17: Chuck Carroll

May 11

Chuck Carroll is truly “The Weight Loss Champion.”

At his heaviest, he weighed 420 pounds and had amassed a 66-inch waist while requiring a size 6xl shirt. At just 5-foot-6, his tiny frame struggled to support his enormous figure.

A severe food addiction continued to fuel an unhealthy lifestyle as his waist expanded at such a pace that soon it would outgrow even the big and tall catalog. Yet, he convinced himself that he needed to continue down that path in order to remain a personality on radio station BIG 100.3 (WBIG-FM) in Washington, DC.

Still, there were times when, like millions of others battling the bulge, he tried and failed to lose weight. He was even once paid to endorse a program called The Cookie Diet. But like every other attempt, the success he achieved was short-lived as the weight came pouring back on and then some. The money he was paid for schilling the cookies quickly evaporated at the nearest drive-thru.

Fearing that his life was spiraling out of control and nearing an end, he opted to undergo weight loss surgery. Prior to the procedure he was convinced that the drastic measure would become like all the other failed attempts to lose weight. At least, he thought, he could go to his grave confident that he tried everything.

Chuck was just 27 years old at the time and didn’t think he would live to see 30.

But then the unexpected happened. He woke up from the surgery and never looked back.

Although a critical component, the surgery proved only to be the first step in his journey. In fact, he only attributes 10 percent of his weight loss success to the procedure.

In just over a year, Chuck shed 265 pounds by conquering food addiction and devoting himself to a healthier lifestyle. He’s now maintaining the weight loss by eating a plant-based diet. Going vegan once seemed unthinkable to Chuck, but now it’s going back to eating processed meat and dairy that would be inconceivable.

The confidence he gained from the weight loss enabled him to pursue his dream of becoming a sports reporter. He has hosted a number of radio shows with NFL players. One of the players gave him the nickname of “The Weight Loss Champion” after news of his transformation spread through the locker room.

Shortly thereafter, Chuck’s career took a twist when he became a reporter for the all-news CBS station in Washington. From there, he went on to anchor national newscasts at NBC News Radio. Yet, he felt something was still missing in his professional life. He wanted to give back and inspire others to follow in his footsteps whether they had already lost weight or were just beginning their weight loss journey.

His journey took another twist in 2017 when he adopted a plant-based diet at the urging of WWE Superstar Austin Aries which kicked his health into overdrive! The following year, he teamed up with PCRM to launch The Exam Room™ podcast where he has interviewed the biggest names in the plant-based community, including Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, and Dr. Michael Greger. The show has grown to become one of the most downloaded nutrition podcasts in the world.

To date he has lost an astonishing 280 pounds.

What we talked about:

6:45- How Chuck got into sports media

7:55- How he got the nickname “the weightloss champion”

10:50- Chuck’s journey with food addiction

20:45- The point in his life where he made a change in his lifestyle

26:05- The weight loss surgery that he got

29:50- Why fad diets aren’t solutions for long-term weightloss

32:30- Why Chuck became vegan

38:25- What his transition to a plant based diet looked like

42:40- If he varies his meals and snacks day to day

43:45- The fear of hosting a party and the guests not enjoying the plant-based food