Babylon
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- Feb 5, 2009
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[h=1]The cheapest weight-loss plan ever? Rapper loses 250 pounds on '99 Cent Store diet' after being horrified at the sight of his body in music video[/h]A formerly obese rapper has told how he managed to shed more than half his body weight in just 18 months by shopping at the 99 Cent Store.
Joe Aviance, 42, from Los Angeles, whose stage name is 'Papa Joe', said he was determined to get in shape after catching a glimpse of his overweight body in a music video.
Low on funds following a stint of unemployment, he decided to set himself a $50 weekly grocery budget. This limitation saw him cut out unnecessary calorie-laden treats and gradually he dropped from 450 to 200pounds.
Scroll down for video
Discount diet: Rapper Joe Aviance, whose stage name is 'Papa Joe', used to weight 450 pounds (left) but he managed to shed more than half his body weight in just 18 months by shopping at the 99 Cent Store (right)
He told ABC that his local 99 Cents Only Store offers an abundant selection of fresh and frozen produce.
'I start my day with eggs, carrots and this 49-cent yogurt,' he said. 'I got my two per cent milk, and I'm still less than $20.'
Other staples include oatmeal, raisins, nuts, bananas, bags of salad and tinned tuna.
To make his dollars go further, he often buys in bulk and freezes meals in plastic containers.
Mr Aviance said that his health has improved dramatically since adopting his 'dine on a dime' meal plan.
Bargain hunt: Mr Aviance says his local 99 Cents Only Store offers an abundant selection of produce
Cutting back: With a limited grocery budget, Mr Aviance was forced to quit unnecessary treats
Rapper lose 250lbs on 99 Cent Store Diet
For more videos, please go to thedoctorstv.com
Previously he said he was just 'two cheeseburgers away' from taking medication for illnesses including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
While the musician chose to ignore his unhealthy lifestyle for years, it was a video for his popular 2009 dance anthem, Last Night A DJ Saved My Life that finally triggered him to take action.
The clip shows him playing a bodyguard dressed in all black. At one point the camera pans to his face and another frame shows him standing inside a nightclub.
When he saw the footage for the song - which hit number six on the Billboard Magazine Dance Charts and continually played on MTV and VH1 - he couldnt get over how large hed become.
Trigger: Mr Aviance said he was horrified when he saw his overweight body in his 2009 music video (above)
To start, he threw out nearly all the contents of his kitchen.
'I almost had a nervous breakdown,' he explained. 'I went to the fridge and threw everything in the trash can. Cookies, candy, cakes, all the sugary items, everything.'
He decided to cut out junk food, stop trips to his local drive-thru and quit guzzling two-liter bottle of Mountain Dew every day.
But unemployed at the time, Mr Aviance couldn't afford a fancy diet or gym membership so he decided to investigate if he could eat healthily at a low cost. His quest led him to the 99 Cents Only Store.
Big difference: Mr Aviance slips into a pair of his old pants to demonstrate just how much weight he's lost
He said that he was shocked by how much money he could save. Mr Aviance is now determined to 'squash the myth that eating healthy is expensive' and has coined the motto, 'HCWB - Healthy choices within a budget.'
As well as transforming his diet, Mr Aviance also took up walking. Today he walks fives miles every morning before getting started on work.
Despite losing more than 250 pounds, Mr Aviance is working to lose ten more. He is also keen to help others achieve their weight-loss goals.
'I want to unlock this person inside of everybody to be the best they can be, and just let it shine,' he added.
Joe Aviance, 42, from Los Angeles, whose stage name is 'Papa Joe', said he was determined to get in shape after catching a glimpse of his overweight body in a music video.
Low on funds following a stint of unemployment, he decided to set himself a $50 weekly grocery budget. This limitation saw him cut out unnecessary calorie-laden treats and gradually he dropped from 450 to 200pounds.
Scroll down for video
Discount diet: Rapper Joe Aviance, whose stage name is 'Papa Joe', used to weight 450 pounds (left) but he managed to shed more than half his body weight in just 18 months by shopping at the 99 Cent Store (right)
He told ABC that his local 99 Cents Only Store offers an abundant selection of fresh and frozen produce.
'I start my day with eggs, carrots and this 49-cent yogurt,' he said. 'I got my two per cent milk, and I'm still less than $20.'
Other staples include oatmeal, raisins, nuts, bananas, bags of salad and tinned tuna.
To make his dollars go further, he often buys in bulk and freezes meals in plastic containers.
Mr Aviance said that his health has improved dramatically since adopting his 'dine on a dime' meal plan.
Rapper lose 250lbs on 99 Cent Store Diet
For more videos, please go to thedoctorstv.com
Previously he said he was just 'two cheeseburgers away' from taking medication for illnesses including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
While the musician chose to ignore his unhealthy lifestyle for years, it was a video for his popular 2009 dance anthem, Last Night A DJ Saved My Life that finally triggered him to take action.
The clip shows him playing a bodyguard dressed in all black. At one point the camera pans to his face and another frame shows him standing inside a nightclub.
When he saw the footage for the song - which hit number six on the Billboard Magazine Dance Charts and continually played on MTV and VH1 - he couldnt get over how large hed become.
To start, he threw out nearly all the contents of his kitchen.
'I almost had a nervous breakdown,' he explained. 'I went to the fridge and threw everything in the trash can. Cookies, candy, cakes, all the sugary items, everything.'
He decided to cut out junk food, stop trips to his local drive-thru and quit guzzling two-liter bottle of Mountain Dew every day.
But unemployed at the time, Mr Aviance couldn't afford a fancy diet or gym membership so he decided to investigate if he could eat healthily at a low cost. His quest led him to the 99 Cents Only Store.
He said that he was shocked by how much money he could save. Mr Aviance is now determined to 'squash the myth that eating healthy is expensive' and has coined the motto, 'HCWB - Healthy choices within a budget.'
As well as transforming his diet, Mr Aviance also took up walking. Today he walks fives miles every morning before getting started on work.
Despite losing more than 250 pounds, Mr Aviance is working to lose ten more. He is also keen to help others achieve their weight-loss goals.
'I want to unlock this person inside of everybody to be the best they can be, and just let it shine,' he added.
