Summary
- Patricia Heaton made a conscious decision to live a healthier lifestyle by changing her diet and exercise habits.
- The actress revealed her struggles with mental health.
- Heaton opened up about becoming sober in 2018.
Patricia Heaton played the wise yet constantly irritated Debra Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond and her life totally changed as a result. Although Heaton has had a few scandals, they haven't stopped her from earning millions of dollars throughout her acting career. Her roles on TV shows such as The Middle prove she is a talented actress with a particular knack for comedy.
Since Everybody Loves Raymond ended, Patricia Heaton has made a few lifestyle changes that her fans will definitely want to hear about. In this article, we'll take a look at how the Everybody Loves Raymond star altered her life, along with the important decision that she made a few years ago.
Everybody Loves Raymond Star Patricia Heaton Changed Her Lifestyle For Her Health Issues
Patricia Heaton starred on Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996 to 2005, and by the time the sitcom was over, she was a mother of four sons who had been married to her husband David Hunt since 2006. Heaton had her first son, Samuel, in 1993, and she then gave birth to John, Joseph, and Daniel in 1995, 1997, and 1999.
In a 2014 interview with Viva Magazine, Patricia Heaton shared that she was living a healthier lifestyle than she had before. She said that it can be easy for her not to work out since she works long hours as an actress. But she wanted to lose weight and start eating better.
“I gained 50 pounds with each pregnancy and ate with abandonment. And I went off dairy and gluten. Then I was able to drop those six pounds that I couldn’t before. I try to stay away from carbs..."
Heaton continued, "and when I have bread, it’s gluten free that I toast, or I’ll reach for rice cakes or rice crackers. Hey, I’m not a food fanatic, so if there’s nothing else around, I might reach for a Greek yogurt. However, my dairy intake is usually almond milk and other almond products.”
In the same interview, she also shared that living a healthier lifestyle meant thinking about her mental health. She mentioned having struggles in the past and said, “I have to watch out for anxiety and depression. I struggled with that when I was around 16 and then again in my 20s. Some was genetic, and some was situational—a delayed response to my mother’s death. So I know how very real those feelings of depression and anxiety are.”
Also in 2014, Patricia Heaton spoke to Parade about her exercise routine and diet. She said that while she doesn't love working out, she used her ski machine and stationary bike at home.
What Food Does Patricia Heaton Eat Regularly? (According to First For Women)
- CarbSmart Fudge bar ("treat" on a Sunday)
- lentil soup
- green vegetables
- salmon
- chicken
Heaton also sounded relatable when she said that she can't help but crave junk food sometimes. But at the time, she was following the Paleo diet and also drinking Soylent at times. She explained that the drink has 2,000 calories and 100 nutrients, and she would drink it over two days instead of eating meals.
The actress shared that she visited a college in Ohio with her son, which also made her think about her healthy lifestyle. She explained that her career makes her live a certain way. She said:
"There’s something about being there that makes me want to drink beer all day, eat cheese fries, and eat stuffed French toast for breakfast. Being an actress helps me maintain my health. It’s because I fear never working again if I don’t look good, so there’s motivation, and a very real pressure to be disciplined because I have to be on TV.
Patricia Heaton has been eating healthily for several years now. In 2021, she spoke to First For Women about the foods that she tends to eat, and mentioned green vegetables and salmon as staples in her diet.
Everybody Loves Raymond Star Patricia Heaton Became Sober In 2018
Patricia Heaton also changed her life by becoming sober in 2018. According to TODAY, Heaton talked about giving up alcohol in an interview on the Heart of the Matter podcast hosted by Elizabeth Vargas.
Heaton sounded emotional when sharing a story about when she realized that she couldn't keep drinking the way that she was. When she took a trip to Nashville to spend time with three of her children, they had some fun playing board games and drinking. She said that over a five or six-hour period, she didn't stop pouring herself more red wine.
What Movies Has Patricia Heaton Starred In?
- Beethoven (1992)
- Memoirs Of An Invisible Man (1992)
- The New Age (1994)
- Space Jam (1996)
- Moms' Night Out (2014)
- The Star (2017)
- Smallfoot (2018)
- Mending The Line (2022)
Heaton said:
"I was making a joke to the table, and I started saying, 'You know, in our family it’s a tradition…' And I could not pronounce the word 'tradition.' And I tried three times, and I couldn’t say the word. And I can’t even mispronounce it for you the way that I was mispronouncing it. I can’t remember."
The Everybody Loves Raymond star felt embarrassed and didn't want to have that experience again. She also thought about her future self and knew she wanted to be healthy if her sons had children.
Heaton said:
"So, I just thought, I need to have my brain ... It’s going anyway, I don’t want to add to it with the alcohol. So, I need to have my brain clean so I can be present if, God willing, I should get grandchildren in my 70s. And I also just felt like I am just drinking too much."
While this must have been very difficult, it sounds like Everybody Loves Raymond star Patricia Heaton was committed to staying alcohol-free and feeling better.