Chuck Carroll lost 280 pounds and has kept the weight off for nearly 20 years. Drawing on his sustained weight loss and ongoing health journey, he shares practical tips, lessons, and encouragement to help others move forward and never give up.
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The Honest Health Update
Published 4 months ago • 7 min read
Hey Reader,
It has been a wild couple of months on the road to recovery.
Then again, I suppose that’s been true for the last few years. At this point “wild” and I are basically on a first-name basis.
As I write this, I’m a little more than two months removed from surgery at the Mayo Clinic. That means it has been two months since my Roux-en-Y gastric bypass was reversed, the feeding tube was removed, and my stomach was put back together again a la Humpty Dumpty.
And let me tell you, Humpty Dumpty has been through some things.
The big question everyone keeps asking is pretty simple: How am I doing?
The most honest answer is this: Better. Not perfect, but better.
And after everything that has happened, I’ll take better every single day of the week and twice on Sunday.
What's Inside
Where things stand two months after surgery
The good: weight loss and improved energy
The reality: symptoms still hanging around
The weird: puffy cheeks, funky skin, mirror mind games
What my doctors keep telling me
Event schedule back on the road
A little fun with Carleigh Bodrug from PlantYou
The Good
Showing off my somewhat thinner looks with my friend John Gonzalez from WJLA-TV in Washington, DC
Let’s begin with the wins because there are some big ones.
I’ve already lost 40 pounds. Forty!
I suspect a lot of that was inflammation that my body had been holding onto like it was a family heirloom. Whatever it was, I am not asking too many questions. I am simply waving goodbye and wishing it well in its future endeavors.
I’m also fighting my way back into my old clothes again. Some of my patented very brightly colored shirts that had been banished to the back of the closet are suddenly getting a second chance at life. A few pairs of pants that had previously said, “Not today, my friend,” are now willing to negotiate.
My energy is also starting to come back. I’m not ready to run through a wall like a linebacker, but I’m also not dragging through every day like my batteries were stolen in the middle of the night.
And perhaps most importantly, I’m eating more normal food again.
For months, food was either off the table completely or came with more rules than a homeowners association. Tube feeding. Clear liquids. Full liquids. Purées. Soft foods. It was a whole journey.
Now I’m eating actual food again.
And I have to say something that may not sound very exciting to the average person: Broccoli is delicious.
That’s not exactly a sentence I would have imagined saying when I was 400-plus pounds back in the day, but here we are.
The Reality
Now, before anybody starts throwing confetti and declaring me good as new, let me pump the brakes a little bit.
I am not symptom free. Not by a long shot. The bloating is still there and as I am reintroducing regular foods to my stomach there are some that aren’t ready for primetime yet. A combination of shaved raw brussels sprouts and kale recently TKO’d my tummy like it had gone a round against Mike Tyson in his prime.
The good news is that the symptoms generally are is not where they were before surgery. At least it doesn’t feel that way right now. But it’s still there enough for me to notice it and, if I’m being completely honest, worry about it.
The brain fog and drunk feeling also still pop up.
Again, the good news is that it’s not nearly as bad as it was. It also doesn’t seem to last as long.
Before surgery, that feeling could absolutely flatten me. It was like being trapped in a body that had been taken over by a very confused, very unpleasant alien. I’d feel dizzy, off, foggy, and like I had been overserved despite not having had a drop of alcohol.
Now when it happens, it feels less intense and shorter-lived.
So, yes, it is a win, but it is still not fun at times. It is also a reminder that this story is not finished yet.
The Weird Stuff
Here’s where things get a little strange.
I feel like my progress has stalled somewhat. Maybe that’s normal. Maybe that’s what healing looks like. You make a big leap forward, then your body decides to pull over at a rest stop for a while.
That can be frustrating.
My skin was not doing great before surgery. Then after surgery it cleared up beautifully. Now it’s getting a little funky again.
My face and body still get a little puffy after I eat. It doesn’t seem to matter what I eat either. My body can take something healthy and simple and still act like I just entered a Nathan’s hot dog eating contest.
That puffiness messes with my head.
When I look in the mirror, I still see cheeks that look awfully round compared with how I used to look before all of this started. Some days that bothers me more than I’d like to admit.
And maybe part of that is my own distorted view of myself.
