‘Mike & Molly’ Actor Discusses 150 Lb Weight Loss, Says Diabetes Is ‘Gone’

“Mike & Molly” alum Billy Gardell is discussing his life now after losing 150 pounds, including some positive benefits the weight loss had on his health and family.

The 53-year-old actor told Entertainment Tonight that his current weight fluctuates between 205 and 210, representing a loss of 150 pounds since getting gastric bypass surgery two years ago. “Self-care is important, and I think I finally got there,” he said.

“I think you got to find peace with yourself and at some point, look in the mirror and go, you know, it’s probably time to take care of you. Then I didn’t get that note early on,” Gardell told the outlet. “So I’m a big believer that when you get it, you get it. It doesn’t matter when. As long as you get it.”

The celeb said his type 2 diabetes is now “gone,” per Page Six. “No diabetes, resting heartbeat went from 113 to 68. Walking around pretty healthy these days.”

“I eat like all the people I used to make fun of, to be honest,” he said. “I’ve got my fill and now I’m at the place where I can have a couple bites of something decadent if I want.”

Gardell also mentioned how critics online would find a reason to comment no matter how much he weighs.

“Of course, there’s always people online that, you know, when I was heavy, they were like, ‘You’re too heavy!’ And now it’s like, ‘Are you sick?’ Can I just walk the earth, please?!” he said.

While the “Mike & Molly” star is focusing on his health, he admitted to still having at least one vice. “I’m still smoking cigarettes,” Gardell said. “But I’m working on that one. A buddy of mine told me, ‘Knock them down in the order they’re killing you.’”

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The sitcom star said his son, William III, helped inspire him to make the change to his health.

“When you hit 50, you start doing that dad math, like, ‘If I can live 25 more years, and he’ll be 40,’ … You know what I mean? So I want to be here for him,” he said. “I’ve been an example in a lot of good ways for my child, but I feel like I wasn’t a good example of health for him. And so I want him to see that. It doesn’t matter what age you are, if you are willing to do something a day at a time, you can change anything.”

Gardell said it’s a “real gift” to be able to shop at mainstream clothing stores, but says he has “a few critiques about being skinny.” 

“The ankles are too tight,” he said of his new clothing. “I don’t want to do yoga to get out of my pants. That’s where I miss my fat boy pants, because you could drop them and step out like a fireman.”