“Today” show star Al Roker has given fans a glimpse into the gym setup inside his $6 million New York City townhouse, while revealing how he is recommitting himself to a fitness routine.
The 71-year-old weatherman, who underwent a gastric bypass in 2002 and then a knee replacement surgery in 2023, took to Instagram to share some insights into how he stays in shape at his Upper East Side dwelling, which he and wife Deborah bought for $3.25 million in 2000.
In a recent post shared to his Instagram, the father of three could be seen working up a sweat in what appeared to be a room on the lower level of the home, which he has turned into a makeshift fitness studio.
Roker’s workout began with some exercises on a balance trainer, which is known for being a useful tool in maintaining the health of knees, particularly after surgery.
In his caption, Roker admitted that he had chosen to post footage of his workout online to hold himself accountable, confessing that he otherwise might have spent the day whiling away the hours in front of the fireplace.
“Once again, I needed to have a #talkwithmyself so I didn’t spend the whole morning in front of the fireplace. And yes, as some of you pointed out, sometimes you need that. Problem is, I’ve been doing a little too much of that and not enough of this,” he wrote.
He added, “#somethingisbetterthannothing.”
After hitting the balance trainer, Roker grabbed a set of weights and got to work, perfectly executing a series of moves including bicep curls, pushups, squats, heel lifts, and tricep extensions.
The media star’s workout background included a colorful, patterned rug, a charming brick fireplace, multiple windows and a couch, which was tucked away to make room for Roker’s fitness equipment.
In 2002, Roker underwent gastric bypass, which transformed him from 340 pounds to 190. In 2023, he shed an additional 45 pounds with the help of a low carb diet and workouts created for him by personal trainer Jose Garcia.
Roker previously detailed his struggles with food in his 2012 book, “Never Goin’ Back: Winning the Weight Loss Battle for Good,” in which he said that binge eating heavily impacted his career and marriage.
“My wife is a size 4; she runs, she works out, and it became a problem in our marriage. On a Saturday she’d get up, get dressed to run and I’d be sitting on the couch or making breakfast for the kids and was quite happy about our choices. She, on the other hand, was not,” he wrote in an essay for “Today” in 2013.
“She was upset about it, she was frustrated, she was angry. She thought, ‘Why don’t you care enough about yourself and why don’t you care about me and our relationship enough to change?’
“And I said, ‘Look, it’s not about you. It’s about me.'”
Further in the memoir, he noted that he decided to make a permanent change when his dad, Albert Lincoln Roker Sr., died.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever had to make a deathbed promise to someone you love, but if you have, you know the kind of guilt and massive responsibility I felt in that moment,” he said.
In 2022, Roker rang in the 20-year anniversary of his gastric bypass surgery, revealing that he will “never forget” how much he has achieved in his weight loss journey.
At the time, he shared numerous snaps of himself donning his old jeans to show his jaw-dropping transformation.
“Hard to believe it was 20 years ago today, I wore these size 54 Levi jeans to my #gastricbypass at 340lbs and here I am today. It’s still a struggle but I’m never going back. I have setbacks and struggle every day, but I never forget how far I’ve come,” he penned in the caption.
When he’s not in the gym or working out at home, Roker regularly documents himself going on long walks around his New York neighborhood, or in the stunning countryside that surrounds his upstate New York dwelling, which he purchased for just $380,000 in 1997.
The property spans just under 40 acres of land and was home to a three-bedroom, two-bathroom primary residence when Roker and his wife purchased it.
During the blizzard that recently hit the East Coast, Roker shared several videos of snow falling around his home, as well as a clip of his roaring fireplace.
“Well, so much for trying to get out there to walk this morning!” he joked. “But, wow is it beautiful.”