‘Mike and Molly’ Star Billy Gardell Drops 78kg After Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis; Here’s How He Did It

Billy Gardell lost more than 70 kilograms after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The Mike and Molly star said he used to keep dropping and gaining dozens of pounds at a time for years, till things

changed in 2020 when he developed high blood sugar levels. At the time, he weighed around 172 kilograms. “Every year, I’d say I’d start on Monday. Or the first of the month. Or New Year’s Eve. That was always my routine,” the 56-year-old actor said in an interview with the People magazine. However, diabetes was not just one issue. According to Gardell, the real health scare came in 2020, when he got COVID-19. “When the first wave hit, and they punched up that list of high-risk conditions, I had all of them,” he said. “Overweight, sleep apnea, smoker, type 2 diabetes, asthma … It was really the perfect storm. Between my blood numbers not coming back good, my blood pressure going up, type 2 diabetes, and COVID — it was enough stuff to scare me to say, ‘Come hell or high water, I’ve got to make a change.’ Apart from developing type 2 diabetes, Gardell was also struggling with joint and muscle pain that made it “hurt to stand up.” He began to worry that he wouldn’t be around for wife Patty and son Will, now 22, but “chickened out” both times he had previously discussed weight-loss surgery with his doctor.

How did Gardell lose weight?

Gardell underwent bariatric surgery in July 2021, which was the first step in his transformation. “It really came down to a shift in everything I think about food,” he said. “Food is fuel. It’s not a reward, it’s not soothing, it’s not medication. I had to get beyond my emotional relationship with food.” After the surgery, the actor completely changed his diet and started working out – first at home and then at the gym.

Gardell’s diabetes is gone

Gardell said living a healthy lifestyle brought a lot of changes, other than physical. “I fluctuate between 210 and 215,” he said of his current weight. “And that’s comfortable for me. My diabetes is gone. I feel strong. I have energy. Losing weight saved my life,” he said. According to experts, significant weight loss – especially for those who are obese- can reverse Type 2 diabetes, leading to remission by reducing fat in the liver and pancreas, improving insulin sensitivity, and allowing normal blood sugar levels to return, but it requires sustained lifestyle changes to maintain remission, as diabetes can return with weight regain. Losing just 5 to 10 per cent of body weight can make a big difference, often achieved through diet, exercise, or sometimes medication/surgery, and it's crucial to work with a doctor.