Billy Gardell’s 170-Lb. Weight Loss: How the ‘Mike & Molly’ Star Transformed His Health

Billy Gardell kept audiences laughing for six seasons alongside Melissa McCarthy on Mike & Molly, but years after the show ended, he gained attention for his significant weight loss. Here we break down what the actor has said about losing more than 170 pounds and reveal how he dropped the weight with the help of surgery and healthy lifestyle habits. 

The start of Billy Gardell’s 170-pound weight loss journey

In both Mike & Molly and the following series Gardell starred in, Bob Hearts Abishola, the actor played characters whose weight and health were central to the shows’ storylines. In 2022, Gardell decided to take charge of his health and underwent bariatric surgery. 

While speaking with ET in 2023, Gardell said he weighed over 370 pounds nearly a decade ago, and had dropped more than 150 pounds since the start of the pandemic. 

He stayed the course, and told PEOPLE the following year he had lost a total of 170 pounds. “I float between 205 and 210 [pounds],” Gardell told ET of his current weigh-in numbers. “Self-care is important, and I think I finally got there.” 

He also revealed to the outlet that his resting heart rate had dropped from 113 to 68 since reaching his current weight, and that he had reversed his type 2 diabetes. 

4 keys to Billy Gardell’s weight loss

Gardell’s weight loss occurred over the course of a few years and was no easy feat. Here’s how he did it:

He underwent bariatric surgery

In his 2024 interview with PEOPLE, the actor said his weight loss surgery was “just the beginning” of his health transformation, and that he didn’t come by the decision easily. 

“I chickened out from it a couple times, but at some point you get sick and tired of being sick and tired,” he explained. “I was so big that I was at the point where it hurt to exercise. Then I developed type 2 diabetes, and I went on a drug for that for about a year and a half. And then I said, ‘Do I really want to be on a drug the rest of my life?’”

Despite various attempts to slim down naturally, Gardell said he grappled with a continuous cycle of gaining and losing the same 30-some pounds. 

“So I needed something drastic, but it wasn’t going to come until I was ready to surrender that even with the surgery, I was going to have to change my way of thinking,” he told the publication. 

He had bariatric surgery in July 2022 with Philippe Quilici, MD, who Gardell said “changed and saved my life.” Gardell made it clear that while everyone’s weight loss journey is different, surgery was the “right decision” for him. 

“But what I will say about this surgery is it’s not the answer, it’s just the beginning,” he said, adding that one in four people later regain the weight after surgery.

“So my suggestion to anybody who’s considering this is to study and really immerse yourself in the commitment it takes after the surgery to maintain this and take care of yourself,” he continued. “If you’re not willing to make that commitment, don’t do the surgery. But if you are willing to make that commitment, then it’s been an incredibly healthy change for my life.” 

He wanted to set a healthy example for his family

It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that Gardell realized that being overweight posed a serious threat to his health, he said. 

“The idea of not being here for my wife or my kid motivated my change, motivated me into I will commit to whatever it takes to get healthy,” Gardell shared. “Sometimes you need help and you have to be humble enough to ask for help in order for that to happen.” 

Gardell told ET that a desire to have more time with and set a strong example for his son was the driving force behind his decision to get his health in order. 

“When you hit 50, you start doing that dad math, like, ‘If I can live 25 more years, and he’ll be 40,’ … You know what I mean? So I want to be here for him,” he said. “I’ve been an example in a lot of good ways for my child, but I feel like I wasn’t a good example of health for him. And so I want him to see that. It doesn’t matter what age you are, if you are willing to do something a day at a time, you can change anything.”

He adopted healthier habits 

Gardell told PEOPLE he developed a new health regimen after his surgery, which helped him stay in shape. He sticks to a diet of lean meats and vegetables, takes daily walks and incorporates additional workouts three times a week. 

However, he still allows himself indulgences in moderation. He has a dedicated “cheat meal” once a week, but even then is mindful of portion control. For example, he said he’ll have “two slices of pizza as opposed to the entire pie.” 

He practices self-compassion 

Gardell also reflected on discoveries he made during his weight loss experience regarding self-care and the best ways to stay motivated. 

“I’ve really learned that the thing is to not look in the mirror and be mean to yourself and go, ‘Oh, you got to change this. Come on, you lazy piece of crap. Keep going.’ None of that works,” he told PEOPLE. “You got to look in the mirror and go, ‘All right, I love you and I’m going to take care of you today.’ And that’s a hard thing to get to until you evolve emotionally. And I think that happened for me.”