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Feature article

Jared (the Subway guy) visits Glendover

Article and pictures by Tammy Lane
February 20, 2008

Jared Fogle , that guy from the TV commercials who lost more than 245 pounds by eating Subway sandwiches and exercising, soon will hang up his iconic “fat pants” after 10 years of keeping the weight off.

Jared Fogle, the Subway spokesman known for his weight-loss success, stopped by Glendover Elementary School on his “Tour de Pants.” View a slideshow of more pictures.

  But for now, he’s focused on the six-month “Tour de Pants,” in which Subway restaurants and The Jared Foundation are working to raise more than $2 million for childhood obesity prevention programs.
  Jared’s tour included a Wednesday morning stop at Glendover Elementary School, where students welcomed him with their “hello” song and a jump-rope demonstration.
  By a show of hands, he asked: Who likes TV? Video games? The Internet? Junk food? … Do you choose candy or fruit, television or a walk outside?
  “Each of you in this room has to be responsible for yourself,” Jared told the packed gym. “If you start making good decisions now … you’ll become healthier kids, teenagers and adults.”
  Jared is traveling the country for more than 200 days this year, speaking at local schools as well as high-profile events and encouraging parents and organizations to get involved in battling childhood obesity.
  At Glendover, he shared the story of why he’s known as “the Subway guy.”
  Jared said he was a typical, healthy kid – active with soccer, baseball and swimming –until about third grade. That’s when he got a Nintendo for his birthday. His video-game obsession gradually grew to a six-hour-a-day habit – even longer on weekends. By fourth and fifth grade, he was bored with his life.
  “I started eating and drinking (junk food) more often, and my weight started going up,” he told the attentive Glendover crowd.
  By sixth grade, he was sneaking off from home on his bike to spend his allowance on fast food. “The problem was, I didn’t care,” Jared said. “My priorities got shifted, and not in a good way.”
  His self-esteem and self-confidence plummeted, and his grades started to suffer, too.
  In high school, he couldn’t fit into school desks or movie seats. And by the time he was 20 years old, Jared weighed more than 425 pounds.
  One day he decided to make a change. “Ultimately, I’m in charge of my own body,” he recalled thinking. “What am I going to do about this?”
  While a student at Indiana University, Jared literally lived next door to a Subway restaurant. In 1998, he picked up a nutritional brochure there and realized maybe that was his answer.
  He started eating two Subway sandwiches a day (minus the fatty condiments), with baked instead of fried chips and water instead of soda. In three months, he lost 94 pounds.
  But he realized dieting alone wasn’t enough. “To be healthy, I had to start exercising, too,” he said.
  A year later, after adding half-hour daily walks to his routine, Jared had dropped 245 pounds. And he has kept the weight off.
  “The fact that the world is watching me gives me a little more motivation,” the Subway spokesman said, smiling.
  After gaining fame for his weight-loss success in 2000, Jared began traveling the country to share his inspirational story. His 60-inch-waist pants have served as a reminder of how easy it is to slip back into old habits. After this year’s 10-city tour, the pants will go to the Advertising Icon Museum in Kansas City, Mo., slated to open in the spring.
  “I never thought I’d be able to influence anyone, let alone kids,” Jared said after his talk at Glendover. “If I’d had someone like me speak to me as a kid, things might have turned out much differently.”

ONLINE:
Want to read more about Jared and his Tour de Pants? Go to http://currentlmnetwork.com/SubwayIPK/index.html.
Schools and community organizations that want to apply for a grant from The Jared Foundation can download an application at www.JaredFoundation.org.

JARED’S THREE-POINT PLAN FOR CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION

  1. The Jared Fogle Healthy Lifestyle Nationwide School Grant Program: To help schools implement the 2004 federally mandated wellness policies, The Jared Foundation will offer $20,000 grants to as many as 50 schools in 2008.
  2. Parents in the Know Initiative: Based on his experience as a child, Jared will help parents identify “at risk” obesity behavior early on and re-direct children toward healthy activities they can enjoy for a lifetime. In partnership with a national parenting magazine and local community organizations, The Jared Foundation will launch a multi-faceted parent education program on obesity issues.
  3. Families Get Smart About Dining Out Campaign: In partnership with a national association, Jared will launch an initiative to show families how easy and fun it can be to dine out and select nutritious items from nearly any menu.

THE JARED FOUNDATION: The Jared Foundation was established in 2004 by Subway spokesman Jared Fogle, who knows first-hand the physical and emotional hardships that overweight children endure and wants to help motivate and empower others to take action to live a healthy life. He and The Jared Foundation help educate children, parents and caregivers about the importance of a balanced meal plan and regular physical exercise. They also encourage children, supporting families and motivating communities to get involved and take action.

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