Chumlee From 'Pawn Stars' Underwent This Elective Procedure to Achieve His Massive Weight Loss

Some names are just synonymous with certain reality TV shows. When you think of Pawn Stars, you probably also conjure up images of one of its longtime stars, Chumlee (real name: Austin Russell). He has been a fixture on the show since filming first began in July 2009, and through that time, fans have seen his weight fluctuate quite a bit.

Chumlee's most recent weight loss is so staggering that it has fans wondering how in the world he managed to finally achieve the healthy lifestyle that he has mentioned wanting for some years now. So, how did Chumlee lose all that weight? Here's a breakdown of his journey to a healthier lifestyle, and the means he used to get there.

Before Chumlee began his weight-loss journey, his co-star and longtime friend Corey Harrison took the first steps. Through lap-band surgery and a diet and exercise program, Corey managed to lose almost 200 pounds. And, as Chumlee explained to People in 2014, Corey's journey inspired him to completely change his lifestyle, too.

"It was time for me to get healthy," Chumlee told the outlet at the time. "I started at 320 [pounds] and now I'm down to 225. When I first began, I eliminated all processed foods except mustard. Now, 'everything in moderation' is my motto."

Although Chumlee stuck to natural means of weight loss for some time, he had a change of heart in 2019, when he opted to take a surgical route like Corey did.

Per TMZ, Chumlee said that years of weight fluctuation forced him to reconsider his approach to weight loss and in Feb. 2019, he opted to undergo a gastric sleeve surgery. This is a popular elective surgery in which a large portion of an individual's stomach is removed to make a smaller stomach pouch, bringing it down roughly to the size of a banana.

Chumlee now weighs around 190 pounds and told TMZ that he is committed to staying at a lower weight through positive lifestyle changes.

Even though Chumlee has seen wild success and fame thanks to Pawn Stars and is now healthier than ever, he is still the same fun-loving guy he has always been. His Instagram is full of inspirational advice for others and, he said in a 2020 interview with a podcast for The Las Vegas Review, he has remained grounded through it all.

"Success shouldn't change you," he said. "Any more than you're normally, naturally gonna change and evolve as a person, which I think everyone does. But, if you let success change you, you're not being true to yourself. I just stay true to myself, and if I make myself happy, along the way, I'm sure plenty of other people will be happy."

In 2019, rumors started swirling that Chumlee had left Pawn Stars and had no plans to return. At the time, those rumors were due in part to the numerous legal issues he had outside of the show. After being caught with firearms in his home, as well as unspecified amounts of an assortment of drugs in 2016, he was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.

Chumlee was given three years of probation and has since seemingly managed to stay out of the negative spotlight. He has also remained an integral part of Pawn Stars.

If anything, his role on the History series has only become more important and there appears to be no end in sight for him.

Watch Pawn Stars on Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on History.