Michael Weatherly is in the best shape of his life – but there was a time when his weight crept up to 250lbs which resulted in some serious issues with his health. The former NCIS star, 54, revealed that his health took a backseat in his 40s after he married his wife Bojana Jankovic, and due to his weight gain, he developed a dangerous condition that led to him having to sleep in a separate room.
After their marriage, Bojana and Michael welcomed two children within two years of each other, daughter Olivia, now ten, and son Liam, now eight. But due to Michael's considerable weight gain, he had developed sleep apnea which meant he spent a lot of time sleeping away from his wife so as not to disturb her with his snoring while she was pregnant.
Snoring is one of the biggest signs that someone has sleep apnea, which is a potentially serious disorder that causes people to repeatedly stop breathing when they sleep, according to the Mayo Clinic.
© Photo: Getty ImagesMichael weighed 250lbs at his heaviest
It can also lead to several very dangerous health complications including high blood pressure, heart problems, type 2 diabetes, and liver problems. "When I gained weight, I got up to 250lbs, I started snoring and it was inconvenient. So, I spent a lot of time on the couch or in other rooms," Michael told People Now in 2018.
© Photo: InstagramMichael's condition was at its worst during his wife's pregnancy
"I have sleep apnea it turns out, so now I wear this wonderful machine when I sleep," he explained, referencing a CPAP mask, which blows a stream of air into the back of the throat to let people breathe easier. Thankfully, once Michael was diagnosed, he was able to rejoin his wife in their marital bed: "I look like Darth Vader when the helmet comes off," he joked. "It's not very attractive but I get to sleep in my bed, and it just sounds like a white noise machine."
© Photo: InstagramMichael is now in great shape
Michael also overhauled his lifestyle and dropped 35lbs after becoming more conscious of his diet. "No food that comes from a package like potato chips," he told People of his new diet. "I stayed away from pasta, rice, bread, potatoes anything that's fun to eat, I did not eat."
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