Chef Art Smith Lost 70 Pounds While Self-Quarantining -- Here's How He Did It

Art Smith
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The celebrity chef has won 'Top Chef Masters' and served as Oprah Winfrey's private cook.

Chef Art Smith is making the most of his time in quarantine! The 60-year-old chef, who used to work for Oprah Winfrey and who has written several cookbooks, is opening up about his weight loss journey. 

Smith first started getting in shape in February when rugby player Lucas Cancelier came to visit him. Cancelier ended up having to stay due to the coronavirus pandemic and decided to put the time to good use. 

According to a recent Instagram post, Smith said Cancelier "took a #60yearold, #330 pound chef that was suffering from #Type2Diabetes #HighBloodSugar and bouts of #anxiety and under his professional guidance, even with a #pandemic, we met our goal."

With Cancelier's encouragement, Smith dropped 70 pounds, sharing his routine with the Today show. 

"He put together an exercise routine for me. We ran to the sporting goods store and got some simple things like a yoga mat. And when nobody could go to the gym, we started running on railroad tracks turned into a walking path," Smith said. "People never thought they could train in their house but it's really so easy."

He cut out processed sugars and limited sweet treats to a couple times a week.

"If you want to enjoy eating, you have to enjoy train(ing). You train 30 minutes in your house and you can enjoy it. You make it normal," Cancelier told Today. "A lot of people are scared about starting to exercise, so I'm trying to teach simple exercise(s). I do three or four workouts, each one is 4 to 6 minutes. If you don't finish one, no problem. And when you finish one, you can do the next one!"

Smith has attributed Cancelier with saving his life as he felt he wasn't at a healthy weight. 

"Who would ever think that a pro rugby player would get stuck with me and that he would change my whole life? He's more than a coach. He's a mentor," Smith said.

Smith owns four southern-style restaurants, won Top Chef Masters, and served as Winfrey's personal chef for several years. 

At the moment, Cancelier is posting workouts Monday through Friday on his Instagram Live. 

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