John Goodman is returning to The Conners in just a few days and while fans are excited to see how the new spin-off show without Roseanne Barr will do on its own, it’s also John’s massive weight loss that will take center stage. For years, John has battled his weight and he has also been open about his alcoholism, resulting in a less than healthy lifestyle.
We previously revealed that Goodman would be showing off his brand new look when The Conners premieres later this month on ABC. Now, we are dishing the details about how his long journey resulted in him shedding well over 100 pounds.
Back in February of this year, John Goodman told AARP that he wasn’t in a good place when he wrapped Roseanne a few years back.
“I was in pretty bad shape when I left Roseanne, to be honest. I had a lot of resentment. I just didn’t care. It was a terrible character fault of mine. I always wanted more of something. There was an emptiness inside me. I still have it, but I know what it is now. You recognize it and go, ‘There it is.’ You don’t have to fill it with another pork chop or another drink,” he explained, revealing that self-worth had something to do with it.
“For me it was probably just a fear of not being good enough, not being worthy of what I was getting, maybe survivor’s guilt from having grown up poor. But then after 10 years and the fact that I was sober, I started looking back fondly and realized how lucky I had been — and I really feel that now,” he pointed out.
But how does one turn his life around to the point where he is just a fraction of his former self? Well, John revealed earlier this year that he had lost over 100 pounds by simply controlling what he was eating and the amount of it.
“It was basically just portion control, and ‘I don’t need it. I was just shoving everything into my mouth. But I don’t want to be an example to anybody when the weight comes thundering back on — when I start eating Crisco out of the can with a spoon and a side of confectioner’s sugar,” he told AARP.
Back in 2016, John Goodman was already starting to show signs that he was losing weight, but he didn’t think that the weight would stay off. In fact, he was convinced it would come back, as he explains that he would often gain all the weight back he had lost – and then some.
But his weight loss interviews from earlier this year explain how he has lost 100 pounds. The man who will be on The Conners has clearly lost even more weight. It sounds like John Goodman is sticking to his routine of eating healthy, watching his portion sizes and working out.
According to his personal trainer and longtime friend Mackie Shilstone, John needed a wakeup call before his weight loss journey began. Mackie took him a cemetery in New Orleans, asking him to dig his own grave, pointing out that he already had one foot in the grave. That was the wakeup call he needed.
Mackie put John on a year-long plan, getting him to eat a Mediterranean diet, consisting of “mostly plant-based, a lower intake of red meat, lots of fruits and vegetables, and highly driven by olive oil” giving him tons of omega-3 fatty acids.
“The extra DHA from omega-3s improve neurological function. John told me it was easier for him to memorize his scripts,” Mackie explains.
His trainer also reveals that Goodman took up boxing as a way of letting off steam and let go of whatever was bothering him. The secret Goodman’s weight loss appears to be eating healthy, portion control, and working out. And it seems to be a regiment he’s continuing even after shedding 100 pounds.
Now, John can focus on the new spin-off show that won’t feature his long-time friend, Roseanne. Goodman recently opened up about Roseanne not being part of The Conners, revealing that after working together for so many years, it’s like a family member is missing.
The Conners will debut on Tuesyda, October 16 at 8/7c on ABC.