I was ECSTATIC when I was given the opportunity to speak with Jared Fogle – you know, the Subway spokesperson!!!! I have watched Jared in countless commercials over the years sharing of how he lost weight eating 2 subs a day (I’m sure you’ve seen one or two yourself). But, to talk to him in person (or on the phone) was so exciting! After all, he’s been able to maintain his weight loss for 10+ years! That is something I will be focusing on (after these darn 5 pounds come off) so I wanted to get some background and pick his brain a bit.

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So, Jared, for the record, how many pounds have you lost total?

Around 245 pounds.

You are actually leaving Sunny Florida as we speak from being at the Super Bowl. Super Bowl = Food! How did you manage all of the temptations that were present?

Actually, the Super Bowl is the 3rd worst eating day of the year {behind Christmas and Thanksgiving}. I actually don’t resist those foods. I enjoy my time at events and have fun. But, my goal is to not over indulge.

To achieve that weight loss, did you incorporate exercise immediately or try to tackle one behavior, like eating, first?

I got the eating down first. I couldn’t physically do any exercise at my weight of around 425 pounds. So, I changed my eating habits. I was eating over 10,000 calories a day and went down to 1,500 calories and that was a huge adjustment. I lost the first 94 pounds in 3 months. After that, I began to add exercise.

What types of exercise did you do when you started?

Just walking 30 minutes a day. It helped because my roommate would walk with me. So, having a workout buddy early on was a great support. Every one’s support was a big help but ultimately, you have to want it for yourself.

What was it that made you want it for yourself?

To put it simply, I was just sick and tired of being sick and tired. I had sleep apnea and knew I needed to make a change.

OK, fast forward nearly 11 years. Tell me, what is your fave exercise now?

For fun, I enjoy tennis. But, for my daily routine, I have a personal trainer. Having a trainer motivates me to work harder and I know I’m doing the exercises properly. I really push harder too. For around 45 minutes, we do circuit training. So, I’ll be on the treadmill, hop onto machines and back onto the treadmill to get my heart rate up. We change it up so it’s not boring.

Subway now has Subway Kids – a resource to help kids and parents be healthier and more active. What do you plan to do with your children {when you have them} to ensure they grow up and don’t deal with the weight challenge like you did?

I was a huge video game fanatic, and I watched TV a lot too. Over time, those activities took over my life completely. Once they took over, I didnt want to move anymore. I just ate junk food and, well, I was out of control!

When I have kids, I will encourage moderation. I will monitor their TV and game time, and encourage them to get enough exercise.

Losing weight is one thing, but to maintain has it’s own set of challenges. You have been able to maintain your weight loss for all of these years, what tips you can offer to help with the maintenance aspect?

The number one thing I would offer is that this is a lifestyle change! The diet aspect is Phase 1. All future phases are about keeping the weight off. Realize as life changes, as you get older, or maybe your family situation changes – each change will affect your weight.

Constantly re-evaluate your exercise and nutrition habits. We all fall off but you have to get back into it and take that approach.

OK, so you’re the Subway guy, I gotta know: What’s your favorite sub?

Now, it’s the Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki. It is one of the several with 6 grams of fat or less. But, as I was losing weight, I was eating mostly turkey and veggie subs.

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Jared, thanks for taking the time to speak to me! I think your weight loss is remarkable! You can visit Jared at his blog, http://www.jared245.com/, where he shares his tips! Oh, and Jared was kind enough to share that Subway will be promoting their $5 Foot Long subs again soon. Something to look forward to!

Mommy Snacksters: If you were going to ask Jared something related to eating or weight loss, what would it be? I had so many more questions to ask but I wanted to respect his time. Please leave me a comment with your questions. I’ll be leaving my questions as a comment as well so everyone can see them too!

How did you do this week? No weight loss for me, I maintained. But, hopefully you are pushing back the dial on the scale and achieving your short goals!

Fat Burnin’ Pounds Lost since Jan 1-08: 35
Fat Burnin’ Pounds to go: 5

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