Buddy Valastro, TLC star, Food Network celebrity and owner of New Jersey’s legendary Carlos’ Bakery, recently shared an Instagram photo debuting a new look after a dramatic slim down. The baker, who had carried extra weight around his midsection for many years, looked proud of his accomplishments standing alongside beautiful wife Lisa in the pic.
Valastro commented how he lost the weight in the photo’s caption, citing a diet program that uses meal plans to achieve optimum results. He looked slim and healthy in white pants, a patterned shirt, and gray jacket.
“A lot of people have been asking me how I’ve slimmed down lately so I just wanted to share that I’ve used the Optavia program,” Valastro wrote. “I’m not being paid to say this and it should be noted that I think everybody is different and you should do whatever suits you but this is what I’m doing and I’m very happy with the results so far!”
People Magazine reported that the Optavia website allows potential customers to “fill out a questionnaire, chat with a coach, and order a meal plan with snacks and recipes designed to help them meet their lifestyle goals.”
The Optavia plan involves eating six small meals a day and its focus is on portion control, healthy snacking, and cooking meals with lean proteins.
The 41-year-old Cake Boss superstar Buddy and wife Lisa have been married for 17 years and share a daughter and three sons: Sofia, Bartolo, Marco, and Carlo. Valastro found the eating plan easy to stick to, with one caveat. The reality star enjoys cooking at home and doesn’t have the temptation of restaurant meals to lure him away from his weight loss goals.
“Honestly, I don’t like to go out,” Valastro told People . He keeps healthy foods and snacks in his two home refrigerators. The baker remarked that in addition to a fully-stocked refrigerator in his kitchen, he also has an industrial-sized fridge and freezer in his family’s garage.
“All Italians got a refrigerator in the garage,” he told the mag. “That’s what we do.”
Valastro also shared a pic of the couple at the beach over Father’s Day weekend, where the bakery giant looked happy as he posed with wife Lisa, who sported a bikini. “Down the shore with my beautiful wife! Does it get any better than this? @lisavalastro4,” he wrote.
Fans noticed a big difference in Valastro after he shared an older post to honor his late mother Mary on Mother’s Day of this year.
Cake Boss airs on TLC. Valastro hosts Bakers vs. Fakers for the Food Network.