For some, the day doesn’t start without coffee and the friendly faces of The Today Show. As a regular on the show since 1996, weatherman, journalist and host Al Roker has brought more than a little sunshine to American audiences.
Along with the daily forecast, the cheerful morning show showed the audience the importance of health and well-being. After undergoing gastric bypass surgery in 2002, Rocker lost 150 pounds and kept it off through sustainable lifestyle changes that have been inspirational to many. He was similarly open when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020 and when he experienced blood clots in his lungs in 2022.
Now 70, Rocker is enjoying life — his wife, Deborah, is a constant inspiration, and his new granddaughter, Skye, keeps him active and engaged. In October 2024, he published a new cookbook in collaboration with his daughter, Courtney Rocker Laga, dedicated to memorable family recipes called “Al Roker’s Recipes for Life: Easy Memorable Recipes for Every Occasion.”
Roker says watching Skye grow up is the main impetus for his continued commitment to health.
“I have several friends who have grandchildren who are in their teens or even older. “My granddaughter is 16 months old,” Rocker said Health. “I would be thrilled to see her go to high school.” To increase the chances of this happening, I try to be very careful about my health.
Fortunately, Rocker is surrounded by like-minded colleagues. He said that while Hoda Kotb was hosting a wellness appearance on The Today Show, everyone in the studio was living a healthy lifestyle, with several runners in the group. This health-focused environment is the envy of many, which is why Rocker is so excited about The Today Show’s latest app, Get started TODAYfor which he is the Chief Motivation Officer.
The Start TODAY app offers access to whole-body health, providing valuable content to those at any stage of their health journey. It includes weekly and monthly fitness challenges, customized meal plans from registered dietitians, and daily inspiration from leading experts in the fitness industry.
Rocker is excited about how affordable the app will be to start your health journey.
“The app will meet people wherever they are and help them achieve whatever goal they’re looking for,” Rocker said. “And it’s an app full of content from people you can trust.” This is a closed loop with trusted sources for nutrition, exercise and medical information. I think that’s going to be really important.” The app was number one on the list of health and wellness apps on launch day
Since his initial weight loss, Rocker has seen the weight change conversation in a positive way. He said the body positivity movement is creating more realistic expectations for people on their health journey.
“Not everyone is biologically built to be a size four woman or have a 32 inch waist like a man.” “We have different set points, and the goal is just to be as healthy as possible,” Rocker said. “Even when I was morbidly obese, my blood pressure and cholesterol were fantastic. But in the end, something will give.”
That realistic mindset is one of the things that makes Rocker accessible to audiences. He says he prefers low-impact exercises, unlike his wife, Deborah, who likes to work up a sweat in the gym.
Preventive health care led to an early diagnosis of Roker’s prostate cancer in 2020. He was asymptomatic and was surprised to discover he had cancer during a routine checkup. Because the cancer was caught early, he was able to undergo quick surgery before it could progress. Today, she is a passionate advocate for regular checkups, using her experience to inspire others to prioritize their health.
“I talk about my cancer because I have this bully pulpit. “I think the only way to effect change is to talk about things,” Rocker said. “The fact is, regular checkups are the only thing that makes most people survive or not.” For both men and women, cancer may not necessarily have symptoms until it is too late.
This commitment to self-care and self-awareness infuses everything Rocker does. Although gastric bypass surgery accelerated his health journey, he maintained his weight loss and health goals through small, consistent habits like walking and fitting exercise into his normal daily activities. He says getting up early to exercise helps him prioritize his health.
“At the end of the day, you have to make yourself a priority.” “If you’re not good, you can’t be good at anything in your life, whether it’s your family, your friends or your job,” Rocker said.