When we think about Kevin James weight loss, we think about the 2012 film Here Comes the Boom. But the next thought goes to his transformation just before the 2016 sitcom Kevin Can Wait.
The comedian knows how to regain his ideal weight again and again. So he can get off track between these transformations and is allowed to gain it back.
And what’s the best part for him in all his journey of weight loss and gain? It’s his knowledge that his fans love him for his comedy and acting skills and are not much bothered about his weight and appearance. In fact, his big body only makes him more convincing and charming.
Still, for those people who are following him for his weight loss tricks and strategy, this article carries all the information.
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Who Is Kevin James?
Doug Heffernan from the 1998 sitcom The King of Queens was never meant to be an actor let alone a comedian. He was hell-bent on his studies for sports management. At the same time, he had an interest in football.
The aspiration towards football came from Michael J. Jordan with whom he acquainted in his teenage years. After high school, he started college with a major in sports communication. But some injuries in football told him that this wasn’t his path. The same year, he ventured into comedy after taking inspiration from his brother.
His first night at the theatre encouraged him to commit to this career. So, he spent 11 years as a stand-up comedian before getting his first role in the 1996 sitcom. Everybody Loves Raymond. Soon after it, his fame prompted him to feature on his own sitcom with his iconic role of Doug Heffernan. The sitcom started in 1998 and lasted a decade.
This sitcom paved the way for more roles for the comedian in other sitcoms and movies. His famous films include Grown Ups (2010), Hitch (2005), I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007), and Here Comes the Boom (2012).
His recent projects include presenting a mix between comedy and action. Becky (2020) is an action movie; while its predecessor, True Memoir of an International Assassin (2016) is an action-comedy film.
In most of his roles, Kevin seems comfortable in his body. His comedic roles seem more humorous with added pounds. And he seems more frank and easy on the eyes.
Given this match between his body and roles, you must be thinking about the reason that prompted Kevin to get out of his comfort zone. It was one of his movies!
Taking method acting to another level, Kevin prepared for Here Comes the Boom – the 2012 film with MMA trainer, Ryan Parsons. The action-packed scenes of the movie demanded a trained body that could convince the audience about the character of a mixed martial arts fighter.
For this preparation, he not only focused on losing weight but also worked on agility and movement. The success of the character – Scott Voss – says that he succeeded in playing the role.
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What Is Kevin James’ Real Name?
Kevin James’ original name is Kevin George Knipfing.
Kevin James Weight Loss Journey 2021
James is known for his large stature. When he started his feat as a comedian on the small screen, he was more in shape. However, as time progressed, he gained weight gradually. At one point during the shooting of King of Queens, he reached 290 pounds in weight.
That was the time when Kevin realized he needs to take this matter seriously. He further amplified the motivation he was feeling by introducing the role of science teacher-turned-martial arts fighter in Here Comes the Boom. That leading role demanded him to take martial arts training and in the process, prompted him to get muscular.
Overall, he lost 80 pounds to get in shape for this movie. According to him, he felt amazing. He could perform these scenes without much strain. And in the end, he felt better and clearer.
After the end of this film, however, the actor fell back into his unhealthy methods. Soon, he had regained all the weight he had lost earlier. Yet, he felt that getting in shape is hard work and refrained from putting in efforts for a few years afterward.
In 2016, when he embarked on his leading role for another sitcom, Kevin Can Wait, he assumed it was time to put in the much-awaited efforts. Since then, he has lost 30 to 40 pounds of fat.
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Kevin James Diet Plan
Kevin’s weight loss comes from a combination of a healthy diet and exercise. Although he had followed quite a stringent fitness regime before his 2012 film shooting, that could only turn his target BMI a reality because of his well-thought-out diet.
The actor followed a low-carb diet, unsurprisingly. The diet included larger portions of vegetables and smaller portions of meat and bread. Also, he integrated smoothies that took plants as ingredients. His focus was on getting a sustainable portion of protein with ample fibers and micro-nutrients.
As long as he followed the diet plan, he remained in shape. It is apparent that he lapsed in old shape as soon he deviated from a healthy eating routine.
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Kevin James Workout Plan
Although diet made the deciding factor behind Kevin’s muscular body in Here Comes the Boom, it was his workout plan that defined the shape he would finally get.
The actor got an MMA trainer to train him on the matter. He also made sure that his eyes remain on the big reward – a convincing performance in his MMA fighter role!
The trainer was asked to train him to fight and to win the fight. You see! It wasn’t ordinary acting training for an actor. It was real training that had to enable the actor to act and approach a fight like an MMA fighter.
