New Jersey Governor Chris Christie told a group of potential donors at a private Manhattan event last week that he dropped 85 pounds since having weight loss surgery a year ago, according to The New York Times.
Without revealing his actual weight, the charismatic governor said he shed 85 pounds after having a lapband put in place last year. Christie admitted weight loss was critical for his hopes of moving up in the political ranks.
Former White House physician Connie Mariano suggested in February 2013 that Christie might die in office if he did not slim down.
"I'm worried about this man dying in office," Mariano said according to Politico. "It's almost like a time bomb waiting to happen unless he addresses those issues before running for office."
That same month, Christie underwent surgery. His current weight is unclear, but Yale medical experts estimated that based on pictures of Christie from 2011, the governor would have weighed 322 pounds. That is considered extreme obesity, doctors told Politico.
The Friday event was hosted at billionaire David Koch's sprawling Park Avenue apartment on the Upper East Side. Christie did not speak to the press, but a guest told The NY Times the governor got a chuckle out of his fellow conservatives with this joke:
"A doctor once told me you have to have the right relationship with the food you eat. And believe me, for many ears, I had a great relationship with the foods I ate," Christie said according to the unnamed guest.
Christie is said to have his sights set on campaign donations from Koch, who founded Americans for Prosperity, a group which advocates for conservative causes.
If Christie does take a crack at the presidency come 2016, he is leading the polls compared to other Republican hopefuls, according to Real Clear Politics.
