Randy Jackson’s health journey is all about finding balance.
The TV personality, who is currently starring on Fox’s musical game show “Name That Tune,” underwent a gastric bypass surgery in 2003 following a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
In an interview with PEOPLE, he called the procedure a “great jump starter,” noting that “you lose a bunch of weight really fast.”
However, as with many procedures and diets, maintaining a healthy weight is far more complicated if you’re not committed and don’t have a plan.
“You get there and your mind tells you, 'Okay, phew. I'm here now. I can start to party and bring out the cheesecakes,'" the 65-year-old revealed.
Jackson noted that the moment allowed him to prioritize healthier lifestyle habits, including his relationship with food.
"I hate the word diet. I don't use that anymore. Anybody that's lost weight, you lose it and then you start eating and drinking more and it all starts coming back. That's what started happening to me," he says. "I was like, 'No, I'm not going to spend my life going through this."
"Eating's all emotional. I needed to really get it together so I could keep it off," the former “American Idol” judge explained, adding that he dug into the “behavioral psychology” to ensure positive changes.
Jackson, who also co-founded a nutrition company called Unify Health that provides science-backed supplements, plans out his daily meals in advance to ensure he stays at his goal weight of 114 pounds.
Meals include "fish, some sort of veggie and maybe a little handful of rice or potato" for lunch or dinner, while midday snacks consist of bananas, apples, cheese, or protein bars and shakes.
And, of course, for a truly healthy balance, he indulges in some of his favorites every now and then, noting: "If I really feel like I need to have a piece of candy, I have a small piece so that in my mind, I'm not saying, 'No, no, no.’”
He added: "The more you deny yourself, the more you're going to go on a bender and have 18 candy bars without stopping at some point.”
In addition to making a more conscious effort as to what he puts in his body, the musician and entertainer also understands the power of exercise.
He said that he starts his day off with Pilates or spinning, and reaps both the mental and physical benefits.
Jackson revealed that while on “Idol,” he weighed upwards of 350 pounds.
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