Actually, I’m sure part of it is.
I struggled with that when I was overweight. Then I struggled with it again after I lost all the weight. And now, after three years of illness, inflammation, weight changes, surgery, recovery, and a body that has been through the wringer, it makes sense that my brain would need some time to recalibrate.
The mirror and I have had a complicated relationship for a long time.
My Doctors Keep Telling Me...
With my friend Tubby Nugget outside the Mayo Clinic
My doctors at the Mayo Clinic keep reminding me of something that I know is true, even though I don’t always love hearing it.
Patience.
My body didn’t break overnight, and it’s not going to heal overnight.
As much as I would love for them to say, “Congratulations, Chuck! Everything is fixed. Go enjoy your broccoli and become the King of all Healthy Media,” that is not how this works.
The reality is that my body was wired completely differently for more than 15 years.
My digestive system was rerouted, stapled, altered, and asked to function in a way it was never originally designed to. Then after years of mystery symptoms and a whole lot of suffering, everything was changed again.
Now I’m only two months into having a normal stomach again. That’s barely a cup of coffee in the grand scheme of healing.
So, the Mayo team is telling me to stay patient and keep giving my body time. And they’re right. I don’t necessarily like that they’re right, but they’re right.
The Big Picture
When I first went to the Mayo Clinic, they asked me what my expectations were.
My wife Julie and I said from the beginning that if I could just get back to 80 or 90 percent, I’d be happier than a pig in slop.
That remains the goal. I don’t need perfect.
Would I like perfect? Of course. Who wouldn’t?
But perfect was never the baseline. Getting my life back was the baseline.
Being able to be more present for my family, eat more normally, travel more, think clearly, feel stronger, and wake up without wondering what fresh nonsense my body had planned for the day.
That’s what I’m fighting for. Right now, I believe we are moving in that direction.
Maybe slower than I want and with more bumps in the road than I’d like, but still moving.
And moving forward is a beautiful thing.
On The Road Again
At the 2025 National Health Associate Conference
I’m also starting to get back out into the world again, which feels pretty amazing after everything that has happened.
I’ll be appearing at several events this year, and I would love to see you there. Some of them also have virtual seats available, so you can still be part of the action even if travel isn’t in the cards.
Full disclosure: some of the links below may be affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you purchase through them. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, but it does help cover my medical expenses. And for that, I am truly grateful.
National Health Association Conference
Cleveland, Ohio June 25–28, 2026 Online seats available
This one is coming up fast! The NHA Conference is always filled with incredible people, powerful stories, and enough healthy food to make your arteries write thank-you notes. Virtual seats are available so you can join us from anywhere in the world!
I’ll be there along with a tremendous lineup of speakers, including Dr. Joel Fuhrman and Dr. Kristi Funk!
Washington, DC August 13–15, 2026 Online seats available
ICNM is one of the biggest nutrition and medicine events of the year. I’ll be there with the Physicians Committee, and it’s always packed with brilliant minds, cutting-edge research, and conversations that can truly change lives.
Right after Plant Powered Party, I’ll be joining Maxime Sigouin and the Mavy Wellness crew for a few days focused on fitness, nutrition, strength, and building the kind of healthy life that lasts.
I’ll also be heading to beautiful Canaan Valley Resort for Wellness Weekend West Virginia. This one has such a special feel to it, and I’m really looking forward to being there.
Sometimes you just have to ask the hard questions. This is a real text exchange between Carleigh Bodrug and myself.
Carleigh’s new book, PlantYou Quickies is available now for pre-order. She’ll also be joining me on The Exam Room Podcast on June 24 to talk all about it.
I’m better, but not perfect. I’m trying to be patient and kind to the guy I see in the mirror. And I’m still very much in the fight.
If you are going through something hard right now, please remember this: progress does not always feel like a miracle. Sometimes it feels like one small step that you almost overlook.
A little more energy, a little less pain, a symptom that doesn’t last quite as long, or perhaps an old shirt fits again. Those are the small moments that matter.
Stack enough of them together and suddenly you realize you are not where you used to be.
Chuck Carroll lost 280 pounds and has kept the weight off for nearly 20 years. Drawing on his sustained weight loss and ongoing health journey, he shares practical tips, lessons, and encouragement to help others move forward and never give up.
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