Fashion and celebrity expert Chuck Bennett shares his weight-loss journey

Fashion and celebrity expert Chuck Bennett shares his weight-loss story

Chuck was living the good life, but it was leading to bad health. The weight gain started in the 1990s and continued for decades.

FOX 2 - Chuck Bennett is a familiar face on FOX 2, sharing his passion for fashion and celebrity. Now his focus is on something else, his health.

Bennett shared decades of pictures that tell his life story. A man who at an early age loved fashion, people and celebrating. These days, when you see him, you see a little less of him - and the celebrations are a little different.

"These days I'll order a hamburger, my mouth is watering, I bite into it, and about the third chew, I am so full," he said.

Full after one bite is strange for a guy who used to enjoy more of everything.

"As a society editor, as a fashion editor, as I got more into that, going to parties every night, drinking every night, eating the best food always," he said.

But that good life was leading to bad health. The weight gain started in the 1990s and continued for decades.

"It got to a point where I couldn't walk," he said. "I would get out of my car, and by the time I got to the door, I (would) need a chair," he said.

Internal Medicine Doctor Lonnie Joe says Chuck's story is frighteningly familiar.

"Hypertension, diabetes, breathing issues, heart failures as we get older," the doctor said. "And of course, improper diet and weight gain."

As Chuck approached his 70th birthday he decided it was time to change - and he reluctantly realized the super popular drug, Ozempic, might be the answer.

"I love to eat so much I don't want anything to suppress my appetite, I don't want anything to suppress my appetite," he quipped. "I look forward to eating. Especially now, when I couldn't move or anything, all I can do is eat."

But that's exactly what Ozempic does. It's known as a GLP 1 medication. GLP 1 is a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate blood sugar, digestion and appetite. Ozempic is a synthetic version of it.

"And what they do is work in various locations throughout the body, including in the brain to reduce the sensation of hunger," the doctor said. "And also in the gut, where there is the major effect of it. Which is where we see the few side effects that we see.

"So when we talk about the effect on the gut, the effect on the brain, the effect on the liver, the effect on the pancreas as well, we can control blood sugars looking at that cycle - and produce weight loss also."

As Chuck Bennett started the injections, he formed a new relationship with food.

"I'm not hungry so much anymore," he said. "I do still think about food all the time and I get excited about it, but it's just not that big of a deal."

The weight started to fall off, Chuck eventually started exercising - and within about a year - he's down about 100 pounds.

His success outweighs the side effects and struggles.

"We went from improving a heart condition, improving diabetes and hypertension with the weight loss," Dr. Joe said. "Some of the medications we took him off totally, because he was compliant. He did lose the weight, he did exercise and eat properly during the process so he's a wonderful sucess story."

Chuck says he feels as good as he looks.

"I feel strong, I feel healthy, I got my 'Mac Daddy' back on," he said.

Chuck says the side effects from Ozempic got to be too much, so he switched medications. He reminds us that it is not an easy path to weight loss but he is continuing the work and hopes to feel even better in 2025.