Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has made some drastic changes to his appearance in the past six months.

In June of 2021, the West Point graduate and former CIA director realized he was almost at 300 pounds for the first time in his life. Pompeo decided it was time to make a change, taking all the discipline and dedication he’s practiced over his long career and applying it towards a new challenge.

 

“I started exercising, not every day, but nearly every day, and eating right and the weight just started to come off,” Pompeo told the NY Post.

He built an at-home gym and dedicated himself to using it five to six times each week for 30 minutes. This routine, along with a more healthy diet, allowed Pompeo to start shedding weight quite quickly.

Losing weight has been something Pompeo struggled with throughout his life. When his political career began in 2010 after being elected to Congress, Pompeo began a more noticeable weight gain.

For Pompeo, the key was “being sufficiently disciplined”, something that his highly demanding career has required of him.

 

Mike Pompeo in his at-home gym (via Samuel Corum, NY Post)

“For our family, food is where we gather,” Pompeo told the Post. “We are Italian and we like to get together around a good meal of pasta and bread and cheeses and dessert. We are still going to enjoy these big meals with family and friends except I am going to be the guy that says, ‘Yeah, I’ll have a salad.'”

David Urban, a classmate of Pompeo’s at West Point, commented on his major weight loss, saying he wasn’t surprised at what Pompeo accomplished. “You don’t graduate from West Point, let alone become number one in your class at West Point, without being able to be incredibly focused,” said Urban.

Along with his drastic weight loss came many speculations from the media and the general public, including rumors that he had cancer and rumors that he was preparing to run in the next presidential election, neither of which are true according to Pompeo.

His reason for losing so much weight was, in fact, quite simple. When asked about his motivations for losing all the extra weight, Pompeo admitted it was for his family. He wants to be sure he’s around in 20, 30 years when his son is married and potentially has kids of his own.

“My clothes fit better, and I have more energy,” he said. “I want to be there for my family and hopefully lots of grandchildren.”

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