Randy Jackson Shared How He's Maintained His 100-Pound Weight Loss for Years
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Randy Jackson, 65, opened up about how he has maintained his 114-pound weight loss for two decades.
The Name That Tune star said he has prioritized eating healthy and taking care of his gut following gastric bypass surgery in 2003
“Eating’s all emotional. I needed to really get it together so I could keep it off,” he said.
After his weight hit 350 pounds during his time on American Idol, Randy Jackson decided to make some big changes to his health, resulting in a 114-pound weight loss. In a new interview with People, the Idol star shared exactly how he’s maintained his incredible weight loss over the years ever since he underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2003.
“It's a great jump starter,” he said of the surgery. “You lose a bunch of weight really fast, but maintaining's another thing because you get there and your mind tells you, ‘Okay, phew. I’m here now. I can start to party and bring out the cheesecakes.’”
Jackson said it wasn’t easy to keep the weight off at first, especially following his type 2 diabetes diagnosis. “I hate the word diet. I don't use that anymore. Anybody that’s lost weight, you lose it and then you start eating and drinking more and it all starts coming back. That’s what started happening to me,” he says. “I was like, ‘No, I’m not going to spend my life going through this.”
But he decided to clean up his diet and focus on his gut health to stay healthy and strong through his 60’s. The producer said he suffered from binge eating and took strides to understand the “behavioral psychology” behind his eating habits.
“Eating’s all emotional. I needed to really get it together so I could keep it off,” he said. To stay healthy, the Unify Health founder eats five clean meals a day consisting of fish, veggies, and rice or potatoes. He snacks on bananas, apples, cheese, or protein bars and shakes.
He also makes room for sweets in moderation, because balance is key. “If I really feel like I need to have a piece of candy, I have a small piece so that in my mind, I'm not saying, ‘No, no, no,’” he said. “The more you deny yourself, the more you're going to go on a bender and have 18 candy bars without stopping at some point.”
Jackson also begins each day with Pilates to keep his body strong. He said that his new routine helps him feel healthier than ever at 65.
“I think if I had not figured it all out, I would’ve gained at least half, if not more, of that weight back,” he said. “And I’m proud to know that we did something that helps me, that helps everyone else, and takes the guesswork out of it for everybody.”
Editor's note: Weight loss, health, and body image are complex subjects—before deciding to go on any diet, we invite you to gain a broader perspective by reading Why Everything You’ve Been Told About Weight May Be Wrong.
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