John Goodman Weight Loss Secret: The Mediterranean Diet

What is the John Goodman weight loss secret?   After years of struggling on his weight loss journey, Goodman found a diet that worked – the Mediterranean Diet.

Past Struggles with Weight

John Goodman, actor and the star of tv shows “Roseanne” and “The Connors”, struggled with his weight for most of his life. Throughout his acting career, jokes about his weight became a part of his comedy and aura as an actor, further complicating his relationship with weight loss. Goodman spent many years trying to lose weight but to no avail. In an interview with David Letterman in 2011, he described his discouraging experiences losing weight only to gain it all back shortly thereafter. That year he was approaching 400 pounds and decided he needed to find a sustainable diet that would lead him to a healthy weight once and for all.

Why the John Goodman Weight Loss Secret Works

What was that diet? The Mediterranean Diet, of course! Goodman started adhering to the Mediterranean Diet in 2011 in combination with quitting alcohol. By 2018, he had lost approximately 100 pounds and was maintaining it. Following a diet for nine years seems like a long time but the Mediterranean Diet is different. When it comes to weight loss, here are the four reasons why the Mediterranean Diet works. 

1. It’s a high fat diet
2. The Mediterranean Diet improves your gut microbiome
3. The Mediterranean Diet is anti-inflammatory
4. It is not a diet, but more a celebration of food 

High fat diet

Goodman’s trainer Mackie Shilstone describes Goodman’s diet as being “highly driven by olive oil”. Diets that are high in healthy fats like olive oil tend to be more sustainable because the accepted foods leave people feeling full and, in turn, less apt to snack on less nutritious foods between meals. Healthy fats will keep you energized throughout the day and inspired to continue on your weight loss journey!

Gut Microbiome

As Goodman began following the Mediterranean Diet, each day he was slightly improving the composition of his gut microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome consists of good bacteria that will aid your body in digestion and boost your metabolism. By practicing “clean” eating (consuming whole foods like fruits, vegetables and legumes) these good bacteria thrive. Goodman’s decision to cut out alcohol also helped improve his gut microbiome. 

Anti-inflammatory

There’s a lot of buzz about anti-inflammatory foods but what are some examples? Harvard Medical School published an article on August 29th, 2020, entitled “Foods That Fight Inflammation”. They listed tomatoes, olive oil, green leafy vegetables, nuts, fatty fish and fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries and oranges – all foods that are typically a part of the Mediterranean Diet!  Eat inflammatory foods and you will gain weight, eat anti-inflammatory foods and you will lose weight.

Celebration of Food

Sustainability was the most important thing that John Goodman was looking for in a weight loss diet. The reason he has been adhering to the Mediterranean Diet since 2011 is because it’s a diet that celebrates food. I have personally seen how the Mediterranean Diet has helped my friends and family fall in love with their food. Instead of a diet that feels like a matter of endurance, the Mediterranean diet revolves around feelings of togetherness and discovery of healthy foods with happy people. 

Are you interested in getting started with the Mediterranean Diet? Check out our article “Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan: Weight Loss” and our Mediterranean Diet Weight Loss Program.