Mike Huckabee

===Weight loss and advocacy of good health===
When he was elected governor of Arkansas, Huckabee was [[obesity|obese]]. In 2003, physicians diagnosed him with [[type 2 diabetes]], and they also informed him that he would not live more than 10 years if he did not lose weight. Huckabee acknowledges that he has weighed as much as 300 pounds (135&nbsp;kg). Coupled with the death of former Governor [[Frank D. White]] (whose obesity contributed to a fatal [[Myocardial infarction|heart attack]]) his diagnosis prompted Huckabee to begin eating healthier and exercising. He subsequently lost over 110 pounds (50&nbsp;kg).<ref>
{{cite news |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7752179/site/newsweek |last=Barrett |first=Jennifer |date=May 5, 2005 |work=[[Newsweek]] |access-date=January 9, 2015 |title=Campaigning for a Healthier America |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061214093849/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7752179/site/newsweek |archive-date = December 14, 2006}}<br />{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/16/AR2006011601380.html |title=Fire in the Belly |last=Leibovich |first=Mark |access-date=January 9, 2015 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=January 17, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bmi-calculator/NU00597|title=BMI Calculator from the Mayo Clinic|access-date=January 27, 2008}}</ref> ''[[The New York Times]]'' called the weight loss so rapid that "it was as if he simply unzipped a fat suit and stepped out."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/10/us/10weight.html|title=The Slenderized Governor, With Advice to Share | work=[[The New York Times]] | first=Shaila | last=Dewan | date=September 10, 2006 |access-date=February 10, 2007}}</ref>

Although Huckabee has stated that he never smoked and he never drank alcohol,<ref name="brianlamb"/> he declared himself a "recovering foodaholic". Huckabee has publicly recounted his previous burdens as an obese man: the steps of the Arkansas capitol from the entrance of the building up to the Governor's office were so long and steep that he would be out of breath and exhausted by the time he reached the top of the stairs.<ref>{{cite book |author1=[[Dean Karnazes]] |author2=Matt Fitzgerald |date=2008 |title=50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days – and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance! |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z_4P_t_T2DAC&pg=PT33 |location=[[New York City|New York]] |publisher=[[Hachette Book Group USA]] |page=33 |isbn=978-0-446-53789-6 |access-date=January 9, 2015}}</ref> Huckabee has discussed his weight loss and used health care reform as a major focus of his governorship.<ref>[[Brian Wansink]] and Mike Huckabee (2005), "De-Marketing Obesity", ''California Management Review'', 47:4 (Summer), 6–18.</ref>

At an August 2007 forum on [[cancer]] which was hosted by [[Lance Armstrong]], Huckabee said that he would support the imposition of a federal [[smoking ban]], but since then, he has stated that he believes that the issue is best addressed by state and local governments.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/huckabee-about-face-on-smoking-2008-01-16.html|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|date=January 16, 2008|author=Jeffrey Young|title=Huckabee about-face on smoking|access-date=January 18, 2008|archive-date=June 21, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621070232/http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/huckabee-about-face-on-smoking-2008-01-16.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Huckabee has completed several marathons: the 2005 [[Marine Corps Marathon]], the 2005 and 2006 [[Little Rock Marathon]], and the 2006 [[New York City Marathon]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061105/SPORTS01/611050390/1271/SPORTS |newspaper=[[The Journal News]]|location=Lower Hudson Valley |date=November 5, 2006|author=Jane McManus|title=At NYC Marathon, there's no telling who you may run into}}</ref> The 2005 Little Rock Marathon featured an impromptu challenge between Huckabee and [[Iowa]] Governor [[Tom Vilsack]]. Huckabee completed the marathon in 4:38:31, defeating Vilsack by 50 minutes. He wrote a book chronicling his weight-loss experience, ''Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork''. Huckabee was one of 10 recipients of a 2006 [[AARP]] Impact Award acknowledging his work as a "health crusader".

In 2009, Huckabee acknowledged that he had gained back a quarter of his weight due to a foot condition that prevented him from running.<ref>{{cite news|first=Emily|last=Miller|year=2009|title=Weighty Matters: Mike Huckabee Gains 25 Lbs., 'Biggest Loser' Comes to D.C.|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/11/05/injured-mike-huckabee-regains-25-pounds-the-biggest-loser-com/|access-date=August 14, 2011|archive-date=November 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116084429/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/11/05/injured-mike-huckabee-regains-25-pounds-the-biggest-loser-com/|url-status=dead}}</ref>