Diet Str egies: Weight Loss Success Stories
Name Stephen Furst
Job Actor/director
Hometown Los Angeles
Age 48
Height 5'10"
Weight before 320 lb
Weight now 180 lb The GainFurst had been heavy his whole life and was hoping for "fat-guy" parts when he landed the role of the hapless Flounder in Animal House in 1977. Off the set, he could down a cheesecake in one sitting. When he went to McDonald's, he'd pull out a list of names as if ordering for friends, then eat it all himselft.The PainFurst was hospitalized with diabetes in 1995, and doctors told him they might have to amputate his foot. "I thought, 'Either I can see my children get married and dance at their weddings, or a year from now I could be in a wheelchair, blind, and on dialysis,' " he says.The ChangeA hospital nutritionist helped Furst cut back on sugar and refined carbohydrates, and he concocted his own low-calorie recipes. He eased into exercise, walking the dog and mowing the lawn.The ResultIn a year, Furst lost 140 pounds. He wrote a book, Confessions of a Couch Potato, which includes his recipes, and made a movie, D4G, for men with diabetes. He cut red meat from his diet and eats a lot of tofu, poached eggs, skinless chicken, and vegetables.The RewardFurst knows he's going to live a longer, happier life. His acting choices have expanded. "I'm not the bumbling fat guy," he says. "I'm playing dads."Stephen's WorkoutFurst hits the StairMaster two or three times a week for 20 to 60 minutes, depending on his schedule, and does some work on weight machines.Stephen's Tips
Job Actor/director
Hometown Los Angeles
Age 48
Height 5'10"
Weight before 320 lb
Weight now 180 lb The GainFurst had been heavy his whole life and was hoping for "fat-guy" parts when he landed the role of the hapless Flounder in Animal House in 1977. Off the set, he could down a cheesecake in one sitting. When he went to McDonald's, he'd pull out a list of names as if ordering for friends, then eat it all himselft.The PainFurst was hospitalized with diabetes in 1995, and doctors told him they might have to amputate his foot. "I thought, 'Either I can see my children get married and dance at their weddings, or a year from now I could be in a wheelchair, blind, and on dialysis,' " he says.The ChangeA hospital nutritionist helped Furst cut back on sugar and refined carbohydrates, and he concocted his own low-calorie recipes. He eased into exercise, walking the dog and mowing the lawn.The ResultIn a year, Furst lost 140 pounds. He wrote a book, Confessions of a Couch Potato, which includes his recipes, and made a movie, D4G, for men with diabetes. He cut red meat from his diet and eats a lot of tofu, poached eggs, skinless chicken, and vegetables.The RewardFurst knows he's going to live a longer, happier life. His acting choices have expanded. "I'm not the bumbling fat guy," he says. "I'm playing dads."Stephen's WorkoutFurst hits the StairMaster two or three times a week for 20 to 60 minutes, depending on his schedule, and does some work on weight machines.Stephen's Tips
- Ditch the remote. "The first thing I did on my diet was take the batteries out of the remote control and make myself get up and change the channel. That's probably the hardest exercise I did."
- Fool yourself. "I'll make a diet cheesecake, but I'll put it in a Sara Lee box. Or I'll have a huge bowl of pasta, but it's actually just a cup of pasta--the rest is vegetables. It makes me feel less deprived."
- Enlist others. "I tell people I'm on a diet. If somebody sees me with a muffin, they'll think I'm off my diet. It's like secret little police that I've made for myself."
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