For some, the day doesn’t start without coffee and the friendly faces of The Today Show. As a regular on the show since 1996, weather presenter, journalist, and host Al Roker has brought more than a little sunshine to American audiences.
In addition to the daily forecast, the jovial morning show institution has shown audiences the importance of health and wellness. After undergoing gastric bypass surgery in 2002, Roker lost 150 pounds and has kept it off through sustainable lifestyle changes that have been inspirational to many. He was similarly open when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020 and when he experienced blood clots in his lungs in 2022.
Now, at age 70, Roker is enjoying life—his wife, Deborah, is a constant inspiration, and his new granddaughter, Sky, keeps him active and engaged. In October 2024, he released a new cookbook in collaboration with his daughter, Courtney Roker Laga, dedicated to memory-making family recipes called “Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By: Easy, Memory-Making Recipes For Every Occasion.”
Roker says that seeing Sky grow up is a major impetus for his continued devotion to health.
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“I have a number of friends who have grandchildren who are in their teens or even older. My granddaughter is 16 months old,” Roker told Health. “I would be thrilled if I get to see her go to high school. To increase the odds of that happening, I try to be really mindful about my health.”
Luckily, Roker is surrounded by like-minded coworkers. He said that while Hoda Kotb has led the wellness charge at The Today Show, everyone in the studio pursues a healthy lifestyle, with several runners in the group. This health-focused environment is enviable for many, which is why Roker is so excited about The Today Show’s newest app, Start TODAY, for which he’s the Chief Motivation Officer.
The Start TODAY app offers a whole-body approach to health, delivering valuable content to those in any stage of their health journey. It includes weekly and monthly fitness challenges, custom meal plans by registered dietitians, and daily inspiration from leading experts in the fitness industry.
Roker is excited about how accessible the app will make starting a health journey.
“The app is going to meet people wherever they are and help them reach whatever goal they’re looking for,” Roker said. “And it’s an app filled with content from people you can trust. This is a closed loop with trusted sources for nutrition, exercise, and medical information. I think it’s going to be really important.” The app hit number one on the health and wellness app chart on launch day
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Since his initial weight loss, Roker has seen the conversation about weight shift in a positive way. He said the body positivity movement creates a more realistic expectation for people on a health journey.
“Not everybody is biologically built to be a size four woman or have a 32-inch waist as a man. We have different set points, and the goal is just to be as healthy as you can,” Roker said. “Even when I was morbidly obese, my blood pressure and cholesterol were fantastic. But eventually, something was going to give.”
That realistic mindset is one of the things that makes Roker approachable to audiences. He says that he prefers lower-impact exercise, in contrast to his wife, Deborah, who loves sweating at the gym.
Preventive health care led to Roker’s early prostate cancer diagnosis in 2020. He was asymptomatic and was surprised to find out he had cancer from a routine checkup. Because the cancer was caught early, he was able to undergo swift surgery before it could progress. Today, he’s a passionate advocate for regular screenings, using his experience to inspire others to prioritize their health.
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“I talk about my cancer because I have this bully pulpit. I think the only way to affect change is to talk about things,” Roker said. “The fact of the matter is that regular checkups are the only thing standing between most people surviving or not. For both men and women, cancer doesn’t necessarily present with symptoms until it’s too late.”
This devotion to self-care and self-awareness infuses everything Roker does. Although gastric bypass surgery jumpstarted his health journey, he’s maintained his weight loss and health goals through small, consistent habits like walking and fitting exercise into his normal daily activities. He says getting up a little early to exercise helps him prioritize his health.
“At the end of the day, you have to make yourself a priority. If you’re not good, you can’t be good for whatever is in your life, whether that’s your family, friends, or work,” Roker said.
