Two Guys Lose Weight: Dan Marino talks Nutrisystem (and football)

By Jimmy Orr

Feb. 17, 2011 9:01 AM PT

Los Angeles Times

The following is a blog documenting two Los Angeles Times editors’ attempts to lose weight. It all began on Jan. 10.

Want to completely disrupt work for an hour? Easy. Just ask who is the greatest quarterback of all time. Try it. Whatever ‘s pressing will be put off. Whatever ‘s urgent can wait. (Don’t try this in an operating room). And everyone’s got an opinion.

You can easily reel off 10 QBs and get in a fistfight over the question within minutes. But there is at least a consensus over most of the names you’ll hear. Dan Marino, John Elway, Joe Montana and Bubby Brister will always be mentioned. And they should be. Growing up in the Rocky Mountains region, I thought Elway was the savior. Just like my friends in Florida were convinced that Marino was a living god.

Let’s just give them both deific categorization for now. Marino gets an extra point, however, because I’m following his lead in weight-loss strategy. Although I’m not joining him in Canton, I can equal the NFL great on another field: dumping the excess tonnage.

Fact is, he’s a big part of the reason I’m on Nutrisystem. He’s a spokesman for the company ,and his commercials are pretty hard to avoid. So when deciding my strategy for the Two Guys Lose Weight blog, I went with him.

Do I think a more powerful wide-receiving corps would have consisted of Duper, Clayton and Orr? Yes. But I was overlooked (sadly). So, I’m catching another pass in a sense. And I’m doing fine. I’ve dumped 16 pounds. and an additional 15 are forthcoming.

In the meantime, I reached out to Nutrisystem to ask Marino some questions. I know he’s a spokesman. I know he’s going to toe the company line. I get that. But, he’s lost 22 pounds and he’s kept it off for four years. That’s pretty legit. Plus, I could ask him some football questions too. Here’s the Q & A:

Q1. When did you first go on Nutrisystem? What made you decide to do it?

• When I retired from playing pro football, I’ll admit I gained some weight, but when I got the TV analyst job I knew I had to look my best. My friend and former NFL defensive tackle Jim Stuckey lost weight on Nutrisystem and motivated me to want to lose the weight too. I just made the commitment and believed in myself that I could do it.

Q2. How many pounds did you lose? When did you hit your target weight?

• I lost 22 pounds on Nutrisystem, and I am back to my 1983 pro football playing weight. I hit my goal more than four years ago and have maintained ever since. With the weight loss came a new nickname now too -- my friends and family now call my “Skinny.” Never get tired of hearing that one.

Q3. Are you still on Nutrisystem?
• Yes, I am. I still eat Nutrisystem today to help me maintain my weight loss and stay healthy. I love so many of the foods. The cool thing is I eat out with my family and have Nutrisystem at home for when I need it.

Q4. Have active are you? Regular fitness routine?

• Absolutely. I play golf, work out when I can, and my family also keeps me pretty busy. I have six kids, so we are always running around doing something.

Q5. Favorite meal on Nutrisystem?
• My favorite Nutrisystem meals are the pastas, of course (I am Italian), pizza, ice cream, chocolate, burgers --- man food. All you could ask for.

Q6.Who do you think should be the top draft pick in 2011?

• Unless you have specific need you are trying to address, I’m a big believer that you take the best player available and in this case, it is Nick Fairley from Auburn. However, if there is a franchise quarterback available, you always take the quarterback.

Q7. Were fans (and a few football players) too harsh on Jay Cutler for his third-quarter exit in the NFC championship game?

• I thought the reaction was a little too harsh once the severity of the injury came out. In that intense of a game no one wants to have to come out because of an injury, and in his case the team doctors wouldn’t let him back in.

Q8. Who got snubbed in this year’s Hall of Fame picks?

• The NFL Hall of Fame is such a small fraternity and is very difficult to get into, but if I had a vote, I would have elected Chris Carter.