It isn’t always easy for George Stella, host of Low Carb and Lovin' It, to look back at his horrific history of heart problems, hospitalizations, prescription drugs and a battle with obesity that had him weighing in at 465 pounds by the time he was 40.Controlled carbohydrate eating enabled George to shed 240 pounds and, despite the ever-present temptations as a chef at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., he’s still losing weight today.
George’s transformation began in October 1999, after nearly a quarter-century of being overweight. He suffered from congestive heart failure and sometimes used a wheelchair to get around. Although he had extensive experience as a chef at some of south Florida's finest restaurants, he could not hold down a job and was on Social Security disability. Two years prior, during one of his frequent hospital visits for heart problems and pneumonia, a doctor warned him that if he didn’t lose weight, he could not expect to live much longer.
George had no idea where to turn for help. It wasn’t until two and a half years later when he discovered Dr. Atkins's New Diet Revolution, a book that altered his attitude toward eating forever. George jumped into the world of controlled carbohydrate eating and has not had flour or sugar since converting to a low carb lifestyle.
Based on his experiences with controlled carbohydrate eating, George invented a food product line called Cooking Magic and founded the company Stella Foods. Together, George and his wife, Rachel, have come up with dozens of Atkins-friendly recipes for everything from pizza to muffins. They help their clients rid their pantries of carbohydrate-laden food and then cook several meals to get them through the week, including desserts. They show them how to change their lifestyles so that they too can enjoy a life free of extra pounds and weight-related health problems.
In addition to his experience with low carb cuisine, George had the pleasure of being a chef at Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian Hotel. During his time there, he catered fairy tale weddings and practiced his culinary talents at such fine restaurants as Victoria & Albert’s and Citricos. He also conducted cooking classes in Orlando, Fla.
George and his wife have been written about in magazines and newspapers, and have been featured on FOX, CBS, CNN and appear regularly on ABC’s The View
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