New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler has shed 61 pounds as a result of stomach-reduction surgery, and he says that's just the beginning.
Nadler, 55, said he decided to undergo the surgical procedure after decades of unsuccessfully battling obesity, The New York Times reported.
"I can't tell you how many people — complete strangers — have come up to me and said, 'Congressman, you're doing a great job, and I want you to continue to be my congressman, so you have to lose weight,' " the Democrat told the Times. "Imagine how that makes you feel."
Before the surgery in August, the 5-foot-4 Nadler weighed as much as 338 pounds. He said he couldn't climb a flight of stairs before, but he recently surprised himself by walking 40 blocks from his office in Lower Manhattan to Penn Station. He hopes to reach his ideal weight of 160 pounds.
The surgical procedure entails narrowing the stomach so it can only take in up to three ounces of food. It's then connected to the lower half of the small intestine, reducing the amount of calories the body absorbs.
Stomach-reduction surgery is often successful, but it's risky, with one out of 200 people dying as a result of the procedure.
Other famous people, including singer Carnie Wilson and "Today" show weatherman Al Roker, have lost large amounts of weight through the surgery.