A few years ago, Kevin Smith, best known for directing cult classics like Clerks and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, came to the realization that if he did not make changes to his lifestyle, he wouldn't live to the age of 50.
Smith grew up obese in a household where his parents never forced him to eat his vegetables, he told Men's Health.
It wasn't until he was kicked off a flight because he was too overweight that he started to reconsider his eating habits. Then in 2014, he watched the documentary that changed his life.
Smith said he watched Fed Up, "an anti-sugar documentary that completely changed my perception."
About a year later, he sent out a tweet revealing that he had lost 85 pounds after making some big changes to his diet and exercise habits.
Smith explained that he lost weight by eliminating sugary foods and walking more.
"My 'working out' is I've got this hill outside my house"”like, right outside my house, you walk out the door and"”boom!"”you're on this hill, so I'll take my dogs out and see who starts breathing heavy and sweating first," he said. "I don't really exercise. I'm not a "fifty reps" kind of guy. I just walk everyday."
The comedian seemed to have been doing a good job maintaining his slimmer figure, but it turns out, the outside did not really reflect what had been going on inside his body.
Back in February, Smith announced that he suffered a "massive" heart attack shortly before he was to go on stage to perform his second show at the Alex Theater in Glendale, California for his comedy special, Kevin Smith Live!
"After the first show this evening, I had a massive heart attack," Smith tweeted. "The Doctor who saved my life told me I had 100% blockage of my LAD artery (aka "the Widow-Maker"). If I hadn't canceled show 2 to go to the hospital, I would've died tonight. But for now, I'm still above ground!"
The funnyman later told fans via Facebook that "I'm sure I'll be facing some lifestyle changes (maybe it's time to go Vegan)," and he was very serious about that.
Less than a month after his near-fatal heath scare, Smith updated the public on his progress, and he's losing weight at a rapid rate, thanks to a diet of potatoes!
You would think that eating potatoes would make you gain weight, but apparently, that's not the case here, and it has a lot of people wondering how he did it.
Smith, who is now well enough to resume his regular activities, discussed on his Hollywood Babble-On podcast what he has been doing to help him achieve a 50 pound weight loss, as per his doctor's recommendation.
"It's a pretty intense program, but it's been interesting. And of course necessary for my health and stuff. But once I get to a decent place, then I can think about eating again," Smith shared.
The 47-year-old has been following illusionist Penn Jillette's mono diet, which is detailed in his book, Presto!: How I Made Over 100 Pounds Disappear and other Magical Tales.
While on the plan, you're only allowed to eat potatoes for the first two weeks before adding other vegetables to the mix for three months.
Nine days into the potatoes-only phase, Smith managed to lose 17 pounds. By day 13, he was 20 pounds lighter.
"I'll never eat the way I used to. The way I used to eat wasn't f"”ing horrible. It was in my childhood that's what my doctor said," Smith explained.
The father-of-one also said that his 18-year-old daughter, Harley Quinn, is even more excited about his adoption of a plant-based diet.
"No more animal-related products. My kid is thrilled because she's a vegan, "˜She's like, "˜Welcome home brother,'" Smith said, adding, that he isn't sure he can call himself vegan just yet.
"This doesn't come from a personal philosophy, this comes from an "˜I have to.' I don't know if I call myself a vegan, maybe a non-animal eater. The program is so far manageable."
In addition to the weight loss, Smith says eating potatoes has not only helped him take the weight off, but it has given him so much more energy.
"I feel fantastic!" he shared. "I have more energy than I've had in f"”ing years. Everything working f"”ing better, it's not working great, look at me, but everything better."
I'm so glad he is recovering well from his heart attack and making the changes necessary to keep living so he can be around for his wife and daughter.