Noam Galai/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — As the host of the number one Top 40 morning radio in the country, Elvis Duran had no problem dishing out “real talk” to his seven million loyal listeners or rubbing elbows with the likes of Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj and dozens of other A-list celebrities.
But one thing he was deeply insecure about for years was his weight – until now.
In December, the host of the mega-popular Elvis Duran and the Morning Show embarked on a dramatic weight-loss journey that has led him to lose 105 pounds in eight months, going from 265 to 160 pounds
“I feel awesome! I’ve got all this energy,” Duran, 51, told Nightline in an interview this week. “It’s still kind of a shock. I don’t even know who I am. I look at old pictures of me … and I don’t feel like I’m that guy anymore but then I look at pictures of me now and I’m not quite sure I’m this guy. So I don’t know, It’s kind of confusing. I’m an alien living in someone else’s body. It’s kind of strange.”
“The same reactions I get from people I work with and friends down at the local bar [is like] ‘Woah! really? what did you do?’” Duran said. “Katy Perry on the red carpet kept going on and on about, ‘wow, how happy are you right now? I’m so happy for you.’”
Last December, Duran underwent a bariatric surgical procedure called a “gastric sleeve,” where 85 percent of his stomach was removed.
“Going through this procedure is a lot of needles, a lot of blood work, a lot of testing. It’s a lot,” he said. “And then after the procedure you have to re-teach yourself how to eat. It all starts with fluids. You eat fluids for weeks and weeks and slowly introduce solids into your life. It’s not easy. It’s not easy at all. I would not recommend this for anyone unless they truly had to save their life by doing it.”
He said he decided to have the procedure because his weight was endangering his health. Duran said he realized he had a serious health problem after Dr. Mehmet Oz, the famed cardiologist and host of The Dr. Oz Show came in his studio for an interview.
“He took my blood pressure on our show and we went to a break and he looked at me as if he saw a ghost and said, ‘I really want to take you to hospital right now your blood pressure is beyond what a human should have,’” Duran said. “And he said, ‘you need to consider other options and that’s what led me down this path.’”
Although Duran is enjoying his new life, doesn’t come without his challenges. He’s had to adjust to new eating patterns.
“I miss being able to pig out sometimes,” he said. “You get munchies, want to go get a big ol’ plate of chicken parm and spaghetti. You can’t do it anymore. You can have a little bit. It tastes good, but you want more.”
In keeping with the spirit of his radio show, where Duran publicly revealed his sexuality – his boyfriend Alex is a zookeeper – he has been very open with his listeners about his health journey.
“I think the message I’m trying to send is, ‘look if you’re in a position where your future, your health, your life depends on losing weight and you’ve tried other ways and it hasn’t worked for you, consider this, look into it and see if its right for you, don’t be ashamed of it,’” Duran said. “For the first time in my life I’m looking for ways to extend my life, looking for ways to enjoy what I have already, [and] be thankful for what I’m given.”
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