Tuesday, New Jersey governor Chris Christie admitted to secretly undergoing weight-loss surgery in February.
The news of his surgery surprised many because Governor Christie has a history of defending his weight, including making fun of it himself on the CBS Late Show and Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update. He also infamously told a former White House doctor to “shut up” when she expressed concerns over his weight and the possibility of his health failing while in office.
Governor Christie underwent gastric band surgery mid-February and no information has been released on how much weight he has lost since then. During the surgery a band is placed around the stomach to reduce the amount of food that can be eaten. The adjustable bad also helps to make the patient feel full on less food. Gastric band surgery is one of the most common and safest weight loss surgery options, but, like other weight loss surgeries, is not a guaranteed fix to weight problems.
His surgery in mid-February would have happened just a few weeks after his appearance on the Late Show aired and he declared, “I’m basically the healthiest fat guy you’ve ever seen in your life.” At the time of filming, he could have already been preparing for his upcoming surgery and been on the path to a healthier life, albeit while eating a doughnut.
Several political pundits are suggesting that Governor Christie is trying to lose weight in preparation for running for president in 2024. He is denying those claims, and said in an interview with the New York Post that he simply wants to be healthy for his wife and children. “I know it sounds crazy to say that running for president is minor, but in the grand scheme of things, it was looking at Mary Pat and the kids and going, ‘I have to do this for them, even if I don’t give a crap about myself.’”
Chris Christie realizes that losing all that weight just means people will start making fun of him for his politics, right?
— CC:Indecision (@indecision) May 7, 2024
Best of luck @chrischristieyou’re in our families thoughts and prayers. We applaud you on your brave decision. Garden State supports you! — Joel Bayan (@joelbayan) May 7, 2024
The talk about @chrischristie weight is terrible. You are fit to lead or you aren’t, your political worth isn’t reducible to clothing size. — Niki Hawthorne (@nhawthorne) May 7, 2024
Chris Christie having weight loss surgery? Do I hear Christie 2024?
— John Hindley (@HindleyJohn613) May 7, 2024
Image by nj.com
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