Seinfeld star Wayne Knight reveals he dropped 110 pounds not by going the Ozempic route — but by eating sensibly and exercising regularly over many years.
Famed as meddling mailman Newman, Wayne got serious about losing weight after his doctor told him he was “heading towards death” with an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
“It scared me, literally to life,” recalls the 70-year-old actor.
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That was back in 1993 when Wayne played a scheming computer programmer in the sci-fi blockbuster Jurassic Park.
But he admits counting calories and working out wasn’t easy, joking he’s shed “7,000 pounds!”
“I lose 10. I gain 50. I lose 100. I gain 12,” he explains. “From like Jurassic Park ’til now, it’s about 110 pounds.”
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Over the decades, he’s worked with a trainer, psychiatrist, support group and meal delivery service to slim down.
But after playing the heavy in Space Jam, 3rd Rock From the Sun and Basic Instinct, his new physique has hurt his chances of landing Hollywood gigs.
“It takes time for people to accept you as you are, and they find out whether or not you can still do things without being fat,” he explains. “It’s just what it is. You just have to accept the fact that you can’t sell something that you’re not.”
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Looking back, Wayne admits he struggled with emotional eating, which led to his weight woes.
“I used to have a tan from the light in the refrigerator. I would just know there was something in there that will be the answer,” he says.
Now, he never wants to go back.
“[I] stand before you and like anyone with any addiction and say, ‘I’m done, I’m clean, and I’m going to stay clean for the rest of my life,’” he adds. “Let’s hope.”