Magic Johnson's Gay Son Debuts New Bod After Shedding 22kg with Surgery

Magic Johnson's Gay Son Debuts New Bod After Shedding 22kg with Surgery

EJ Johnson, the son of NBA legend Magic Johnson, lost 50 pounds just five weeks after getting weight loss surgery and is now following a low carb, low sugar diet. Johnson said he decided to get gastric sleeve surgery this summer but had thought about bariatric procedures for the past two years after being unable to lose weight through diet and exercise.

"Nothing was working, and I wanted to make a more permanent decision to get back on track," EJ told People. "[But] I wanted to wait until I was a little bit older to know how to handle myself afterwards."
In gastric sleeve surgery, about 80 percent of the stomach is removed to create a small sleeve-shaped stomach, about the size of a banana, according to the Mayo Clinic. As a result, you get full after three or four bites of food and can no longer eat huge portions.
The 6-foot-2 Johnson didn't reveal how much he weighs, but said he hopes to reach his goal weight within a year. In the meanwhile, Johnson has been following a low carb, low-sugar diet that avoids bread, alcohol and any sugary foods.
For breakfast, EJ typically has a bowl of cereal and snacks on yogurt or string cheese. For lunch, he has a tuna or chicken salad with yogurt or a protein shake and for dinner, he eats fish or chicken with vegetables.
Johnson has also started working out regularly, saying he takes cardio exercise and Pilates classes four to five days a week. EJ revealed his decision to get weight loss surgery on the Sept. 28 season finale of his reality TV show, "Rich Kids of Beverly Hills."
Johnson, who has struggled with weight his entire life, said getting bariatric surgery is not the easy way out. "A lot of people think it's the easy way out, but it's not," he said on "RKOBH" (see video). "It's a step in the right direction, just a big push."
Johnson echoed the sentiments of comedian Rosie O'Donnell, who recently lost 53 pounds after getting vertical gastric sleeve surgery. O'Donnell, who had suffered a heart attack in 2012 and was pre-diabetic before her bariatric procedure, said people need to understand that weight loss surgery is not an easy decision. "Once you have the surgery, it's not a magic pill," said Rosie. "It's still hard."
EJ, who's a fashion student at New York University, recently made a guest appearance on "Fashion Police" alongside the late Joan Rivers. When Rivers asked EJ about his relationship with his dad, Magic Johnson, EJ said his dad is extremely supportive of him.
"We go shopping together all the time," the openly gay EJ told Joan. "He helps me pick out clothes and bags. [We] share a common love of fashion and traveling."
Johnson said the best part of weight loss surgery is the feeling of control he now has over his body and his life. "Being able to take control of my life again, take control of what I'm eating and my fitness is enlightening and empowering," he said.
Magic Johnson recently told Oprah Winfrey he loves and supports his son no matter what, and had long suspected EJ was homosexual. "I would say it was a shock in the beginning, but also I knew [he was gay]," said Magic. "I was just waiting on him to tell me, and he did.
"I told him, 'EJ, I love you, so I'm going to support you no matter what.' And I think it made him feel good because he wanted my approval. He wanted my support."