Fluffy No More? Gabriel Iglesias Eyes Healthier Future

Gabriel Iglesias Reflects on Health Journey, Turns Down Million-Dollar Ozempic Deal

Comedian Gabriel Iglesias, affectionately known as ‘Fluffy,’ is opening up about his significant weight loss journey and a surprising career opportunity he turned down. Weighing in at a peak of 445 pounds, Iglesias has shed over 100 pounds, currently standing at around 320 pounds, with a determined goal to get under 300.

In a candid conversation on Club Shay Shay, Iglesias detailed the personal struggles and triumphs associated with managing his weight, especially amidst the demanding lifestyle of a touring comedian. “I’ve managed to accomplish every goal I’ve set for myself in my career. But personally in my regular personal life there’s so many things that I’ve not accomplished that I would like to. And one of them is in fact getting you know to a to a healthier weight,” he shared.

The Comedy Road and Its Toll

Iglesias’s journey with weight began in childhood. As his comedy career took off, so did his opportunities to indulge. “Once comedy started taking off, you got to figure it’s like, man, I I always wanted to go out and eat. I always like, oh, that’s be cool to go out and eat. And then I got myself into a position where I’m like, now I can afford to do it.” This led to a period where he admits he “didn’t cook at all for like 3 years.”

The comedian also highlighted the challenging schedule of a touring performer, which often meant late nights and unusual eating patterns. “You probably starting your day at 9 10:00 at night. you getting done at midnight, one o’clock in the morning, and then you go to eat and then you go to sleep till 9, 10 o’clock the next morning.” He described himself as a “night person,” often sleeping until 8 a.m. and being most active in the early morning hours, even enjoying late-night drives to avoid traffic.

A Turning Point: Panic Attacks and DDP Yoga

The comedian recounted a pivotal moment in his life when his weight began to seriously impact his health. While functional in his 20s, by his late 30s and early 40s, reaching nearly 440 pounds, he experienced severe panic attacks. “I would wake up and I’m just like, I can’t breathe right. I don’t feel good. And I’d stand up and I just I’d have to go outside. I’d have to go outside and I have to take off my shirt and just stand there and just let the cold air hit me.” One particularly frightening episode in Washington D.C., exacerbated by a sinus infection, led him to run outside into the snow, shirtless, a moment he described as profoundly impactful.

Seeking a change, Iglesias found significant help through Diamond Dallas Page’s (DDP) yoga program. “He helped me to lose almost 100 pounds. So, I credit him for that. I stuck to his program and it it really helped change me because it’s like I became flexible. I dropped all this weight, the panic attack stopped,” Iglesias stated, crediting DDP with a major part of his initial transformation.

Ozempic and a Million-Dollar Offer

Iglesias has explored various avenues for weight management, including consultations for gastric bypass surgery, which he ultimately deemed unnecessary if he could achieve the weight loss independently. He also tried Ozempic for about five months.

“Ozempic works. Ozempic is scary how good it works because it does curb your appetite to a place where you’re like, do I even need food?” he admitted. However, he found a significant drawback: “the problem with Ozempic is you’re going to lose more muscle than fat.” This loss of muscle mass, particularly in his shoulders, led him to discontinue the medication. He also noted the immediate weight regain, losing 20 pounds “like that” after stopping.

Most surprisingly, Iglesias revealed that he was nearly the original face of Ozempic. “Ozempic reached out to me many years ago and we’re like we got this brand, we got this product and we want to see if you’re interested. And they offered me a freaking incredible deal to be the face of Ozic before freaking O. O. I was supposed to be the guy singing that in the commercials.” Despite the offer being a “million-dollar deal,” he turned it down because the commitment involved extensive touring and public appearances as the brand’s ambassador, which he felt was more than he could commit to at the time.

Food, Nostalgia, and the Future

The conversation also delved into Iglesias’s culinary preferences, revealing a love for salty foods, with hot dogs and Spam-fried grilled cheese sandwiches topping his list. He also discussed his use of mayonnaise on hot dogs and burgers, a choice that drew some playful criticism. His comfort foods often tie back to his childhood and nostalgic memories of eating with his mother.

Looking ahead, Iglesias is motivated by the desire to be alive and healthy for his fans and himself. He drew inspiration from Big Boy, another comedian who underwent significant weight loss. “No, I wasn’t big boy no more, but I was alive,” Big Boy told him. “And that’s the most important thing.” Iglesias echoed this sentiment: “If I lose 100 or whatever the amount of weight is, yeah, I might not be fluffy, but man, I’m going to be alive. And I think that’s the most important thing.”

He acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining a healthy lifestyle on the road but expressed a commitment to making the change, even if it requires external motivation. “I have to do it for someone else because I’m wired that way. I’m wired that way where I’m trying to always please others and I’m the last person. So if I’m going to lose weight, I actually got to do it for others because I can’t do it for myself.”

Iglesias also touched upon sleep apnea, a common issue for individuals with his health history, and his brief foray into veganism, which ultimately didn’t lead to weight loss and caused him to miss meat. While he admits the ‘fluffy’ persona is a significant part of his act, his current focus is on longevity and well-being, aiming to prove he’s “not one-dimensional” and can thrive beyond his well-known comedic brand.

Source: Gabriel Iglesias Turned Down $1,000,000 To Be Face Of Ozempic I CLUB SHAY SHAY (YouTube)