Luther was a super talented American singer, songwriter, and music producer. He began his musical journey as a solo artist, but his incredible talent led him to become the main singer of a group called Change. Luther’s voice was like honey mixed with soul, which made him really famous.
Even though we had to say goodbye to this wonderful singer in 2005 when he was 54 years old, his unforgettable songs continue to stay with us.
Some of his awesome tracks, like “Never Too Much,” “Here and Now,” and “For You to Love,” are still cherished in our hearts. It’s a fact that Luther was not only an amazing singer but also a successful maker of music records.
Weight Loss Journey
Regrettably, his health didn’t follow the same path of success. During his lifetime, he dealt with some really tough changes in his weight that life can really challenge someone with. Vandross went through gaining and losing over 100 pounds more than 10 times!
These massive shifts in weight didn’t just make him feel upset, they also took away all of Luther’s energy. Even though he faced so many struggles and couldn’t quite manage to control his weight, Luther didn’t surrender. He was a true fighter who kept on battling.
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Luther’s Weight Fluctuations
The main reason behind Vandross’ weight gain was his love for food. Talking about his food addiction, Luther said, “The food had its clutches on me strong enough that it sort of demanded that I ignore reason.”
In 1998, Vandross’ health condition became worse as his weight reached 340 pounds, a very serious number while counting weight. This situation depressed him at first. Talking about which, he said, “It’s the most awful, dark feeling in the world.”
Luther added, “It feels like you’re wearing an 80-pound hat and a coat that weighs 300 pounds. You feel like it’s always dark and gloomy.” These huge weight fluctuations not only made his physical wealth worse but also made him vulnerable to criticism.
In his interview with ABC, he said, “It makes it very hard. You wear it externally so the minute you walk through the door, everybody knows ‘Luther’s not winning his battle with his demon.’” The good thing, however, is that Luther did manage to get out of that “gloomy place” although for a brief period.
Vandross’ Losing Weight
After struggling with being overweight for years, Luther finally decided to take charge of his life. In doing so he broke all his previous records by abstaining from his favorite food. Vandross adopted a high-protein and low-carbohydrate diet.
“I deleted carbohydrates, I deleted starches. No bread, no rice, no pasta, no potatoes,” Luther said. By doing so he shed 120 pounds. This huge transformation in his weight made a very big difference and his health became stable.
“A turkey burger with the right seasonings, with sage and all of that stuff, really tastes like sausage,” Luther said about his diet plan, “vegetables, fish, chicken, and fruit. That’s it. An alcoholic can’t have half a martini, and you know, I can’t have bread. This experience has taught me this.”
When Luther was asked how he feel about shedding 120 pounds, he answered, “I am more proud of my weight loss. I’m most proud of my health improvement,” he added, “I’ve never been more healthy than I am now. I wish I was this healthy when I was 25.”
Before & After Weight Loss
After losing 120 pounds, Vandross’ weight reached 220 pounds while in the past, he weighed 340 pounds. This was a huge change in Luther’s health.
Luther’s Death
Luther did take charge of his life but only for a short time. He gained most of the lost weight again. And by fighting obesity for years, Vandross had also become a patient with diabetes, which according to him “ran in my family”.
Besides diabetes, he was also struggling with high blood pressure. These health conditions led to a severe stroke in 2003. The stroke was so severe that Luther was in a coma for more than 2 months. Vandross’ health condition became so bad that he couldn’t even receive his Grammy Award.
To receive the honor, there was Luther’s mother presented with a pre-taped video segment from Luther saying, “When I say goodbye it’s never for long because I believe in the power of love.” This statement made his fans and friends cry.
Vandross appeared last time on the screen on May 6, 2004, on The Oprah Winfrey Show. He died on July 1, 2005, due to a heart attack. He was being treated at the JFK Medical Center at the time. Luther’s death came as a big shock not only for his fans but for everyone.
Also, read how 50 Cent lost 50 pounds by changing his diet.
Final Words
Throughout his life, Luther fought obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. This put so much tension in his life, however, never for a brief moment did he despair. Vandross lived a happy and full life.
Sure, his weight fluctuations put a lot of limits on him physically but they never robbed him of his mental health. Luther Vandross will be alive forever in our memories.
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