Back in 2002, TODAY show weatherman Al Roker weighed 340 pounds. It was at that point that he decided he needed to do something serious to get his weight under control.
For Roker, the solution started with gastric bypass surgery, and he has been very successful at losing weight and keeping it off.
Now, Roker has a new book coming out, and since he has always loved food, maybe a little too much, it is a cookbook that he co-authored with his daughter Courtney Roker Laga. The cookbook is called Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By: Easy, Memory-Making Family Dishes for Every Occasion.
While promoting the cookbook, Roker spoke to The Daily Mail about the cookbook and his experience with weight loss and food addiction.
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When asked what he thinks of some people taking weight loss medication like Ozempic to lose weight, Roker responded, “I’m not gonna judge anybody. Listen, it’s unlike any other addiction or dependence.
Roker went on to explain why he thinks food addiction is the worst type of addiction there is. He said, “You can live without alcohol, you can live without cigarettes, whatever that drug of choice is… but you’ve got to eat, and so for some people, it’s just difficult.”
Back to the topic of weight loss medication, Roker said, “If this is what works for them, I mean, who are we to say, ‘Oh, don’t do that.’ As long as it’s safe and effective, good for you. I think everybody’s journey is their journey.”
Besides gastric bypass surgery, Roker explained that there’s a big realization that has helped him on his weight loss journey. He explained that he thinks our current food portions in the United States are way too big.
Roker explained, “My daughter Leila lives in Paris [and] what I’ve realized is that the Parisians… look it’s not low fat, it’s sauces and bread, carb-loading and cheese, but they’re small portions, so that this way you don’t have that guilt. And so I think our portions… I think if you look at our cookbook, and I think a lot of contemporary cookbooks today, and compare them to even 10 years ago, the portion sizes are smaller.”
Besides making portion sizes smaller, Roker also thinks it’s a good idea to be present while eating so you don’t eat more than you realize. He said, “Well, today, everybody’s on their phones and doom scrolling and eating or having snacks and so I think the trick is to try to be more present.”
In Roker’s home, nobody has their cell phone with them at the table.