Just like any MMA training, this one was tough. Although the goal of these workouts remained fixed on enabling the actor to fight, the means to this goal included getting a muscular body, making the movements agile, and developing his approach towards fighting.
Running made just part of the training. He gradually increased his running to reach five miles a day. As we can see, the activity doesn’t need gym equipment and this is what makes it simple and easy to follow on a go. The comedian claims that he committed to his training schedule – thanks to its simplicity – wherever he went. He was also instructed to run up and down the hotel stairs when he was on the go.
Most of the training revolved around mixed martial arts (MMA). He had to practice hour-long boxing sessions. Moreover, he did sit-ups, pushups, kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling.
This was his workout routine in 2012. His routine changed in the second phase of weight loss when he succeeded in reducing his weight by 40 pounds.
Kevin’s next workout plan wasn’t as strict. Rather, he kept running to get a healthier BMI. This time, more focus remained on diet.
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Kevin James Before And After Weight Loss Photos
If we look at Kevin’s photos across his career, we shall be surprised by the difference in weight he shows from year to year.
At first, the viewers see the budding comedy actor in Everybody Loves Raymond. Here, he is fat but not really out of shape. Then we get to see him in King of Queens. There, the actor grows not only in his acting skills but also in his size. The change, however, is gradual and significant. But this slight increase in pounds eventually made the actor weigh 290 pounds before the show’s final episode in 2007.
After giving his last performances on King of Queens, the actor found himself dissatisfied with his weight. He looked for a reason for a transformation and ultimately created it with the leading role in Here Comes the Boom.
Soon after completing the filming of this comedy-action movie, the actor lapsed back in his old habits and regained all the lost pounds.
His second phase of weight loss started in 2016. Since then we can see that he has lost up to 40 pounds of his weight.
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What Has Kevin James Said About His Weight loss?
Kevin’s inspiration from weight loss came from his identity as a family man. He loved his family and wanted to be the best role model for them. One part of this perfect image was a healthier BMI. Kevin knew he needed to change his lifestyle to get back in shape for his family and then, he worked towards it.
His next step towards this goal was finding a more tangible motivation so he created it with his next project ‘Here Comes the Boom’.
The actor asked his trainer, Ray Parson, to treat him like a real student. He wanted to be trained like he was going for a real fight. In his trainer’s opinion, this mindset of committing to real-life success was the right method of achieving mastery and success in any skill.
After all, it was not a matter of skill only. The actor was essentially re-building his body with the help of this training.
But these efforts were worth it. Even the actor was satisfied with the reality he gave in his scenes. Plus, he felt at ease while shooting without feeling the extra strain that came with difficult scenes. He is also thankful that he never got muscle strains for pulling the stunts.
He especially mentions that getting through the shooting without sustaining injuries was a success on its own. After this comment, he goes on to mention that he regained all the pounds he took so much time to lose.
He expressed his wish to get back in shape. He claimed that when he was in his best shape, his mind was clearer and his clothes fit him. The situation changed as he started gaining more pounds.
At the peak of this weight gain, he reached the peak of 300 pounds. That was the time he had to say goodbye to his fears. He, then, knew he has to face the reality and put in his efforts. He couldn’t just keep complaining that losing weight costs a lot of effort.
Ultimately, he found the strength to lose some weight.
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FAQs
How Did Kevin James Lose Weight?
Kevin James has entertained two weight loss spells one in the early 2010s and the other in the latter half. The first was more drastic and remarkable. That weight loss journey lasted a few months and included intense MMA training together with a highly vegetable-based diet.
The second spell included him changing his diet to focus more on vegetables and complex carbs. The training and workout part in this phase wasn’t much detailed.
Are Ray Romano And Kevin James Friends?
Ray Romano and Kevin James became friends before the former comedian started his sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. In fact, the credit of Kevin’s first TV appearance goes to Ray.
What Is Kevin James’ ethnicity?
Kevin James’ father, Joseph Valentine Knipfing Jr., was German-American of origin.
Is King Of Queens Coming Back?
Another season of King of Queens was scheduled for 2020. However, it was never premiered and there seems to be no progress in making it in near future.
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Take Away
Weight loss is not a walk in the park. You have to commit to it and follow through with the strategy. Also, the treatment is not lifelong. You cannot do it and achieve your desired body once only to rely on this effort for all your life. Instead, you have to commit to a certain lifestyle if you want to sustain the body you have achieved.
Kevin James weight loss tells us that you can achieve your weight loss goal at any time in your life. But you have to stick to the regime to elongate the benefits.
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