Al Roker is recognizing that everyone’s weight loss journey is going to look a little different.
In an interview published Nov. 9, the Todayco-host, 70, spoke to the Daily Mailpromoting his new cookbook, Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By: Easy, Memory-Making Family Dishes for Every Occasion.
Roker — who had gastric bypass surgery in 2002 and has been vocal about his weight loss journey — opened up about the realities of food addiction and said he has no room to judge those who turn to trendy weight loss medications.
“I’m not gonna judge anybody,” he told the outlet. “Listen, it’s unlike any other addiction or dependence. 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.”
“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,” he added. “I think everybody’s journey is their journey.”
Roker admitted that he’s hesitant to give any advice to those on a weight loss journey or hoping to change their relationship with food because everyone has good days and bad days.
“It’s tough and everybody’s got to face that and they’ve got to figure out their path,” he explained. “And if that path is one of these drugs and that works for them, great. And if it helps you, if that’s the thing that gets you over that point where you’re able to be healthier and lead a more active lifestyle, that’s great.”
Roker previously spoke about the topic in March when discussing Oprah Winfrey’s televised conversation, called An Oprah Special: Shame, Blame and the Weight Loss Revolution, which tackled how the use of medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro for weight loss have surged in popularity.
“Everybody’s struggling with it and we’re still trying to figure it out,” he said while on air for the Today show. “But no shame, no game. Just stay within your lane and don’t give anybody a hard time.”
In 2022, Roker marked 20 years since getting his bypass surgery on social media. “Hard to believe it was 20 years ago today, I wore these size 54 Levi jeans to my #gastricbypass at 340 lbs. and here I am today,” he captioned a video of himself holding up his old jeans.
“It’s still a struggle but I’m never going back,” he vowed. “I have setbacks and struggle every day, but I never forget how far I’ve come.”
In June of that year, Roker continued to talk about his weight-loss journey, noting how his physical and mental health has improved since incorporating light exercise and a low-carb diet into his day-to-day.
“Exercise, and not extreme exercise — we’re doing that 30-day walking challenge — that improves, I think, your mental health,” he said at the time. “Combined with a low-carb diet, I’ve lost about 45 lbs. in the last several months. I do about 100 grams of carbs a day and I walk.”
