Fat Joe’s weight loss journey. But before we move ahead with this, let’s have a quick recap of Joe’s career trajectory.
Who Is Fat Joe?
Born in New York City, US, Joseph Antonio Cartagena was introduced to music by his brother. He started his career in the 1990s under the stage name Fat Joe da Gangsta and worked with various artists as a part of the rap group D.I.T.C. Joe’s 1993 lead single Flow Joe from his debut album Represent became a hit. After that, there was no looking back for Joe — his unique style and music made him one of the renowned rappers, with many hit albums credited to his name, including Jealous One's Envy, True Story, Yellow Tape, Don Cartagena, and many more.
The songwriter and producer is the recipient of various prestigious awards and is regarded as one of the best rappers. He got married to Lorena Cartagena in 1995 and the couple is blessed with a daughter, Azariah. Joe is also a father of two sons which he has from his previous relationships.
Despite being a successful star, Joe’s life was not that easy, especially with regard to his weight. He weighed about over 300 lbs in 1996 and was at his heaviest at 470 lbs — but the determination he had to shed fat was applaud-worthy. Let’s know more about Fat Joe’s weight loss journey below!
Fat Joe’s Weight Loss Journey: How Did It Begin?
Sometimes, it takes one incident to change somebody’s mindset and push him/her to embark on a health and fitness journey. As sad as it might sound, for Fat Joe, losing his friend, Big Pun (a renowned rapper) to a heart attack at the young age of 29 motivated him to cool off the pounds he had gained over the years.
The Attention rapper stated that he felt like “Ebenezer Scrooge” (a fictional character in Charles Dicken’s novel, A Christmas Carol) — he looked at his friend’s little daughter and she was the same age as his daughter. In his mind, there was only one thing revolving, and that was that he has “gotta lose weight” otherwise, he is “outta here.”
Losing a friend had a great impact on Fat Joe, and since then, he vouched to make healthy choices and focus on his health and fitness. How he lost weight isn’t a mystery as he divulged into sharing his dramatic weight loss story publicly (more details about that below!)
Read More: Rob Lowe’s Diet: Low-carb, High-protein, Atkins Diet, And More
Fat Joe’s Weight Loss Diet Plan
Although the 54-year-old singer’s exact diet is not known, we do know that he cut back on carbs to lose weight. Joe shared in an interview that he has made some changes in his diet, with a major change being consuming a diet not filled with carbs.
Bread, pasta, and rice are some of the food items he tries staying away from, and believes that it’s the “smartest way to eat.” He further shared that in the morning, he would have his toast but would “cut the corner off” and “keep it moving.” The producer admitted to the fact that there was a time when he would have eaten the entire thing, but now he makes “smart” choices when it comes to his meals and practices carb consumption as much as possible.
Sweet potatoes, sauteed veggies, and salads usually find a place in Joe’s meals. He doesn’t like to miss out on anything and devours steak and lobster, but makes sure not to eat them with rice, pasta, or bread.
Carbohydrates usually gain a bad reputation when it comes to weight loss, however, it can’t be denied that they are needed to support the body’s functions. Our bodies have the tendency to turn carbs into glucose, which provides us with sufficient energy we need to function properly (1). Just like every other nutrient, carbohydrates, too, are important — then why do people steer clear of them when on a weight loss diet?
Here’s the answer — just like everything else in the world, carbs also come in two categories: good carbs and bad carbs. Whole grains, lentils, vegetables, and fruits all comprise good carbs that offer both energy and nutrients to the body. Bad carbs, on the other hand, in the form of processed foods, white sugar, and cereals, can wreak havoc on health by spiking blood sugar levels quickly and stripping the body of essential nutrients (2).
Generally, people regard all “carbs” as “bad carbs” when they start their fitness journey, but it shouldn’t be done, as too much carb control for a long time can cause brain fog, headaches, muscle cramps, and irritability — not to mention a few major side effects like heart arrhythmia, kidney problems, and osteoporosis and could be determinantal to one’s health (3).
So while ditching “bad carbs” that come in processed food and junk items is a good option not just for losing weight but for having optimal health, eliminating all types of carbs from the diet can have adverse side effects in the long run. This is why, it’s always recommended to seek a nutritionist's help before making significant changes in the diet for weight loss.
Speaking about Joseph Cartagena, removing pasta, bread, and rice from his plate helped him lose over 200 lbs. But apart from that, he also took the help of Ozempic (the celebrity-favorite weight loss drug) to cut down on pounds.
Fat Joe’s Views on Ozempic
Ozempic, the popular diabetes drug, was a helping hand in the case of Fat Joe’s weight loss transformation. He started using the medicine to regulate his blood sugar levels when he was diagnosed with diabetes, and he admits that the medicine also helps him maintain his weight. Whether he is still on Ozempic or not has not been revealed by the rapper.
Fat Joe’s Workout Routine
Biking and riding the elliptical is a common part of Joe’s workout plan. A few minutes of cardio is what he starts his day and then gradually increases the time to up his training regimen.
Read More: Dancer Pose Yoga: How to Do, Benefits, And Variations
Fat Joe’s on Not Giving up on His Stage Name
Now that Fat Joe isn’t really “fat” anymore, still he hasn’t dropped the word “fat” from his name, and the reason behind that is his wife. He candidly expressed that his wife likes him “being a big boy and loves that” and that she would “kill him” if he expressed the desire to change his stage name. Well, as Shakespeare says, “What’s there in a name?” — “Fat” or not, the rapper has made a decision to stay healthy with his balanced meals and workout routine, so the word doesn’t really matter in his stage name.
Fat Joe’s Before And After Weight Loss Images
Before:
(Image Source: Getty Images)
After:
While many celebrities resort to extreme diets for weight loss, Joseph Antonio Cartagena has a sustainable approach to burning calories. By majorly cutting back on unhealthy carbs and focusing on workouts, he was able to shed 200 lbs. Plus, he didn’t go for any weight loss surgery for quick results. For those who are eager to cool off pounds but can’t find the inner determination, Fat Joe’s weight loss story serves as a reminder that hard work definitely pays off and that one has to just be enough motivated to begin the health journey and the rest of the things take care of themselves. We definitely feel proud of the rapper for making changes to his diet and slimming down!
Sources:
1. Physiology, Carbohydrates
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459280/
2. Dietary carbohydrates: role of quality and quantity in chronic disease
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5996878/
3. Low-carbohydrate diets: what are the potential short- and long-term health implications?
