Drew Carey’s remarkable weight loss journey began with a frightening wake-up call that forced him to rethink his life and health. According to People, the longtime host of “The Price Is Right” has lost nearly 80 pounds since 2010 through major lifestyle changes.
The transformation came after Carey faced a heart attack and was later diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, a moment that pushed him to take his health more seriously than ever before. Here’s everything he has said about his health and the changes he made.
How a Heart Attack Became the Wake-Up Call Drew Carey Needed
GettyDuring a March 2026 appearance on Ted Danson’s podcast “Where Everybody Knows Your Name,” Carey shared that he had suffered a heart attack years earlier but initially did not recognize what was happening.
After noticing troubling symptoms during a jog, he eventually went to the hospital and learned he had experienced a heart attack. Doctors later inserted a stent in one of his arteries.
The experience became a turning point in how Carey approached his health. At the time, his lifestyle was taking a toll.
Getty“It was miserable to live like that,” he recalled after describing nights filled with heavy diner meals, junk food, and multiple sodas before bed.
A warning from his doctor ultimately pushed him to change course. Carey realized he needed to rethink his habits if he wanted a healthier future.
Drew Carey Reflects on the Eating Habits He Once Had
GettyBefore the transformation, Carey said his meals often centered on indulgent restaurant food.
“I would go to a steak place and have the steak, the bread, the loaded mashed potatoes, a couple beers, and then a dessert,” the “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” host detailed his diet before losing the weight. “And whatever vegetable was there, I would just leave it there.”
Following his health scare, Carey gradually began making different choices. Even simple meals look very different today. “I’d eat the steak, the vegetables, not order a potato or not touch it, not really have the bread, and I just drink water all day. Like, I don’t even drink. I don’t drink alcohol at all anymore. It’s wild.”
In late 2009, Carey set a clear goal for himself. He aimed to drop from about 262 pounds to roughly 170 pounds within a year. He came close to that goal and ultimately lost around 80 pounds. “I look in the mirror, and I feel like I’m in my 20s again,” he told People. “I feel like I have my whole life back. I could live to be 100 now.”
Drew Carey Committed to a Strict Low-Carb Diet
Carey later explained that cutting carbs became the foundation of his weight loss plan. During a 2010 interview with People, the comedian shared that his clothing size dropped from a 44 to a 33.
The changes also helped him reverse his Type 2 diabetes. “I have cheated a couple times, but basically no carbs, not even a cracker,” he shared.
“No bread at all. No pizza, nothing. No corn, no beans, no starches of any kind. Egg whites in the morning or like, Greek yogurt, cut some fruit.”
Fruit often became his snack of choice, while dinners frequently included grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. Carey also eliminated most beverages except water. “I don’t drink anything but water,” he added. “No coffee, no tea, no soda.”
The simple but disciplined routine helped him stay consistent with his new lifestyle.
Cardio Workouts Helped Drew Carey Maintain His Weight Loss
Exercise became another key part of Carey’s transformation. The television host incorporated regular cardio workouts into his routine, often committing to about 45 minutes of exercise several times a week.
At first, he relied on the elliptical machine. Later, he began running and even set goals that kept him motivated.
In 2010, Carey completed his first 10K race in nearly 25 years. For Carey, seeing the results made the effort worthwhile. “I like being skinny,” Carey told People. “I was sick of being fat on the camera. Really, I just got sick of it.”
As the weight continued to come off, the progress helped him stay committed.
“Once I started losing weight, again, like once I started dropping a couple pant sizes, then it was easy ’cause once you see, “I was sick of being fat on the camera. Really, I just got sick of it,” the TV host told People in 2010.
“Once I started losing weight, again, like once I started dropping a couple pant sizes, then it was easy ’cause once you see the results, then you don’t wanna stop.”
