Actor and comedian Drew Carey went on an impressive journey to improve his health, which included losing 1,000 pounds over the years.
The Price is Right host recently revealed that he used to live an unhealthy and unhappy life following his appearances on the popular game show.
“I would go out to Swingers diner after The Price Is Right my first year, get a plate of pasta, a cupcake and iced tea with a bunch of lemons,” Carey shared in an upcoming People magazine story.
It didn’t stop there, though, as he also revealed he would “have Doritos and several Pepsis, and take an Ambien to go to sleep” at home.
Carey told the publication, “It was miserable” to live in that manner.
However, the 65-year-old show host began to take his health seriously, even reversing his Type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
Drew Carey fixed his unhealthy habits after doctor’s advice
Carey had a health scare in August 2001 as he underwent a coronary angioplasty after experiencing chest pains while filming The Drew Carey Show.
The actor told People recently that at one crucial point in his life, his doctor indicated that if he didn’t address his unhealthy lifestyle and habits, he would face future health risks and cut his life short.
That was enough for the actor and comedian to improve things.
According to an archived CBS report from 2010, Carey reportedly became serious about his diet and exercise plan to lose weight and debuted a slimmer look on the show.
He removed carbs from his diet and performed 45 minutes of cardio several times weekly. Carey also revealed in 2010 that he snacked on fruit and drank lots of water as part of his healthier diet.
In his recent conversation with People, the actor and comedian indicated he’d “lost 1,000 pounds” throughout his life and currently is 80 pounds lighter.
In addition, he no longer has Type 2 diabetes, which he was previously diagnosed with.
“It’s better being like this and having my blood sugar at these levels, and I love myself enough now to want that for myself and desire that for myself,” he told People.
“It’s a whole kind of change of mindset that you have to have about your whole life. … but once you do, it’s so freeing,” Carey said.
The Price is Right host praised the benefits of his healthier lifestyle
Carey also revealed how implementing healthier habits has changed his life in other positive ways.
Not only does he look great and have fewer issues finding clothes that fit when he shops, but he also said he feels great physically and mentally.
“I like the energy I have now, I like how I feel, and I like the lucidity I have in my thoughts,” he explained.
According to Carey, although his diet is much healthier, he will still enjoy the occasional treat, such as cake, but he’s much better with portion control.
“I’m not a maniac, but I won’t eat the whole cake like I did before,” he told People.
The slimmer Carey has hosted The Price is Right since October 2007, as he took over for longtime host Bob Barker once he retired.
During Carey’s time as host, the popular game show has received multiple Emmy nominations and won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show in 2013, 2016, and 2018.
Along with hosting the game show, Carey has appeared in his self-titled sitcom, The Drew Carey Show, hosted the improv comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and even briefly entered the WWE ring for professional wrestling.
While The Price is Right host may not have been happy during his earlier seasons of the show, he’s now enjoying a much better life thanks to his commitment to healthier ways.