New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said that he underwent lap-band stomach surgery in an effort to slim down after his family urged him to.
In an interview with The New York Post, Christie said that he made the decision to have the surgery in September after his family and friends suggested he do it. He had the surgery on Feb. 16 and check in using a false name.
“I’ve struggled with this issue for 20 years,” Christie, one of the most popular Republican figures in the country, told the Post. “For me, this is about turning 50 and looking at my children and wanting to be there for them.”
Christie denied that the decision had anything to do with ambitions for the White House. “It’s so much more important than that,” he said.
According to USA Today, Christie went to the same doctor that New York Jets coach Rex Ryan went to. Ryan had the same surgery in 2010 and it helped him lose 100 pounds.
The surgery includes a silicone tube that goes around the top of the stomach, restricting the amount of food the person eats and helping the person feel fuller.
“A week or two ago, I went to a steakhouse and ordered a steak and ate about a third of it and I was full,” Christie told the Post.
While Christie hasn’t revealed his exact weight, sources for the Post say that he lost around 40 pounds after the surgery. A top political donor also told the paper, “This means he’s running for president. He’s showing people he can get his weight in control. It was the one thing holding him back.”
While that donor may feel that way, Christie told Diane Sawyer in December that he didn’t think his weight would keep him from the Oval Office. Christie has been open about his weight and his reaction to Hurricane Sandy showed that he can handle tough situations in his state.